The Tale of Zatoichi Continues

1962 1h 12m JA

👍

7.1

SOLID

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★7.1TMDB · 104🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes★7.2IMDB · 2,859

AdventureActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Yoshie Mizutani
Osetsu
Masayo Banri
Otane
Tomisaburō Wakayama
Nagisa no Yoshiro
Yutaka Nakamura
Kagami no Sanzo
Sonosuke Sawamura
Seki no Kanbei
Shōsaku Sugiyama
Tamigoro
Yoshito Yamaji
Yahei

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kazuo Mori
Writers: Minoru Inuzuka, Kan Shimozawa
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 72-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kazuo Mori, shot by Shozo Honda. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ichirō Saitō. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Takashi Taniguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Shintarō Katsu and Yoshie Mizutani and Masayo Banri carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0200309 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kazuo Mori directs. Shozo Honda behind the camera. Ichirō Saitō scores. Takashi Taniguchi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 72-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
264 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Kazuo Mori, shot by Shozo Honda. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Ichirō Saitō. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Takashi Taniguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Shintarō Katsu and Yoshie Mizutani and Masayo Banri carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0200309 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 9 themes, including "japan", "samurai", "yakuza", "sequel".

The technical file

Cinematography: Shozo Honda
Original score: Ichirō Saitō
Editing: Takashi Taniguchi
Runtime: 72 min · 1h 12m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): 16
IMDB: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 · 2,859 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Part of

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection

The colossally popular Zatoichi films make up the longest-running action series in Japanese history and created one of the screen’s great heroes: an itinerant blind masseur who also happens to be a lightning-fast swordsman. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy Shintaro Katsu became an instant superstar, lending a larger-than-life presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who lives staunchly by a code of honor and delivers justice in every town and village he enters.