Zatoichi the Fugitive

1963 1h 26m JA

👍

6.9

SOLID

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★6.9TMDB · 61★7.2IMDB · 2,147

AdventureActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After arriving in the town of Shimonita, Ichi finds that a price has been put on his head by a local yakuza boss. He's drawn into a trap, but after hearing of the slaying of a former love, Ichi furiously fights his way through the entire clan to face the killer, a hired ronin.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Miwa Takada
Onobu
Masayo Banri
Otane
Katsuhiko Kobayashi
Jun'ichirō Narita
Sakichi
Tōru Abe
Boss Yagiri Tokyuro
San'emon Arashi
Yūji Hamada

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tokuzō Tanaka
Writers: Seiji Hoshikawa, 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

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

63 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

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tokuzō Tanaka, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Shintarō Katsu and Miwa Takada and Masayo Banri carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tokuzō Tanaka directs. Chikashi Makiura behind the camera. Akira Ifukube scores. Hiroshi Yamada cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
263 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Tokuzō Tanaka, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Hiroshi Yamada shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Shintarō Katsu and Miwa Takada and Masayo Banri carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0057715 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 61 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 8 themes, including "japan", "samurai", "sword", "katana".

The technical file

Cinematography: Chikashi Makiura
Original score: Akira Ifukube
Editing: Hiroshi Yamada
Runtime: 86 min · 1h 26m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): 12
IMDB: Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963)
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 · 2,147 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Awards

1 nomination total

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.