Zatoichi's Flashing Sword

1964 1h 22m JA

👍

6.9

SOLID

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★6.9TMDB · 58★7.2IMDB · 1,798

ActionDramaAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Blind masseur Zatoichi is nursed back to health by a young woman after he is shot by a gang member. Zatoichi, who had come to the village to repay a debt, now feels further indebted. He commits himself to use his amazing sword skills to help the young woman's father, whose river-crossing service is under attack by the same gang responsible for Zatoichi's wounds.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Tatsuo Endō
Boss Yasugoro of Takeya
Bokuzen Hidari
Kyubei
Ryōsuke Kagawa
Boss Bunkichi
Naoko Kubo
Okuni
Mayumi Nagisa
Oshizu
Takashi Etajima
Seiroku
Ryūtarō Gomi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kazuo Ikehiro
Writers: Kan Shimozawa, Minoru Inuzuka, Shozaburo Asai
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

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

62 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 Kazuo Ikehiro, shot by Yasukazu Takemura. 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 Sei Ikeno. 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 Takashi Taniguchi 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 Tatsuo Endō and Bokuzen Hidari carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kazuo Ikehiro directs. Yasukazu Takemura behind the camera. Sei Ikeno scores. Takashi Taniguchi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

182 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
262 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 Kazuo Ikehiro, shot by Yasukazu Takemura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Sei Ikeno. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Takashi Taniguchi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Shintarō Katsu and Tatsuo Endō and Bokuzen Hidari carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0191664 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 58 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Yasukazu Takemura
Original score: Sei Ikeno
Editing: Takashi Taniguchi
Runtime: 82 min · 1h 22m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Zatoichi's Flashing Sword (1964)
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 · 1,798 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.