Zatoichi and the Fugitives

1968 1h 22m JA

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 40

AdventureActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Zatoichi runs afoul of some evil fugitives, working for a corrupt law official.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Zatoichi
Kyōsuke Machida
Ogano Genpachiro
Takashi Shimura
Dr. Junan
Jōtarō Senba
Minokichi
Hōsei Komatsu
Matsugoro
Shōzō Nanbu
Tokuzaemon
Yukio Horikita
Inokichi
Seishiro Hara
Sakata

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Writers: Kinya Naoi, 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

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

58 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 Kimiyoshi Yasuda, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. 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 Hajime Kaburagi. 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 Kanji Suganuma 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 Kyōsuke Machida and Takashi Shimura carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kimiyoshi Yasuda directs. Kazuo Miyagawa behind the camera. Hajime Kaburagi scores. Kanji Suganuma 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.
258 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 Kimiyoshi Yasuda, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Hajime Kaburagi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Kanji Suganuma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Shintarō Katsu and Kyōsuke Machida and Takashi Shimura carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0063835 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 40 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kazuo Miyagawa
Original score: Hajime Kaburagi
Editing: Kanji Suganuma
Runtime: 82 min · 1h 22m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Zatoichi and the Fugitives (1968)

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.