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The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)96 minAction, Adventure, DramaRating 62/100

The epic saga of Zatoichi begins. As tensions mount between rival yakuza clans, one boss hires a formidable but ailing ronin as his clan’s muscle—while the other employs a humble, moral blind masseur named Ichi. With its lightning-fast swordplay, sleight-of-hand dice games, and codes of honor upheld and betrayed, this first chapter sets the stage for all the Zatoichi adventures to come.

Cast: Shintarō Katsu, Masayo Banri, Ryūzō Shimada, Hajime Mitamura, Shigeru Amachi, Michirō Minami, Eijirō Yanagi

Director: Kenji Misumi