Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Kihachi Okamoto
Shintaro Katsu
Toshiro Mifune
Mori Kishida
Kanjuro Arashi
Osamu Takizawa
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Zatoichi, the blind masseur and expert swordsman, longs for the peaceful days when he was not defending himself against bandits or helping the poor and innocent fight the forces of evil. He returns to a quiet village he once visited, only to find that it has been taken over by a gangster, Boss Masagoro, while the venerable headman, Hyoroku, now does nothing but carve statues of the god Jizo. Masagoro, aware of Zatoichi's reputation, orders his bodyguard, Yojimbo, to kill him. Yojimbo is at first reluctant to attack a blind man, but the offer of a substantial reward changes his mind. The two men feel a grudging respect for each other after their first meeting, during which Yojimbo realizes Zatoichi is no ordinary swordsman. However, the two become enemies when Zatoichi is taken in by Eboshiya, Masagoro's father, who has disowned his criminal son. Yojimbo, actually a spy assigned by the Shogunate to find some gold bars hidden by Eboshiya, seems more interested in drinking at the sake shop run by the beautiful Umeno. Eboshiya's younger son arrives in town to demand the gold, and when his father refuses to hand it over, he kills both Eboshiya and Masagoro. Zatoichi eventually discovers that the gold is dust, which Hyoroku has been concealing in his statues. Before the greedy villagers can find it, however, the gold dust is blown away by a gust of wind.
Director
Kihachi Okamoto
Cast
Shintaro Katsu
Toshiro Mifune
Mori Kishida
Kanjuro Arashi
Osamu Takizawa
Ayako Wakao
Masakane Yonekura
Shigeru Kamiyama
Toshiyuki Hosokawa
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Released in Japan in January 1970 as Zato Ichi to Yojinbo.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1971
Released in United States 1971
