Zatoichi The Fugitive
– After arriving in the town of Shimonita, Ichi finds that a price has been put on his head by a local..
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.
10 Aug 1963
Japanese
Tokuzô Tanaka
Seiji Hoshikawa, Kan Shimozawa (story)
Shintarô Katsu, Miwa Takada, Masayo Banri, Jun'ichirô Narita
Blind swordsman/masseur Ichi (known as Zatoichi, or "Masseur Ichi") angers a local yakuza gang when he defeats several of them in a wrestling match. When he finds that his long lost love Tane is nearby and romantically involved with a tough samurai in the employ of the gang, he remains in the village. Meanwhile, the young heir to the leadership is forced to confront his own fear and weakness when the gang insists he fight Ichi.
1 nomination.
Criterion Collection