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Poster for The Tale of Zatoichi

The Tale of Zatoichi

Seen it?

1962 | 96 min | Adventure, Action, Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for action fans. If you loved Bridge to Terabithia or 300, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Exciting.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 36 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1962: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur and master swordsman. Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighbouring town's smaller gang is brewing.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.3 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 14K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Kenji Misumi

  • Shintarō KatsuZatôichi
  • Masayo BanriOtane
  • Ryūzō ShimadaShigezô
  • Hajime MitamuraHanji
  • Shigeru AmachiMiki Hirate
  • Michirō MinamiTatekichi
  • Eijirō YanagiSukegorô
  • Toshio ChibaMasakichi
  • Manabu MoritaSeisuke
  • Yoshito YamajiYahei