Shintarô Katsu is a former masseur, turned master swordsman named Zatoichi (Ichi) who fights for respect and chivalry as a blind man of low station. He stumbles into the village of Iioka to visit Sukegorô, a yakuza boss he met a year before. It becomes apparent that Sukegorô and his gang are nothing but petty criminals and Ichi is quick to show his distain for their uncouth behavior. But, Sukegorô offers him money in hopes of securing his services to engage a swordsman hired by a rival gang in Sasagawa. Ichi meets this swordsman named Hirate, who is dying of tuberculosis and forms a bond of mutual respect.

Tensions between the two gangs reach critical mass after one of Sukegorô's men is killed by the Sasagawa gang. Once its learned that Hirate has become seriously ill, Sukegorô takes 60 men and attacks the Sasagawa gang. Despite his condition, Hirate is persuaded to join the battle. Concern over Hirate's health draws Ichi to the battle site which only leads to an inevitable duel between the two men. Heartbroken, Ichi rejects the love of a gang member's sister and walks off in search of his next adventure.

Zatoichi is the type of popular hero who is timeless and can appeal to any culture. The character is an everyman with a disability that is overshadowed by almost superhuman fighting skills. But, what really makes this character click is Shintarô Katsu's masterful performance. He manages to give Zatoichi a charm and charisma that rivals any Western hero. The story focuses on the encounters of people who would have been considered "low class" citizens in Japan in the 1800's. There are no samurai warriors and the only things that separates the good from the bad are peerless swordsmanship and a noble heart. Admittedly, simply the concept of a blind swordsman who carries a sword hidden in his cane is super cool. There have been numerous rip-offs since and even Chang Cheh's One-Armed Swordsman (1967) appears to have taken its inspiration from this character. The two characters actually face off in Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971) with Katsu opposite Jimmy Wang Yu.

The story begins slowly and requires some patience from action fans craving bloody swordfights. But, the first half of the film actually provides brilliant and necessary examples of the character's subtle talents and modesty, traits which only elevate him higher once his sword leaves its sheath. Ichi's first encounter with Sukegorô's men results in a very satisfying gambling scene where he smugly makes fools of them after they attempt to cheat him. Later, he stuns the same group with a stunt that leaves a candle sliced lengthwise while each half remains lit! One of these thugs who makes unwanted advances on the leading lady played by Masayo Banri causes Ichi to saunter out and declare his intention to escort her home. After a moment of mock hesitance, he proclaims that there is no one else about and laughs as he leaves the fear-stricken assailant frozen in place.

Although light on action until the end, I have no complaints about the acting, music, or camerawork which are all contributing factors in evoking a high level of depth that draws you into the historically based story. Japanese history buffs may even recognize various characters such as Zatoichi's main opponent, Miki Hirate who was a notorious ronin. But, I still don't think I'll ever get used to seeing the old Japanese custom of married women who blackened their teeth and shaved their eyebrows. This first Zatoichi film is brilliantly made and a must see for anyone who enjoys Japanese swordplay dramas such as Yojimbo (1962).

The Tale of Zatoichi (aka. The Life and Opinion of Masseur Ichi, 1962): Blind masseur and swordsman Ichi, makes his way to the home of a high profile gangster, Sukejoro, whom he casually befriended a year before. Taking up Sukejoro on his offer for a place to stay, Zatoichi finds that the gangster is in a war with a rival gang boss, Shigezo, in the next town over. Sukejoro, whose gang outnumbers his enemy, discovers that Shigezo has hired a well known, dangerous samurai to aide him, so Sukejoro hopes that he can get Zatoichi to lend his swordsmanship and help his gang. But, Zatoichi has little interest in the warring towns, and is instead content to gamble and fish his days away until he wears out his welcome. And, it is while fishing that he meets Hirate, the rival swordsman Shigezo hired. Since neither has very much interest in their prospective bosses war and they share a similar code of honor, the two samurai strike up a friendship. Through his keen senses Zatoichi also notices that Hirate is ill, and it is this malady that, eventually, makes Hirate bedridden. When Sukejoro finds out his rivals swordsman is out of commission, and he doesn't need to rely on the troublesome Zatoichi, Sukejoro strikes. But, Hirate hears of the attack and knows that because of his absence Shigezo plans to use a rifle to shoot Zatoichi. Fearing his comrade will be in the attacking force, he convinces Shigezo to abandon the gun and joins the fray, all along, in pure respect, intending to battle against the notorious blind swordsman.

The first image we see of Zatoichi, is the blind man walking alongside a small creek. With his cane he feels the ground and discovers that a log bridges over the water, and he gets on all fours and slowly crawls across the log to the other side. It is a telling image, on one hand showing he is disabled yet determined, a combination that is triumphant but still precarious... From the outset of this first film, Zatoichi's appeal is easy to see. The character is well defined, thoroughly fleshed out. He is so many things- a scoundrel, a ladies man, a confident risk taker, impudent, yet sympathetic and completely vulnerable. Shintaro Katsu's performance is note perfect, creating a man of weakness and strengths.

From the beginning, the Zatoichi formula is simple: take the enigmatic character, throw him in with some gangsters/roughnecks, add a subplot involving the commoners he encounters, and do it with equal elements of melodrama and black humor, with sporadic bits of seriousness, action, and even sometimes romance, depending on the tale. As with any film series, be it James Bond or Friday the 13th, the formula would sometimes fail and breed a lesser film, but more often than not, with Zatoichi it would work and spawn wonderfully realized stories. It would see a decline and even change studios (from Diaei to Toho), but its final years still managed imaginative variations and innovation to keep itself alive. Such as- The more comedic turn uniting two of Samurai cinemas biggest icons in 1970's Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, and the Chinese swordplay/samurai hybrid of 1971's Blind Swordsman Meets His Equal, or such plots as Zatoichi's Cane Sword, the 15th film, where after killing countless men, Ichi finds out his beloved sword may only have one blow left before it will break, so he spends the film trying to avoid conflict.

In the first scene, Ichi enters a gangsters dice game, the room full of lowlifes thinking they can cheat a blind man. In this one scene we see his brusque confidence, his skill, and that he is not a man to be fooled and get the sense that he is not to be trifled with. The blind man cons the entire group, and instantly he is a lovable scab. And, we know no matter how outnumbered or deadly his enemy, (just like Dirty Harry) Zatoichi will survive, but his character is so lovable and sympathetic, it automatically generates concern and tension for him when he gets into a dire situation. The subplot this time out involves a girl named Tane, who is being forced into a relationship she doesn't want, and the blind swordsman offers casual support, which leads her to fall for him. But, the main story is the bond between Zatoichi and Hirate. After a great action melee of clashing gangsters through the towns streets, it is a testament to the power of the filmmaking, that although the outcome of Zatoichi and Hriate's battle finale is obvious (after all it is the Zatoichi film series not the Hirate films series), yet the film succeeds in making the predicable surprisingly poignant and touching, just by means of simple direction and excellent acting.