TheZatoichiseries was one of the longest-running in cinema history, and one of the most well-known film franchises from Japan that isn’tGodzilla. Depicting the adventures of a blind swordsman/gambler/masseur, the series ran for 25 films between 1962 and 1973, had a television show 100 episodes long that aired between 1974 and 1979, and then concluded in 1989 with a 26th film. That one brought the series to a close in the sense that it was the last to starShintaro Katsuin the titular role, with the actor passing away in 1997 at the age of 65.
The series had further films in 2003 and 2010, but the following ranking is concerned only with the 26Zatoichifilms featuring Katsu (and not including any of the TV episodes). It’s an overall fantastic samurai series, set during the 1800s and usually having films that are episodic in nature, with the title character tending to meet new characters - and face different enemies - in each movie. It’s a very consistent series, though the formula many of the films adhere to can make ranking them tricky, not to mention potentially divisive. Nevertheless, here are the main films in the legendary film series, shown below from worst to best.
26’Zatoichi in Desperation' (1972)
Whenever a series gets ranked, something has to go last, and inZatoichi’scase, it’s easy to pickZatoichi in Desperation.This was the 24th film in the series, and ultimately made it look as though the entire thing was running out of steam, with the plot here involving Zatoichi trying to save a young woman from working in a brothel.
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Not that the series is known for being family-friendly, but this entry takes things into dark and uncomfortable areas, having unpleasant sequences and disturbing sexual scenes that just feel off, and not well-handled. Some may appreciateZatoichi in Desperation(potentially appropriately) taking some desperate risks by pushing boundaries, but others will dislike how feel-bad it all is.
25’Zatoichi and the Doomed Man' (1965)
The 11thZatoichifilm in the series was 1965’sZatoichi and the Doomed Man, and at least it’s not bad. Within the series, it’s really only film #24 that’s classifiable as not good, at which point there are then a handful of decent - if somewhat unremarkable - films, and then a large number of good to great ones.
Zatoichi and the Doomed Manfalls into the decent but slightly forgettable zone, with the story here seeing Zatoichi helping a prisoner prove his innocence. Given it only runs for 77 minutes, one can look on the bright side and know that it doesn’t waste time, and delivers a serviceable amount of fun action (the title character wields two samurai swords during the climax, which is kind of neat).
24’Adventures of Zatoichi' (1964)
Honestly, just about every movie in theZatoichiseries could be calledAdventures of Zatoichi. He’s always going on adventures, helping those who need assistance, and standing up against villainous samurai or criminal gangs. How is 1964’sAdventures of Zatoichigoing to stand out with such a name?
Maybe this 9th film in the series would stand out if it had a little more going for it, but it’s not one of the franchise’s finest hours. It’s about Zatoichi investigating the disappearance of a village leader, and the startling discoveries that end up being uncovered. It was also one of fourZatoichimovies released in 1964, showing they were really pumping them out at this point.
Just a year and a half after the firstZatoichimovie came out, the series was already at film #5:Zatoichi on the Road. The series began in April 1962, with this film getting released in Japan in November 1963, and having a plot centered around Zatoichi finding himself in the middle of a violent gang war.
Despite its simple premise, it gets quite complicated with the number of characters it has, and it’s also overwhelming owing to the fact that this is the firstZatoichimovie to not have any connection to the first four, narratively. Still, all the core ingredients are more or less contained withinZatoichi on the Road, with Shintaro Katsu as good as ever, and the film containing some solid sword-fighting action.
22’Zatoichi and the Chess Expert' (1965)
Film #12 in the series wasZatoichi and the Chess Expert, and it ranks as another decent film overall. As the title implies, everyone’s favorite blind wanderer/hero meets a chess player, all the while contending with various other threats and concerns, including yakuza members who want him dead.
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It’s notable for being one of sixZatoichimoviesdirected by the greatKenji Misumi, who would later become further acclaimed for directing entries in another great samurai film series,Lone Wolf and Cub.Zatoichi and the Chess Expertisn’t one of Misumi’s finest directorial efforts, but it’s solid enough for a twelfth entry in a series.
21’Zatoichi at Large' (1972)
Though it differentiates itself fromZatoichi #24by not resorting to shock value, the 23rdZatoichifilm,Zatoichi at Large, still gives a mild impression of fatigue setting in. There isn’t a great deal about it that truly stands out, with perhaps its most memorable aspect being a child side character who follows Zatoichi around for much of the film, constantly throwing rocks at him.
The story revolves around Zatoichi helping out a family going through hard times, and though it’s not terribly told, the film’s unlikely torank among 1972’s greatest films, even for those who adore theZatoichiseries. But it’s not offensive, and it’s not terrible, meaning that those in the mood for some competent adventuring/action may find enough to be entertained by here.
20’Zatoichi’s Flashing Sword' (1964)
At this point in theZatoichiranking, things start to move out of the realm of being merely decent, and the quality starts to step up into rock-solid territory (and beyond). Signifying this new stage is film #7,Zatoichi’s Flashing Sword, which sees the title character finding himself wanting to repay a young woman and her family after she nurses him back to health following a gunshot wound.
It does what it needs to, and doesn’t waste a good amount of time doing it, putting Zatoichi in a familiar situation (another struggling family needing his help), but the formula works. By this point in the series, the cast and crew knew they were onto a good thing, and given almost 20 more sequels followed this one, they were right to have faith in what they’d started.
19’Zatoichi’s Cane Sword' (1967)
Eight movies after he had a flashing sword, Zatoichi had a cane sword, in film #15:Zatoichi’s Cane Sword. Well, that’s not technically true, given his cane sword is something he has throughout the series, meaning that no, it doesn’t actually take him until the 15th film to get a cane sword, despite what the title may imply.
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The title instead refers to how said cane sword plays a direct role in the plot this time around, with a blacksmith identifying the sword as made by his own mentor, which then leads Zatoichi to discover the sword may soon break for good. Things feel a little more personal, as a result, and there are numerous quiet moments by the series' standard. It works pretty well, though isn’t quite a series highlight or anything, at the end of the day.
18’Zatoichi and the Fugitives' (1968)
Film #18 in theZatoichiseries was 1968’sZatoichi and the Fugitives, and it was released less than six-and-a-half years after the first movie in the series hit theaters. At a rate of three movies a year on average, up until this point, it once again has to be emphasized just how quickly these often very intricate action movies were made, andhow impressive such an achievement was.
That being said,Zatoichi and the Fugitivesdoesn’t reinvent the playbook or anything, and won’t blow the minds of anyone who’s already seen the first 17Zatoichimovies. But in depicting a solidly told story surrounding Zatoichi taking down a corrupt law official and his lackeys, it still makes for a pretty fun watch.
17’The Tale of Zatoichi Continues' (1962)
With a runtime of just 72 minutes,The Tale of Zatoichi Continuesis about as short as theseZatoichimovies get. It could signify that it was made fairly quickly, after the success of the first movie, as this one’s only the second in the series, and alongside that first movie (also released in 1962), they’re the only two filmed in black and white.
It follows on from the first movie quite directly, taking place in the same town a year after the events of the original film, and seeing Zatoichi clash with characters both old and new. It’s a tiny bit “been there, done that,” but in replicating the strong first movie quite well, in look and feel, it definitely satisfies, also benefiting from the fast pace afforded by the short runtime.
