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50-433: This originally minor character was drastically altered and developed for the screen by Daiei Film and actor Shintaro Katsu , becoming the subject of one of Japan's longest-running film series. A total of 26 films were made between 1962 and 1989. From 1974 to 1979, a television series was produced, starring Katsu and some of the same actors that appear in the films. Produced by Katsu Productions, 100 episodes were aired before

100-421: A bounty (sometimes quite large) on his head from one source or another throughout the movies and series. However, because of his earnestness, wit, and natural sense of empathy, many people who encounter him during his travels grow to respect and even care for him. Unlike a bushi , he does not carry a traditional katana . Instead, he uses a well-made shikomi-zue (仕込み杖, lit. "prepared cane" or cane sword ), as

150-500: A brief period when he was purged by Occupation authorities, remained in that position until 1971. Under his reign, Daiei produced Akira Kurosawa 's Rashomon (1950) and entered it in the Venice Film Festival , where it won the grand prize and became the first Japanese film to win an international award, thus introducing Japanese cinema to the world. Daiei also produced Teinosuke Kinugasa 's Gate of Hell (1953),

200-404: A bullying gang that is extorting money from the townspeople. As Zatoichi seeks to liberate the town, he encounters a rōnin seeking employment to pay for his ailing wife's needs, and two geisha who are seeking to avenge the murder of their parents, but he soon discovers that they are not what they seem to be. A stage version of Zatoichi directed by Takashi Miike starred Show Aikawa . It

250-481: A bō is 6 shaku (around 6 ft (1.8 m)) but they can be as long as 9 ft (2.7 m) ( kyu-shaku-bō ). A 6 ft (1.8 m) bō is sometimes called a rokushakubō ( 六尺棒 ) . This name derives from the Japanese words roku ( 六 ) , meaning "six"; shaku ( 尺 ) ; and bō . The shaku is a Japanese measurement equivalent to 30.3 centimeters (0.994 ft). Thus, rokushakubō refers to

300-545: A flexible wood, such as red or white oak, although bamboo and pine wood have been used; more common still is rattan wood for its flexibility. The modern bō may be tapered in that it can be thicker in the center ( chukon-bu ) than at the ends ( kontei ) and is usually round or circular ( maru-bo ). Some bō are very light, with metallic sides, stripes and a grip which are used for XMA and competitions/demonstrations. Older bō were round ( maru-bo ), square ( kaku-bo ) ( rokkaku-bo ) or octagonal ( hakkaku-bo ). The average size of

350-630: A hiatus of 16 years until Katsu's last film, which he wrote and directed himself in 1989. The original series of movies features other popular fictional characters of the genre on two occasions. Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971) connects with the Shaw Brothers series of Hong Kong -produced movies directed by prolific director Chang Cheh ; and Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970) features Toshiro Mifune as Imperial Shogunate Secret Agent Daisaku Sasa. This character resembles

400-468: A new high-budget film featuring the character, Zatoichi . It premiered on September 3, 2003, at the Venice Film Festival , where it won the prestigious Silver Lion award, and went on to numerous other awards both at home and abroad. The soundtrack was composed by Keiichi Suzuki and the Japanese tap dance troupe The Stripes . Zatoichi discovers a small, remote mountain town that has been overtaken by

450-619: A result, the blade in Ichi's cane sword is broken during the climactic battle in Zatoichi the Fugitive (the fourth film). The sword has a new blade by the next film, which he wields until the fifteenth film Zatoichi's Cane Sword . The blade (which breaks during the film) and the blade that replaces it were specially forged at great expense and with far more than the usual care by master bladesmiths and were both of exceptional quality, superior to

500-403: A spear. The bō is typically gripped in thirds, with one palm facing the opposite direction of the other palm, enabling the staff to rotate and to secure the weapon when blocking. The power is generated by the back hand pulling the staff, while the front hand is used for guidance. Bō technique includes a wide variety of blocks, strikes, sweeps, and entrapments. The earliest form of the bō ,

550-445: A staff about 6- shaku (1.82 m; 5.96 feet) long. The bō is typically 3 cm (1.25 inch) thick, sometimes gradually tapering from the middle ( chukon-bu ) to 2 cm (0.75 inch) at the end ( kontei ). Traditional bō are not tapered. This thickness allows the user to make a tight fist around it in order to block and counter an attack. In some cases for training purposes or for a different style, and in more recent years, rattan

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600-532: A staff, has been used throughout Asia since the beginning of recorded history. Used for self-defense by monks or commoners, the staff was an integral part of the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū , one of the martial arts oldest surviving styles. The staff evolved into the bō with the foundation of kobudō , a martial art using weapons, which emerged in Okinawa in the early 17th century. Prior to

650-490: Is a staff weapon used in Okinawa. Bō are typically around 1.8 m (71 in) long and used in Okinawan martial arts , while being adopted into Japanese arts such particular bōjutsu . Other staff-related weapons are the jō , which is 1.2 m (47 in) long, and the hanbō (half bō ), which is 90 cm (35 in) long. The bō is usually made with unfinished (no varnish , stain , etc) hard wood or

700-609: Is incredible, with his sword held in a reverse grip; this, combined with his unflappable steel-nerved wits in a fight, his keen ears, sense of smell and proprioception , all render him a formidable adversary. He is also quite capable with a traditional katana , as seen in Zatoichi's Vengeance and the bathhouse scene in Zatoichi and the Festival of Fire . Similarly, he displays considerable skill using two swords simultaneously, in Musashi-like Nitō Ichi style in Zatoichi and

750-474: Is my ally" or "Now we are all blind"). The character's name is actually Ichi . Zatō is a title, the lowest of the four official ranks within the Tōdōza , the historical guild for blind men (thus, zato also designates a blind person in Japanese slang). Ichi is therefore properly called Zatō-no-Ichi ("Low-Ranking Blind Person Ichi", approximately), or Zatōichi for short. Massage was a traditional occupation for

800-443: Is once again using his trademark cane sword, outfitted with a new blade of unknown origin and quality. The principal recurring thematic formula of these films and the television series is that of the ever-wandering and sentimental drifter who protects the innocent and the helpless from oppressive or warring yakuza gangs, stops the worst of general injustice or predation and aids the unfortunate, and often, through no fault of his own,

850-505: Is routinely a magnet for troubles of one sort or another. Death is his only constant companion, as he pragmatically does not allow other people, especially those he loves or thinks highly of, to get close and stay there for long; such would lead to eventual tragedy. Death does seem, like a shadow, actually to follow an often reluctant Zatoichi almost everywhere he goes, and despite his mostly compassionate nature, killing appears to come entirely naturally to him. His lightning-fast fighting skill

900-457: Is set upon by ruffians or stumbles into harm's way. Zatoichi's saga is essentially one of an earthy but basically good and wise man almost always trying to do the decent thing, to somehow redeem himself and perhaps atone for past failings. Nevertheless, he believes himself instead to be a stained, corrupted and evil man, irredeemable and undeserving of the love and respect that some show and rightly have for him. This self-described "god of calamities"

950-573: Is used. Some were inlaid or banded with strips of iron or other metals for extra strength. Bō range from heavy to light, from rigid to highly flexible, and from simple pieces of wood picked up from the side of the road to ornately decorated works of art. The Japanese martial art of wielding the bō is bōjutsu . The basis of bō technique is te , or hand, techniques derived from quanfa and other martial arts that reached Okinawa via trade and Chinese monks. Thrusting, swinging, and striking techniques often resemble empty-hand movements, following

1000-483: Is very highly skilled in swordsmanship , specifically Muraku-school kenjutsu and iaido along with the more general sword skills of Japan, as well as sumo wrestling and kyujutsu . Little of his past is revealed, other than that he lost his sight as a child through illness. His father disappeared for undisclosed reasons when Zatoichi was about five years old. He is described by his swordsmanship instructor as having practiced constantly and with extreme devotion when he

1050-608: The Daiei Unions . These teams eventually became the Chiba Lotte Marines . Suffering from Nagata's profligacy and an industry-wide decline in attendance, Daiei tried to stay alive by teaming up with Nikkatsu to create Dainichi Eihai , but eventually declared bankruptcy in December 1971. Art director Yoshinobu Nishioka and some of the studio's other employees founded Eizo Kyoto Production . Other members of

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1100-494: The Zatoichi television series was cancelled. The seventeenth film of the Zatoichi series was remade in the US in 1989 by TriStar Pictures as Blind Fury , starring Rutger Hauer . A 2003 film was directed by Takeshi Kitano , who also starred as the title character. It was awarded the Venice Film Festival 's Silver Lion for Best Direction . A stage adaptation of Zatoichi directed by Takashi Miike and starring Show Aikawa

1150-401: The bō is now used as a weapon, its use is believed by some to have evolved from the long stick ( tenbin ) which was used to balance buckets or baskets. Typically, one would carry baskets of harvested crops or buckets of water or fish, etc., one at each end of the tenbin , which is balanced across the middle of the back at the shoulder blades. In poorer agrarian economies, the tenbin remains

1200-572: The 15th century, Okinawa , a small island located south of Japan, was divided into three kingdoms: Chuzan, Hokuzan, and Nanzan. After much political turmoil, Okinawa was united under the Sho Dynasty in 1429. In 1477, Emperor Sho Shin came into power. Determined to enforce his philosophical and ethical ideas, while banning feudalism, the emperor instituted a ban on weapons. It became a crime to carry or own weapons such as swords, in an attempt to prevent further turmoil and prevent an uprising. In 1609,

1250-753: The 16th film Zatoichi the Outlaw and the 20th film Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo which were produced by Shintaro Katsu's own company, Katsu Productions, and distributed theatrically by Daiei). The last 6 films (and the TV series) were also produced by Katsu Productions. Distribution of these films was done by Dainichi Eihai ( Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival , Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman ), Toho ( Zatoichi at Large which Toho also co-produced with Katsu Productions, Zatoichi in Desperation , and Zatoichi at

1300-620: The Blood Fest ), and Shochiku which released Katsu's last Zatoichi film in 1989. It was re-released (and retitled Darkness Is His Ally ) in 2004, occasioned by the new 2003 Zatoichi film, Zatoichi , starring Takeshi Kitano , which Shochiku also released. Chambara Entertainment/Video Action of Honolulu held the original VHS release rights to the Zatoichi film series numbers 1-20, though it only released some of them. Chambara eventually expired its North American release license. AnimEigo held

1350-561: The Doomed Man . Almost preternaturally dangerous with blades, he is fully capable (whether standing, sitting or lying down) of fighting and swiftly defeating multiple skilled opponents simultaneously. Some, however, have come close to besting him in combat, in particular during the final duel in Zatoichi Challenged , where extenuating circumstances played a role. A number of other standard scenarios are also repeated through

1400-418: The Fire Festival (1970, as Zatoichi: The Festival of Fire ), Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971), Zatoichi at Large (1972), Zatoichi in Desperation (1972), and Zatoichi at the Blood Fest (1973, as Zatoichi's Conspiracy ). Media Blasters (under their Tokyo Shock label) have released both the 1989 film and the first season (26 episodes) of the TV series. The Criterion Collection released

1450-477: The actors Raizō Ichikawa, Shintaro Katsu, Kazuo Hasegawa , Fujiko Yamamoto , Machiko Kyō , and Ayako Wakao ; the directors Kenji Mizoguchi, Kon Ichikawa , Yasuzo Masumura , Tokuzō Tanaka , and Kenji Misumi ; and the cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa and Fujirō Morita . Like some other Japanese film studios, Daiei had its own professional baseball team in the 1950s, the Daiei Stars , which later became

1500-402: The blind (as their lack of sight removed the issue of gender), as was playing the biwa or, for blind women ( goze ), the shamisen . Being lesser hinin (lit. " non-people "), blind people and masseurs were regarded as among the very lowest of the low in social class, other than eta or outright criminals; they were generally considered wretches, beneath notice, no better than beggars or even

1550-450: The first 25 films as a dual-format Blu-ray and DVD boxed set on November 26, 2013. In 1989, TriStar Pictures released a remake called Blind Fury , starring Rutger Hauer as a Vietnam War vet who is blinded, then taught to use a cane sword by a local tribe before returning home to America. This film is based on Zatoichi Challenged (1967), the 17th film in the original series. In 2003, Takeshi Kitano wrote, directed and appeared in

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1600-674: The first Japanese color film to be shown abroad, earning both an honorary Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival . Daiei also produced such renowned films as Kenji Mizoguchi 's Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), as well as Jokyo ("A Woman's Testament", 1960) which was entered into the 10th Berlin International Film Festival . On

1650-457: The insane—especially during the Edo period—and it was also commonly thought that the blind were accursed, despicable, severely mentally disabled, deaf and sexually dangerous. The original series of 26 films featured Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi. The first film was made in 1962 in black and white . The third film, in 1963, was the first to be filmed in color. The 25th film was made in 1973, followed by

1700-630: The lead role: Most of the stories in the television series are original dramas, but some are essentially redacted remakes of the full-length Zatoichi films of the previous decade such as Season One, Episode 14, "Fighting Journey with Baby in Tow" (corresponds to the 8th film "Fight, Zatoichi, Fight" 座頭市血笑旅 Zatōichi kesshō-tabi); Season One, Episode 16, "The Winds From Mt. Akagi". The first season of television shows has been released with English subtitles from Media Blasters / Tokyo Shock. The first 20 films were produced and distributed by Daiei Film (except for

1750-563: The passing of Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Daiei Film Co. was sold to the Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co. In November 2002, Chairman Maihiko Kadokawa announced that Daiei Film Co. would merge with the company's own film division, Kadokawa Pictures , to form Kadokawa-Daiei Film Co. Ltd. In 2004, it dropped the name Daiei and is now known simply as Kadokowa Pictures. Bo staff A bō ( 棒 ) ( pong (Korean); pang (Cantonese); bang (Mandarin); kun (Okinawan))

1800-404: The philosophy that the bō is merely an "extension of one’s limbs". Consequently, bōjutsu is often incorporated into other styles of empty hand fighting, such as karate . The "bō" is also used as a spear and long sword in some of its motions, such as upward swing and slashing motion across the body as well as extensions by gripping one end and thus increasing its length as thus making it similar to

1850-644: The popular front, Daiei was also known for such successful film series as the Zatoichi series starring Shintaro Katsu , the Nemuri Kyoshiro ( Sleepy Eyes of Death ) series starring Raizō Ichikawa , the original Gamera series, the Daimajin trilogy and the Yokai Monsters trilogy. Daiei also produced many television series such as Shōnen Jet . At its peak, Daiei featured such talent as

1900-718: The production arm of Nikkatsu (the Nikkatsu theaters did not take part in the merger) were merged in 1942 to form the Dai Nippon Eiga Seisaku Kabushiki Kaisha , or Daiei for short. The novelist Kan Kikuchi served as the first president, with Nagata continuing as an executive. Daiei's studios were located in Chofu, Tokyo and in Uzumasa in Kyoto . Nagata became president in 1947 and, apart from

1950-464: The remainder of the VHS rights. Home Vision Entertainment was granted United States distribution rights to the original Daiei films (except for the 14th and the 16th (the second of which was still in possession of AnimEigo)), and released them on DVD: the films were numbered 1–13, 15, and 17–19. AnimEigo released seven of the films: Zatoichi the Outlaw (1967), Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970), Zatoichi at

2000-469: The series: Zatoichi's winning of large amounts at gambling via his ability to hear whether the dice have fallen on even or odd is a common theme, as is his catching loaded or substituted dice by the difference in their sound. This frequently culminates in another set piece, Zatoichi's cutting the candles lighting the room and reducing it to pitch blackness, commonly accompanied by his tagline "Kurayami nara kotchi no mon da" (暗闇ならこっちのもんだ; roughly meaning "Darkness

2050-420: The swords of even most samurai . At the beginning of Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo , his swordblade (presumably the same) inexplicably breaks and is sold to a blacksmith along with its hilt and scabbard. Its replacement is not a shikomi-zue , but a jotō (杖刀 lit. a "staff sword") of unrevealed origin that resembles a short, thick bo staff , which also soon breaks. In the next film, Zatoichi: The Festival of Fire , he

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2100-577: The temporary peace established by Sho Shin was violently overthrown when the powerful Shimazu clan of Satsuma invaded and conquered Okinawa. The Shimazu lords placed a new weapons ban, leaving the Okinawans defenseless against samurai weaponry. In an attempt to protect themselves, the people of Okinawa looked to simple farming implements, which the samurai would not be able to confiscate, as new methods of defense. This use of weapons developed into kobudo , or "ancient martial way" as known today. Although

2150-538: The three Daimajin films (1966). It declared bankruptcy in 1971 and was acquired by Kadokawa Pictures . Daiei Film was the product of government efforts to reorganize the film industry during World War II in order to rationalize use of resources and increase control over the medium. Against a government plan to combine all the film studios into two companies, Masaichi Nagata , an executive at Shinkō Kinema , pressed hard for an alternative plan to create three studios. His efforts won out and Shinkō Kinema, Daito Eiga, and

2200-452: The title character of Akira Kurosawa 's films Yojimbo and Sanjuro . The earlier films, in which Mifune's character used the pseudonym Sanjuro (30-year-old), are alluded to when Sassa is jokingly called Shijuro (40-year-old). Many directors directed multiple Zatoichi movies. The directors are (in order of number of movies they directed): The television series Zatoichi ran for four seasons—a total of 100 episodes—with Shintaro Katsu in

2250-528: The union, however, succeeded in getting Yasuyoshi Tokuma, the president of the publishing house Tokuma Shoten , to revive the company in 1974. The company continued as a producer, making only a small number of films, some of which were big budget spectaculars like the international co-production The Go Masters (1982), a new Gamera trilogy (1995, 1996 and 1999), art house hits like Shall We Dance? (1996), and genre films like Kiyoshi Kurosawa 's Pulse or Takashi Miike 's Dead or Alive films. Following

2300-403: The use or possession of true fighting blades was formally outlawed for non- samurai during the Edo period. The decree was virtually impossible to enforce, however, as evidenced by the yakuza enforcers being shown wielding katanas throughout the films. The blades of Shikomi-zue were generally straight-edged, of lower-quality, unfolded steel, which could not compare with even a low-end katana . As

2350-400: Was a Japanese film studio . Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd. , it was one of the major studios during the postwar Golden Age of Japanese cinema, producing not only artistic masterpieces, such as Akira Kurosawa 's Rashomon (1950) and Kenji Mizoguchi 's Ugetsu (1953), but also launching several film series, such as Gamera , Zatoichi and Yokai Monsters , and making

2400-575: Was a pupil in order to develop his incredible skills. Zatoichi says of himself that he became a yakuza (gangster) during those three years he spent training (which immediately precede the original The Tale of Zatoichi ) and killed many people, something he later came to deeply regret. This is reflected in his willingness to involve himself in the affairs of others—chiefly, those suffering from oppression and exploitation, or some form of corruption. Despite that moral re-assessment and his new perspective and remorse (and most often because of them), he usually has

2450-430: Was filmed in 2007 and later released on home video . In 2008's Ichi , a blind female musician who is rescued (and later trained) by Zatoichi travels through Japan to find her mentor. Toho released a new Zatoichi film starring Shingo Katori titled Zatoichi: The Last on May 29, 2010. Daiei Film Daiei Film Co. Ltd. ( Kyūjitai : 大映映畫株式會 社 Shinjitai : 大映映画株式会社 Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha )

2500-445: Was filmed in 2007 and later released on home video . Zatoichi: The Last is a 2010 film directed by Junji Sakamoto and starring Shingo Katori . Zatoichi at first comes across as a harmless blind anma (masseur) and bakuto (gambler) who wanders the land, making his living by chō-han (playing dice) as well as giving massages, performing acupuncture and even, on occasion, singing and playing music. Secretly, however, he

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