Given that there are 25 other films and 4 seasons depicting the blind swordsman, Shintaro Katsu’s ​​Zatoichi can seem a bit redundant. To a certain extent, it is, as the action set pieces call back to earlier standout moments and the length can feel a tad bloated, so fans of Ichi might find this conclusion still classic, but nothing particularly novel. That being said, with Katsu directing the conclusion after portraying the character for so long, it’s no surprise that everything the Zatoichi is known for– the action, the humor, and the swordfighting– is dialled up to eleven, with a slightly darker and more stylistic tinge that brings the swordsman to better fit the newer decade. Fans would already have their opinions on this film, but for new viewers, Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally might find it as a straight-to-the-point snapshot of this classic 70s franchise.

Genre: Action, Drama

Actor: Akira Kubo, Asao Matsumoto, Chigusa Takayama, Daisuke Ban, Fumihiko Tachiki, Gō Awazu, Hachiro Okamoto, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Joe Yamanaka, Jun Tatara, Kanako Higuchi, Kaoru Shinoda, Keizo Kanie, Ken Ogata, Koichi Ueda, Koji Miemachi, Makoto Satō, Miho Nakayama, Norihei Miki, Rikiya Yasuoka, Ryoichi Kusanagi, Ryuutarô Gan, Sachio Sakai, Sakae Umezu, Senkichi Ōmura, Shigeo Katô, Shintarō Katsu, Shinzo Hotta, Shōji Ōki, Takanori Jinnai, Takashi Ebata, Takuzō Kawatani, Tomoyuki Shimura, Tsurutaro Kataoka, Yûsuke Koike, Yūya Uchida

Director: Shintarō Katsu