In the midst of a tumultuous period where rival factions vie for control over a small village, Zatoichi, a seemingly ordinary masseur, happens to possess an extraordinary talent: his mastery of the sword and his unerring ability to gamble despite his blindness. When he discovers that the village has succumbed to the oppressive rule of a yakuza gang, Zatoichi's sense of justice is piqued as tensions between this powerful criminal organization and a neighboring town's smaller gang start to boil over. Unwilling to stand idly by while innocent lives are caught in the crossfire, he sets out to even the playing field, using his exceptional skills to navigate through this perilous landscape and protect those who have been victimized by the violent power struggle engulfing their community.
(Criterion Channel)
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