After kickstarting the whole franchise in 1962’s “The Tale of Zatoichi”, director Kenji Misumi wouldn’t return to the series until two years later for the eight film and the third of 1964, “Fight, Zatoichi, Fight”, and in the process ended up creating one of the finest adventures for our blind hero.

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Among the many, many people that want to kill Zatoichi for various reasons, is also a group of assassins that see Ichi get into a palanquin and decide to kill him once the palanquin reaches a secluded spot. However, just as he is about to sit inside, the ever-chivalrous Ichi ends up giving his ride to woman who is travelling with a baby in arms. Unaware of this fact, the assassins riddle the palanquin with their swords, killing the woman. When Zatoichi learns of this from the palanquin bearers, he rushes to the scene and, taking the boy in his arms, promises to deliver him to his father Unosuke in Miyagi village. On his journey, he meets Oko, a pickpocket who he saves from a disgruntled victim of hers and hires her to accompany him to Miyagi as the baby’s nanny.

“Fight, Zatoichi, Fight” has to be the most misleading title in the series so far. Yes, there are the fight scenes that we know and have grown to expect but they are sporadic. Instead, Misumi focuses on emotions and character development than great action spectacle. This is the series at its most emotional thus far. Who knew that the samurai who doesn’t give a second thought killing countless men, when needed, would be such a big softie at heart, not going to sleep because he’s having one nagging thought after other about the baby’s comfort or even offering his own nipple to calm the agitated boy down?

Comedy seamlessly mixes in with the drama at regular intervals too, a trait that the series seems to be getting increasingly better at with each passing film. While he very nearly settled down with a woman in “New Tale of Zatoichi”, seeing him in this de facto family situation with Oko and the baby is probably the closest we’ll ever come to seeing the wandering masseur domesticated. This is interesting character progression not just for him but also Oko, who begins to see the wrongs of her thieving life. So, when the hesitations arise in both their minds regarding handing the baby over to Unosuke, the audience is fully sympathetic to the two.

Seeing this new side to Zatoichi also gives us a unique perspective into a different side to Shintaro Katsu’s performances. So far, he has been angry, upset, lovelorn and funny, but this is the first time we get to see a sentimental side to him and it is pleasing to see him excel at that as well. Watching him play it cool in front of Oko when it came to giving the boy away and then picking him up and singing a lullaby as soon as she leaves the room is not something we’ve come to expect from Ichi, but Katsu makes it fell completely natural. His wide range, which is very evident here, makes this arguably his best performance in the saga thus far. Hiruzu Takachiho also gives a compelling performance as Oko, standing shoulder to shoulder with Katsu in the emotional scenes.

Misumi partners once again with Chishi Makiura, his cinematographer in “The Tale of Zatoichi” who has since then worked on several other Zatoichi film, and together they bring nice visuals, shot mostly on outdoor locations. The scene by the stream of water, as Ichi stands listening to a mother sing a lullaby to her baby, is particularly beautiful and not merely because of the camera angle that’s been chosen. The fight sequences are once again very well done, be it the comedic one in the middle where Ichi stops the fight every few seconds to make sure the assassins quieten up so as to not wake the sleeping baby or the big sequence in the climax with the fighters bearing burning torches to disorient his hearing abilities. This particular scene had a good build-up to it, with someone finally understanding Zatoichi’s weakness but it just seemed slightly undercooked at the script-level and is a concept that could probably be utilised in a better way in future films. Akira Ikufube also returns to score the film, giving a suitable epic soundtrack to the proceedings.

“Fight, Zatoichi, Fight” is ultimately an excellent entry into the series, possibly the strongest so far. Kenji Misumi foreshadows a concept he would go on to make legendary with the “Lone Wolf and Cub” series later on in a film that has a healthy mix of action, humour and drama.