The last film in the original film series was Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973) with veteran director Kimiyoshi Yasuda at the helm. In fact Yasuda would follow the star and head of production, Shintaro Katsu and many of the series regulars to television where Zaotihi would continue on TV from 1974 until 1979. In this last hurrah, Zatoichi (Katsu) travels back to his hometown of Kasama and helps overturn a cheating conspiracy between yakuza and the government magistrate. Along the way he crosses path with his spiritual sister, Omiyo (Yukiyo Toake), who was also raised by the kindly old lady as Zatoichi. Her guardian, Sakubei, is played by Kurosawa regular Takeshi Shimura in his second appearance in the series. Ichi's former childhood playmate and now corrupt adult, Shinbei (Eiji Okada of The Woman in the Dunes) is in league with the Magistrate (Kei Sato-known for his many roles in Nagisa Oshima films) and Boss Iwagoro (again Tatsu Endo reprising a familiar role). The usual dice antics are played out, however, there is no bloodshed until the final third and then the blood letting begins. The climatic battle takes place in a rice store house, which gives Ichi the opportunity to hide in a rice barrel and breakout killing everyone within striking distance. Also, there's a subplot involving a group pf roaming youth that eventually side with Ichi after trying to kill him for a fee. I will continue my reviews of the supplementary programs in the box set as well as Katsu's 1989 Zatoichi comeback film as well as Takeshi Kitano's 2003 reboot.
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