Shin Zatichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken (1971) - Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman

The parents of a Chinese boy are killed when he runs in front of a procession, another Chinese man, the One Armed Swordsman tries to prevent the killings but is chased off by the Samurai troops. The Samurai then massacre all the witnesses to the killings and blame the massacre on the One Armed Swordsman making him a fugitive.

Thus starts another Zatoichi adventure as he rights wrongs, rescues the distressed and generally causes mayhem.

Unlike Zatoichi meets Yojimbo, the One Armed Swordsman doesnt play off of Zatoichi, although they do fight in the end, both knowing that the other while not necessarily good is at least less corrupt than the gangs of thugs and officials.

The One Armed Swordsman had its own series in Hong Kong so this film was like a meeting of cult icons. In some ways the film is seen as an apology to China, in the film the trouble starts because of ridiculous Japanese laws, all the bad deeds are done by Japanese, the One Armed Swordsman is even betrayed by his best friend, a Japanese priest, they also had the One Armed Swordsman leaping round wire-fu style, able to jump around 20 feet into the air etc.

Overall, different although Im unsure as to whether its better than the average Zatoichi episode.

Guest star - Yu Wang as the One Armed Swordsman

Cheers Trev.