Zatoichi at Large

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Zatoichi at Large is a 1972 Japanese film directed by Kazuo Mori. It stars Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi, a blind swordsman and masseur who helps deliver a baby and then transports the newborn to its relatives after the mother dies. This is the 23rd Zatoichi movie and the first in the series to be distributed by Toho; the earlier films were distributed by Daiei. The film opened in Japan on January 15, 1972 and was released in the United States with English subtitles in September 1973. It is also known as The Blind Swordsman on a Mission. A sequel, Zatoichi in Desperation, followed.

The movie runs 87 minutes and was produced by Katsu Production in Japan. It has been released on DVD by Animego (2004) and later on Blu-ray/DVD by the Criterion Collection as part of the Zatoichi box set. A retrospective review noted that the series felt a bit tired by this point, with a final duel that seemed a bit forced, but it also praised the colorful characters and Zatoichi’s emotional journey of guilt, capture, humiliation, revenge, and his growing bond with the people he helps.