Zatoichi kenkatabi
Masseur Ichi on the Road
(c)KADOKAWA CORPORATION 1963
- Release Date
- November, 30th, 1963
- Running Time
- 88 min
- Genre
- Feature
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- -,HDCAM SR
- Screen Size
- Cinema Scope (1:2.35)
[ Directed by ]
[ Cast ]
[ Staff ]
- INUZUKA Minoru ── Screenplay
- SHIMOZAWA Kan ── Original Story
- IFUKUBE Akira ── Music
[ Production Company ]
DAIEI
[ Distributor (Japan) ]
DAIEI
[ Story ]
"Masseur" Ichi, the blind gambler, and the fastest draw on the sword, meets Kisuke, who is scouting help for the forthcoming gang war between his boss, Hikozo of Doyama, and Tobei of Shimozuma, and the blindman joins him.
But Jingoro, scout for the rival gang, asks three killer-samurai, to kill "Masseur" Ichi and Kisuke. Kisuke can't escape, Ichi kills the three samurai, but Jingoro gets away, leaving Ohisa, a wandering girl behind.
That night Ichi comes across a dying man who begs Ichi to protect his young mistress, Omitsu.
Ichi finds Omitsu and learns that she is a chambermaid to a powerful lord, fleeing from a band of samurai. She is actually the daughter of Narumi-ya, one of the richest merchants in Edo.
Ohisa is at a nearby inn with Jingoro, Tobei's scout. Seeing Ichi with a pretty girl, she sneaks into her room and persuades Omitsu to give him the slip, as she wants to deliver her to her parents for a reward. But Tome, the owner of the palanquin-house, snatches Omitsu and kicks Ohisa out.
Ichi finally reaches Hikozo who has gathered many for the gang war, including Tome.
Tome persuades Hikozo to hire Ichi, make him fight with Tobei and his men, and to kill the masseur after the fight.
Jingoro takes Omitsu to Tobei's camp telling him that they can make Ichi change front by using Omitsu as a bait. Ichi sallies forth at the head of Tobei's group, but finding Omitsu a prisoner, changes sides to save her.
Ichi kills Hikozo, Tome, Jingoro and Tobei, but is worried about Omitsu, who asks Ichi to go to Edo with him. He dodges her, for he is an ugly blindman, wanted by the police, and by enemy racketeers.
【Quoted from the database of Kadokawa Corporation】
【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1964 7.2】
[ Contact (International) ]
KADOKAWA CORPORATION
International Sales, Motion Picture Business
2-13-3 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8177
Rep: NATSUNO Takeshi (President)
Attn: MORI Chiyo
tel: +81 50 1746 1220
E-mail: mori-c@kadokawa.jp
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp
