The blind masseur Zatoichi wanders the countryside of 19th Century Japan, a perpetual drifter. Taking respite in a small town riven by gang power struggles, the initially unassuming Zatoichi soon finds reason to unleash the most lethal of skills, his peerless abilities with the sword. Zatoichi is a remarkable mix and match of genres; historical drama, morality tale, action movie and comedy, an often surreal but hugely entertaining slice of Japanese cinema from the director of Hana Bi and Violent Cop.