Ichi leads a violent life, facing down a number of Yakuza and other thugs during his travels. But even his movies have their tender moments.
- In New Tale of Zatoichi, Ichi decides to settle down and marry his mentor's sister Yayoi. She accepts, but requests that Ichi give up his violent lifestyle and leave the Yakuza. Ichi agrees, but then Yasuhiko—the brother of a Yakuza that Ichi killed in a previous film—turns up and challenges him to a fight. Refusing to break his promise to Yayoi, Ichi lays down his sword and he and Yayoi ask Yasuhiko to show mercy. The gangster relents and proposes that they settle things with a dice roll: if it's evens, he'll spare Ichi, but if it's odds, he'll hack his arm off at the shoulder. Ichi accepts, but rolls odds. However, Yasuhiko has been so moved by Yayoi and Ichi's love, that he flips the die to evens and leaves Ichi unharmed. A touching, unexpected moment of humanity from a hardened Yakuza.
