History Franchise / Zatoichi

* CatchPhrase: ''Darkness is my advantage (Kurayami nara kocchi no mon da)''. Usually uttered after he cuts down the nearest lanterns and candles to put opponents on an equal footing.

[[caption-width-right:350:Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi]]

In 2003, Creator/TakeshiKitano played Zatoichi in a ContinuityReboot[=/=]AlternateContinuity [[Film/{{Zatoichi2003}} film]] which he also directed (for tropes specific to that film go to its [[Film/{{Zatoichi2003}} page]]. A loose sequel film to Katsu's Zatoichi with a female protagonist, ''Ichi'', was released in 2008. Another reboot called ''Zatoichi: The Last'' was released in 2010. Also, an American re-imagining called ''Film/BlindFury'' was made in 1989, starring Creator/RutgerHauer, based off of the 17th Zatoichi film, ''Zatoichi Challenged''.

The influence of this series is hard to overestimate, at least, in terms of blind badassery, which, while certainly not the first example of a HandicappedBadass, is certainly one of the {{Trope Codifier}}s.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: Ichi's cane sword can cut diagonally through statues, easily cut katanas in half, and of course, kill people in a single swipe.
* TheAtoner: Before the films, Ichi was a member of the Yakuza and killed many people whom he later admits were the "wrong" people. Eventually, he realized he was wrong and regretted his past actions leaving the Yakuza.

* BullyingADragon: Pretty much all the Yakuza pick on Ichi...much to their detriment later.

* CombatPragmatist: Some villains get the bright ideas to fight Ichi by a fireworks display to prevent him from hearing them, or roll barrels at him, or any other number of things to mess up his fighting style. Boss Asagoro of ''Zatoichi the Outlaw'' takes the cake though as he tries to simply shoot Zatoichi with all his men instead of sending them after Ichi.

* CulturedBadass: Ichi can not only swordfight, he's a successful masseur. Sometimes he also shows off his musical ability and knowledge of acupuncture.

* EndearinglyDorky: Ichi, when he's not being serious is a seemingly clumsy and rather endearingly sweet man.

* HandicappedBadass: One of the most famous.

* [[ImplausibleFencingPowers Implausible Swordfighting Powers]] Most of Ichi's enemies never even hit Ichi's sword, he simply cuts them down without effort in a single slash, including highly touted samurai.

* {{Mooks}}: The Yakuza Ichi fights in vast numbers were in the notes of one dvd described outright as redshirts.

* ObfuscatingDisability: The Kitano version. [[spoiler: Though at the end it establishes he was just bluffing.]]

* {{Samurai}} and {{Ronin}} (Ichi himself technically does not qualify as either of them, as he's in the blind men's guild) He does kill quite a few of them in his movies, though. One of the most famous examples is the noble fallen samurai Harate in the first film, who treats Ichi with utter respect and care despite his lower class.

* SuperSenses: Ichi's hearing.

* UnderestimatingBadassery: Most of the villains in the series do this in regards to Ichi. A few of them know he's dangerous, but even then, they don't quite grasp how truly dangerous he is.

* {{Yakuza}}: Ichi's enemies are usually gangsters.

* IaijutsuPractitioner: One of the better moves is when the various mooks think they've got the drop on him, only for him to draw his sword and kill them in a split second.

* KatanasAreJustBetter: ''Averted'', Ichi instead carries a ''shikomi-zue'', or {{sword cane}}. Justified since blades are supposed to be outlawed in the Edo period.
** Shikomi-zue were normally very low-grade weapons, but Ichi's is an exception.

* OneArmedWarrior: The latter from the crossover, ''Zatoichi Meets The One-Armed Swordsman''.

There is an unofficial 4-movie series, all from 1972, made in Hong Kong starring actor Sing Lung as Zatoichi. The movies are a non-canon spinoff detailing Zatoichi's adventures in China during the Ming Dynasty, and getting an opportunity to carve a chunk out of evil-doers during his travels. The movies include ''Trust and Brotherhood'', ''The Hunchback'', ''The Blind Hero Fighting Evil Wolf'' and ''The Blind-Swordsman's Revenge''. [[note]] Apparently, Sing Lung earns the role after winning a "Zatoichi-lookalike'' contest in 1970. [[/note]]

The Zatoichi series is one of Japan's [[LongRunner longest running media franchises]], with a total of 29 films and a 100-episode television series. The series centers around Ichi, an [[WalkingTheEarth itinerant]] [[DisabilitySuperpower blind]] masseur who happens to be one of the most fearsome and dangerous swordsmen around, amassing a mind bogglingly high body count mostly consisting of {{yakuza}}, corrupt government flunkies and mountains of {{Mooks}}. In between bouts of derring-do, the blind ''anma'' can be found gambling, meeting quirky sidekicks, or unearthing vast tracts of mysterious past.

* BrokenPedestal: Ichi looks up to Banno, his mentor who taught him everything he knows about swordmanship. That is until his mentor kills an unarmed man and gets involved with Tengu gang. Ichi eventually takes it upon himself to destroy Tengu clan and [[spoiler:kill his own mentor in a sword duel]].

* BrokenPedestal: Ichi looks up to Banno, his mentor who taught him everything he knows about swordmanship. That is until his mentor killed an unarmed man and got involved with Tengu gang. Ichi eventually takes it upon himself to destroy Tengu clan and [[spoiler:kill his own mentor in a sword duel]].

There is an unofficial 4-movie series, all from 1972, made in Hong Kong starring actor Sing Lung as Zatoichi. The movies are a non-canon spinoff detailing Zatoichi's adventures in China during the Ming Dynasty, and getting an opportunity to carve a chunk out of evil-doers during his travels. The movies include ''Trust and Brotherhood'', ''The Hunchback'', ''The Blind Hero Fighting Evil Wolf'' and ''
The Blind-Swordsman's Revenge''. Apparently, Sing Lung earns the role after winning a "Zatoichi-lookalike'' contest in 1970.

* {{Adorkable}}: Ichi, when he's not being serious is a seemingly clumsy and rather endearingly sweet man.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: The first movie, ''The Tale of Zatoichi'', ends with Ichi's only friend in town dead at his hand, the opposing mafia slaughtered along with many of the innocents of their half of the village, and Ichi abandons the woman that loves him.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: boss Asagoro in ''Zatoichi the Outlaw'' starts as a seemingly benevolent Yakuza boss, but later turns out to be evil and corrupt. Another possible example is [[spoiler: Ichi's lost love Otane, who might well have been ready to sell him out for the bounty on him if her husband is to be believed after killing her and dueling Ichi.]]

* TheLostLenore: Ichi has left behind a lot of women, but none stick out so much as Otane, the woman he left behind in the first film. It is strongly implied later that Ichi puts her on an unhealthy pedestal later and refuses to acknowledge how much she'd changed when he encountered her again. Her husband even taunts Ichi, asking if he thinks women remain pure forever. [[spoiler: It's even indicated Otane was the one who tried to lure him into a trap for a bounty.]]

* CainAndAbel: Ichi and his elder brother, a [[HandicappedBadass one armed warrior]] played by Shintaro Katsu's [[spoiler: real life elder brother.]] The two had a falling out over a woman and Ichi's brother is willing to murder him for it, particularly as Ichi was the one to chop off his arm. [[spoiler: They make their final peace after their last duel.]]

* WholesomeCrossdresser:In the Kitano film, one of the geisha is a little... different under the kimono.

->-- ''Zatoichi'' (2003)

* SwordCane: Ichi

* WalkingTheEarth
* WorthyOpponent: The {{ronin}} Hirate in the first film. He and Ichi held great respect for each other. Ichi tends to meet one of these every few films or so.

* BerserkButton: Harm the innocent, especially women and children. [[BewareTheNiceOnes Ichi is a good person, but he is utterly without mercy to those he deems evil.]]

* Mooks: The Yakuza Ichi fights in vast numbers were in the notes of one dvd described outright as redshirts.

* DirectedByCastMember: Shintaro Katsu directed two of the later films and multiple episodes of the TV series.

* YouLookFamiliar: Quite a few mooks appear in other Zatoichi films, but Tatsuo Endo appears as the BigBad of five different Zatoichi films and as a minor character in a sixth. This is also done with a number of actresses. And Tomisaburo Wakayama, Shintaro Katsu's brother, who appears in several of the films.