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much about the two characters during this scene. Special mention must be made of the way he handles Zatoichi’s amazing abilities, which require more than a little suspension of disbelief. As Hirate approaches Zatoichi, who sits fishing, Misumi uses a simple technique to show how the blind swordsman’s other senses compensate for his lack of sight. Close-ups of Hirate’s feet falling on the grass are intermixed with close-ups of Zatoichi’s ear, the sound of Hirate’s feet playing across both these shots. This technique is repeated with a shot of Hirate’s sword, which Zatoichi can hear moving in his belt. This sequence makes later scenes, such as the moment when Zatoichi cuts a lit candle perfectly in half, all the more believable.
    Minoru Inuzuka creates some beautifully poetic moments in his script, which revolve around Zatoichi’s blindness. When he rescues Tane from the lustful Seisuke, Zatoichi pretends he doesn’t know Seisuke is present. Then, as he leads Tane away, Zatoichi dares Seisuke to attack him, asking if anyone is indeed there. Seisuke is afraid and cowers away, and Zatoichi laughs, seeming to chide himself for the mistake, when in reality he knows exactly what has happened. A similar moment occurs at the end of the film, achieved through Inuzuka’s clever dialogue – but to say more would ruin the moment for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
    As always, Shintaro Katsu puts in a great performance as Zatoichi. He’s more restrained here than in later films, but still presents a very likeable, affable hero. The kindness and warmth of Katsu’s Zatoichi has endeared him to fans all over the world.
    Though there are fewer of them, The Tale of Zatoichi still mounts some very well-choreographed battle scenes. When Zatoichi slices a lit candle clean in half, his blade moves so fast it’s barely visible. During the sequences in which yakuza gangs fight, a slow pan effectively captures a mass of writhing bodies and flashing blades. A few wonderfully gory moments are scattered throughout the film, most notably when Hirate vomits blood all over his feet. The duel between Zatoichi and Hirate towards the end of the film is particularly adept at conveying the dramatic weight of what has happened. Katsu convincingly portrays Zatoichi’s sadness for having killed his friend, provoking a profound sense of loss.

    Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi. The Tale of Zatoichi directed by Kenji Misumi and produced by Ikuo Kubodera for Daiei Studios.
     

THE VERDICT
     
    Atypical of the popular series it spawned, The Tale of Zatoichi is still a solid film, and a must-see for anyone interested in Zatoichi’s humble beginnings.
The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962) 
     
    Japanese Title: Zoku Zatoichi monogatari
    Directed by: Kazuo Mori
    Written by: Adapted by Minoru Inuzuka from a story by Kan Shimozawa
    Produced by: Ikuo Kubodera
    Edited by: Koji Taniguchi
    Cinematography: Shozo Honda
    Cast: Shintaro Katsu (Zatoichi), Yoshie Mizutani (Setsu), Masayo Banri (Tane), Tomisaburo Wakayama – credited as Kenzaburo Jo – (Yoshiro), Yutaka Nakamura (Sanzo), Sonosuke Sawamura (Kanbei), Eijiro Yanagi (Sukegoro)

PLOT SUMMARY
     
    Zatoichi makes an enemy of the Kuroda clan, but Setsu, a woman who reminds him of his first love, Chiyo, helps him to escape them. Unable to find Zatoichi, the Kuroda samurai hire Kanbei, the local yakuza boss, to track him down. Zatoichi escapes Kanbei’s men, and returns to Sasagawa, where he plans to pay his respects to Hirate (see Tale of Zatoichi ). Kanbei and his men pursue Zatoichi, and meet with Sukegoro, who agrees to help them. Sukegoro has also been harbouring Yoshiro, a wanted criminal. Sukegoro tells him to leave immediately, but has him followed, planning to betray Yoshiro to the authorities and collect a large reward. Kanbei and his men confront Zatoichi and a violent battle ensues. In an impressive display of swordsmanship, Zatoichi kills all the men, leaving only Kanbei alive. Yoshiro appears and