An impoverished blind masseur becomes a mercenary swordsman to win respect. Shrewd Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighboring town's smaller gang is brewing. The broke ex-masseur "Ichi" immediately wins big by taking advantage of local bakuto's cheating, after they scoff at his asking to join a dice game. The larger horde, who have been given carte blanche by the local governor, summons Zatoichi. Zatoichi hates the fact that he's become an outlaw, so he strikes up a friendship with the other gang's honorable hired samurai, who has tuberculosis.

DVD-R is in Japanese with switchable English subtitles. Approx. 96 mins. See film sample for audio and video quality!