A rare ‘Zatoichi’ entry with not one but two ruthless villains hogging the spotlight, which is a double-edged sword for character development, though it delivers in terms of action.

This 19^th installment is a rather straightforward if still serviceable affair, as the guilt-ridden blind swordsman protects a woman from nefarious harm.

A terrific Zatoichi flick and one of the series’ very best, Misumi’s focus on story and characterisation is the real sleight-of-hand here in this slower but well-paced movie.