Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970)

In the tranquil heart of a once-beloved village, Zatoichi, a man with a bounty on his head, seeks refuge from his past. Yet, the serenity he once knew has been corrupted by the iron fist of Boss Masagoro, a ruthless son of a merchant shrouded in rumors of stolen shogunate gold. As the village cowers under Masagoro's reign, an enigmatic hard-drinking enforcer, Yojimbo, is hired to protect the boss's interests. But beneath Yojimbo's gruff exterior lies a double agent for the shogunate, tasked with unearthing the stolen gold and torn by his forbidden love for Umeno, the merchant's unwilling mistress. Meanwhile, Zatoichi finds employment as the merchant's masseur, cleverly buying Umeno's freedom with the boss's own wealth, a move that ignites embarrassment in Yojimbo, leading him to retreat from a pact with Zatoichi aimed at sowing discord between the father, son and their respective gangs. As the village teeters on the brink of a gang war, Zatoichi stumbles upon the hidden gold, setting in motion a series of confrontations that could change the fate of the village forever. Amidst the chaos, will the two heroes realize that they are allies in the same fight, or will they be swept up in the storm of conflict, forever altering the course of their lives? In this intricate dance of deception, loyalty, and desire, Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo is a tale where the lines between friend and foe blur, and the heroes must unearth the truth before it's too late.

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo is an action movie featuring Shintarō Katsu and directed by Kihachi Okamoto.

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.

It is also possible to buy Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo on Amazon Video and Apple TV.