Zatoïchi (座頭市 Zatōichi)

Zatoïchi means "blind Ichi" in the most pejorative sense. Indeed, Ichi (the hero's first name) is a member of the blind guild, at the very bottom of the ladder.

In the heart of 19thᵉ century Japan, at the end of the Edo period, Zatoïchi is a blind masseur but also a former Yakuza (ヤクザ Japanese mafia), practicing swordsmanship with exceptional dexterity. Having developed his other senses, he plays on his blindness by surprising his opponents, against whom his sense of humor sometimes takes on as much importance as his sword. His humble appearance suggests that he is easy prey, but this is not the case. The character is surprising in his ability to live off his winnings at the dice game, having a very questionable past, but also in his ability to defend the underprivileged by respecting his own code of honor, which is similar to the Bushidō.

The TV series consists of 26 episodes shot between 1962 and 1989. It was adapted for the screen in 2003 by Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano.

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