Where to Watch
Checking availability in your country…
Cast
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1973
Runtime1h 28m
LanguageJapanese
CertificationNR
GenresAction, Drama, Adventure
Votes36
DirectorKimiyoshi Yasuda
WritersKei Hattori
TypeFeature Film
Rating7.0 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsZatoichi's Conspiracy
About Zatoichi's Conspiracy
Zatoichi, the famed blind swordsman, returns to his home village for the first time in many years. He is befriended by Omiyo, who had the same wet-nurse as Zatoichi. He also encounters a boyhood friend, Shinbei, who is now wealthy and appears not to remember Zatoichi. Shinbei seems to be interested in repaying the villagers' debts, but is, in reality, manipulating the ownership of a now valuable rock quarry. Zatoichi learns of the subterfuge and confronts his old friend, who has a score of yakuza swordsmen backing his play.
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Zatoichi's Conspiracy leans on a strong ensemble — Shintarō Katsu, Yukiyo Toake, Takashi Shimura — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 1973.
Read More on the Blog
You Might Also Like
More like Zatoichi's Conspiracy, picked from what people are watching
6.5Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally
1989 6.5
Older, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate test in a series of sword-slashing showdowns.
Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally
1989
6.9Zatoichi's Flashing Sword
1964 6.9
Blind masseur Zatoichi is nursed back to health by a young woman after he is shot by a gang member. Zatoichi, who had come to the village to repay a debt, now feels further indebted. He commits himself to use his amazing sword skills to help the young woman's father, whose river-crossing service is under attack by the same gang responsible for Zatoichi's wounds.
Zatoichi's Flashing Sword
1964
6.8Zatoichi and the Doomed Man
1965 6.8
Blind swordsman Zatoichi, jailed briefly, is implored by another prisoner to aid him in proving his innocence of a crime for which he is sentenced to death. Zatoichi is reluctant to get involved, because he knows how often such involvement has led to trouble in the past. But events conspire to thrust him repeatedly into involvement, and gradually he comes to believe in the man's innocence and determines to free him.
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man
1965
6.8Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman
1971 6.8
Zatoichi is a blind massage therapist and swordsman who finds out that something troubling is taking place on the outskirts of town. After discovering who the guilty parties are -- an accomplished Chinese martial artist named Wang Kang and his youthful attendant -- Zatoichi finds them and discovers that the pair's mixed up with a dangerous bunch of terrorist samurai who murdered the boy's parents. Now, Zatoichi must step in to save the day.
Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman
1971
6.9Zatoichi's Vengeance
1966 6.9
Zatoichi comes upon a dying man who asks him to give a bag of money to "Taichi". Zatoichi has no idea who this is but when he comes upon a small town harassed by gangsters, he finds that "Taichi" was the man's young son. Along his travels he also met a blind monk who makes Zatoichi question his murderous lifestyle. In trying to help the town, Zatoichi kills some gangsters and becomes a hero to the boy. He must make a choice of whether to use non-violence and set a good example, or violence and set the boy on the wrong path in life.
Zatoichi's Vengeance
1966
7.1Zatoichi's Pilgrimage
1966 7.1
Zatoichi's trek through 88 temples to atone for his violent past is interrupted as he stumbles into a village terrorized by a violent yakuza boss.
Zatoichi's Pilgrimage
1966
User Reviews
7.0
Community rating
Loading reviews…
From the Blog
All Posts
News
Spider-Man Brand New Day OTT Release Date: When and Where It Will Stream
Tom Holland’s biggest Spider-Man film yet is smashing records in theatres, and everyone is asking the same question: when does it hit OTT? Here is the latest, updated as it is confirmed.
News
Michael OTT Release Date: The Michael Jackson Biopic Streams August 29
The Michael Jackson biopic arrives on JioHotstar on August 29, 2026. Here is where to watch it, what you need, and why it is one of the year’s biggest music films.
News
Jana Nayagan OTT Release Date: When Vijay’s Film Streams on ZEE5
Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is headed to ZEE5 for its digital premiere. Here is the latest on its OTT release date and where to watch, updated as news is confirmed.