# Zatoichi in Desperation (新座頭市物語・折れた杖)
**Zatoichi in Desperation** (新座頭市物語・折れた杖, *Shin Zatôichi monogatari: Oreta tsue*) is a 1972 Japanese chambara film, the 24th entry in the Zatoichi series about the blind masseur and swordsman, and the first film in the series directed by its star, [Shintaro Katsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/shintaro-katsu).[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779) It was produced by Katsu Production Co. Ltd., distributed by Toho, and released in Japan on September 2, 1972.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [3](https://grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Zatoichi_in_Desperation)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | 新座頭市物語・折れた杖 (*Shin Zatôichi monogatari: Oreta tsue*)[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201922/releaseinfo/) |
| Series position | 24th of the Zatoichi films; Katsu's first directing credit in the series and his second film as director, after *Kaoyaku* (1971)[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779) |
| Japanese release | September 2, 1972 (Toho); United States premiere February 17, 1973[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201922/releaseinfo/) |
| Technical | Color, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, about 92 minutes (Criterion lists 95)[3](https://grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Zatoichi_in_Desperation) • [5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) • [6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zatoichi-in-desperation) |
| Key crew | Screenplay Minoru Inuzuka; original story Kan Shimozawa; cinematography Fujio Morita; music Kunihiko Murai; editing Toshio Taniguchi[5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) |
| Lead cast | Shintaro Katsu (Zatoichi), Kiwako Taichi (Nishikigi), Katsuo Nakamura (Ushimatsu), Asao Koike (Boss Mangoro), Kyoko Yoshizawa (Kaede)[5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) |
| IMDb rating | 6.8 from about 1,300 votes[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zatoichi-in-desperation) |
## Spoilers
### Story
Zatoichi, traveling toward the port of Choshi, crosses a suspension bridge with an elderly woman, who falls from the bridge and dies before his eyes.[2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779) The dying woman asks him to deliver her keepsake shamisen to her daughter.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) The daughter, working under the name Nishikigi, is a prostitute at the Ohgiya brothel in Choshi.[2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779)
Seeking to make amends, Zatoichi wins money at gambling and buys the young woman's freedom, and the two begin living together.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779) The local boss, Kagiya Mangoro, who binds the local fishermen with debt and wants the port for himself, learns that a bounty of 100 ryo has been placed on Zatoichi's head and moves against him.[7](https://www.kyotango.gr.jp/film_location/18569/) • [8](https://www.video.unext.jp/title/SID0077797?adid=XXX&cid=D34423) Mangoro's men crush Zatoichi's hands, leaving him unable to grip his cane sword.[8](https://www.video.unext.jp/title/SID0077797?adid=XXX&cid=D34423) In the climax, Zatoichi binds his ruined arm tightly to his drawn cane sword for a final counterattack, breaks free of the crisis, and turns his cane sword in fury on the shaken Mangoro gang.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/)
## Production
Katsu had made his directorial debut the previous year with *Kaoyaku* (1971); *Zatoichi in Desperation* was his second film as director and the first Zatoichi film he directed, after which he went on to direct many episodes of the television series.[2](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779) The screenplay was by Minoru Inuzuka, who had also scripted the first film in the series, *The Tale of Zatoichi* (1962), from Kan Shimozawa's original story.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [9](https://eiga.com/movie/36681/) Fujio Morita, cinematographer of *Zatoichi Goyotabi*, shot the film, and Seiichi Ota handled art direction.[1](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/) • [5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) Katsu also produced, with Hiroyoshi Nishioka.[5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation)
The film was shot in and around Kyotango in northern [Kyoto Prefecture](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyoto-prefecture), and the local tourism office still promotes the locations.[7](https://www.kyotango.gr.jp/film_location/18569/)
## Style and reception
[The Criterion Collection](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-criterion-collection) describes the film as a psychedelic and unremittingly bleak entry in the series, unlike any other in its grindhouse grimness, propelled by [Easy Rider](https://www.edgepedia.org/easy-rider)-esque editing and a seventies funk score by Kunihiko Murai.[5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) Japanese streaming services single out the series-level violence and the haunted swordplay of the double-handed, crushed Zatoichi as the film's most striking elements.[8](https://www.video.unext.jp/title/SID0077797?adid=XXX&cid=D34423)
On IMDb the film holds a 6.8 rating from about 1,300 votes.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zatoichi-in-desperation)
## Release and availability
After its September 2, 1972 Japanese release, the film reached the United States with a premiere on February 17, 1973, a general US release on February 21, 1973, and a Brazilian release in June 1974.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201922/releaseinfo/) It is included in the Criterion Collection's nine-disc *Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman* Blu-ray box set.[5](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation) In the United States it currently streams on the Criterion Channel and can be rented or bought on Amazon Video, the Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home.[6](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zatoichi-in-desperation)
## References
1. [新座頭市物語 折れた杖：作品情報・キャスト・あらすじ, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/36704/)
2. [新座頭市物語 折れた杖, WOWOWオンライン](https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/022779)
3. [Zatoichi in Desperation, The Grindhouse Cinema Database](https://grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Zatoichi_in_Desperation)
4. [Zatoichi in Desperation (1972) - Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201922/releaseinfo/)
5. [Zatoichi in Desperation (1972), The Criterion Collection](https://www.criterion.com/films/28587-zatoichi-in-desperation)
6. [Zatoichi in Desperation streaming: watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/zatoichi-in-desperation)
7. [新座頭市物語 折れた杖, 京丹後ナビ（京丹後市観光公社）](https://www.kyotango.gr.jp/film_location/18569/)
8. [新座頭市物語 折れた杖, U-NEXT](https://www.video.unext.jp/title/SID0077797?adid=XXX&cid=D34423)
9. [座頭市物語：作品情報・キャスト・あらすじ, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/36681/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Action, thriller, and crime series film entries › Entries released 1960s and 1970s*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license