Akado Suzunosuke Destroys the Devil Mask Gang

First of nine films based on the novel. The first live-action adaptation focuses on the origins of how Akadô Suzunosuke learned his skills as a swordsman.

In the first two films we learn the character's origins, including his childhood and how he learned his fighting skills. Later, he must face his friend, who has joined a gang of criminals.

The magical swordsman battles a gang of cutthroats, who are led by a peg-legged villain.

The swordsman again crosses paths with the murderous Devil Mask Gang -- who as the name suggests, all wear hideous devil masks.

Suzunosuke visits a martial arts master and tries to learn the 'Vacuum Slash,' a secret technique of producing tornadoes.

Suzunosuke faces perhaps his wildest foes. This evil gang is lead by a one-eyed birdman and other demonic creatures.

Suzunosuke must finish his battle with the Skull Mask Gang—while facing a cave man as well.

Suzunosuke continues his battle with the Skull Mask gang in a booby-trapped cave.

Takeshi Nanjo, a junior lieutenant in the navy whose father, the head of the Nanjo-gumi yakuza family, was killed, is forced to leave the army and become the head of the Nanjo-gumi in the second generation. He brutally chivalrously avenges the death of his father by a vicious yakuza linked to extremists within the army through the courage and swordsmanship of naval training!

Suzunosuke visits a martial arts master and tries to learn the 'Vacuum Slash,' a secret technique of producing tornadoes.

Monjiro was born into a poor farm family in Mikazuki Village, Nitta County, Ueshu, and abandoned his hometown when he was 10 years old. He has been traveling aimlessly with a long toothpick in his mouth. Monjiro avoided getting involved in anything, but wherever he went, he ended up getting involved in incidents

Zatoichi comes upon the town of Tonda, overrun by gangsters. Using one of his favorite techniques, Zatoichi proceeds to win 8 ryo in a rigged gambling game. Of course, the local gangsters attempt to kill him, and the adventure begins. It turns out a blacksmith named Senzo examines Zatoichi's cane sword, and discovers it to be forged by his old mentor. Senzo discovers the sword is at the end of its usefulness and will break when it is used next.

The first film in the 2 part series about Ryuzen, a renegade martial-arts priest who, in addition to breaking all the commandments against sex and gambling, opens his own gambling den in direct defiance of the local yakuza boss. Exciting action and a twisty plot this movie breaks new barriers in Japanese cinema. Katsu Shintaro is superb in one of his better non-Zato Ichi roles as he fights off the advances of a love-lorn woman and risks his life to defeat the powerful gambling boss who has a stranglehold on the town.

Zatoichi runs afoul of some evil fugitives, working for a corrupt law official.

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.

1961 Japanese movie

Zatoichi is sworn to protect the life of a young girl and without any real allies finds himself in the middle of a bloody turf war.

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.

Blind swordsman/masseuse Zatoichi befriends a young woman looking for her father, a village leader who has disappeared. As he helps her investigate the disappearance, Zatoichi also becomes involved with another young woman who is trying to help her brother, who has murdered someone at about the same time and place as the missing man was last seen.

A greedy developer, in league with a corrupt Shrine Magistrate, brutally tries to drive people out of a tenement building and destroy the shrine in back. But he makes the fatal mistake of hosting a 100 Ghost Stories ceremony without the closing cleansing ritual, opening the door for the Yokai Monsters to punish the wicked.

A giant stone statue comes to life to protect the residents of a small town against the depradations of an evil warlord.

In feudal Japan, gangsters chase a young girl who might testify against their boss. When the gangsters murder the girl's grandfather on sacred ground, the door is opened for the Yokai Monsters to step in.

Sixth film in the series. A little boy who just wants to be a carpenter is at the center of a plot that might topple -- or save -- a mighty Clan, and while the swords of some angry samurai may not cause Kyoshiro much trouble, the deadly wiles of two women may be more difficult to survive!