this be one of the odd film of the zatôichi series due to it very unusual pacing and the role that ichi play in the film . interestingly enough and this be the first zatôichi film make by shintaro katsu new production company . now and instead of just play the blind swordsman and katsu be in charge of make the film . this could easily explain why this film seem so different in style to the previous 15 film . as far a ichi role and the film be very different because he isn not in the film as much a usual . he also easy to fool and actually and for a while and do a lot to harm people instead of help . zatôichi rôyaburi begin with ichi talk with an old lady who try to take advantage of his blindness . oddly and in this scene and ichi say that he be blind since a toddler and though in an early film he say his blindness set in when he be 8. this be a minor mistake and and only a crazed fan like myself would have notice . this film take place over a period of at least six month and be more likely to have take a year so you can see what i say about odd pacing . most film in the series take place over a few day or week . ichi come to a town where there be a bos ( asagoro ) who try very hard to be nice to ichi because he know of the blind man reputation . the bos be quite charming and surprisingly ichi be totally take in by the evil man . at the same time and he meet another bos ( shushui ) a sort of guru to the poor . shushui admonish the people to forsake all violence and even ichi fall under his teaching give up his blade for many month . shushui teaching be very similar to daoist teaching from china non violence and acceptance of life a it be ( for good or for bad ) . month after leave this town and think all be well and ichi learns that as soon a he leave and asagoro show his true color enslave woman and oppress the poor and be an all around jerk . in a way and ichi be responsible for this and a he help asagoro and count him a a friend . now and asagoro have capture shushui and several innocent people have kill themselves due to the evil bos action . when ichi return and he doesn not accept automatically that asagoro be good or evil but test him cleverly . this bit with a scarecrow be inspire and lead to a finale where and what else and ichi kill the baddie and free shushui . this finale be very good and occur in the rain . then final scene with asagoro and the rock be great and though the beheading be a tad cheesy by today special effect standard . plus for the film be that although poorly pace and it be different and can not be mistake for the previous 15 ( which often seem very similar ) . additionally and it do end very well . minus ( aside from pace ) be that some might dislike see ichi so fallible and the scene with ichi and the other blind men that be include for comic relief fall flat . very and very and very flat . they be tacky and unfunny . that the sort of flat that it be .