Fight, Zatoichi, Fight (1964)

In the blind swordsman’s 8th film, Ichi's left holding the baby, literally, which is not an ideal situation for a roaming, gambling swordsman; especially when he’s being pursued by some honourless ronin.
Kenji Misumi wastes no time in setting the scene for what follows: a lot more comedy than usual. But don’t let that deter you, because it’s balanced beautifully by the correct amount of tragedy.
I'm in awe of how he can squeeze so much into his frame and still manage to have it appear spacious. He populates that openness with beauty and sadness, both inward and outward, and gives life to what's quite possibly the best written entry in the series so far.

5 improvised nappies out of 5