Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970)

In his 20th film the masseur gets nostalgic for a village in which he once found respite from the harshness of the road. However, when he gets there he discovers that a greedy yojimbo has taken up residence.
It’s not specified if it is or isn't the same yojimbo from Kurosawa’s 1961 film, so if you want to believe it is do so and don't let anyone dissuade you.
The running time is longer than usual, providing many opportunities for the two men to share screen time. That alone would be enough to satisfy fans, but there's an additional third element of danger upping the stakes.
It irked me that at times Ichi acts uncharacteristically and he uses the wrong sword, but niggles aside it’s another quality adventure.

3½ varieties of samurai out of 5

The Sword of Doom (1966)

A jidaigeki about a wandering samurai who antagonises almost everyone he meets. His expression is unreadable most of the time, but deep down he has a reserve of burning madness and when he kills it’s to assuage it.
There’s no mistaking this is an Okamoto film. The precise way everything is orchestrated, the slow movements, the waiting, and the feeling of impending danger is almost constant. The music, too, is a character.
The abrupt ending is easier to take when you learn that two sequels were planned but never got made.

4 forms out of 5