Samaritan Zatoichi (1968)

There is no way I would have believed you if you'd told me that the high point in this long-running series would come twenty films in. But here it is, the best of the Zatoichi films. Everything just seems to come together in this entry: the villains are properly threatening and multitudinous, the story is compelling, the breaks from formula are well thought out, the comic sidekick is fun without being overbearing, the action scenes are awesome and there's actually even a couple unexpected plot twists. All of this is anchored by the reliably solid direction of go-to guy Kenji Misumi. Wonderfully entertaining stuff.

Grade: A-