19. A dying woman begs Zatoichi to reunite her son with his father, who is working in a small town. But when the son and father meet, Zatoichi finds out that the father has been forced to work for gangsters. Using his lightning sword, Zatoichi takes on the crime boss in a relentless blend of action, violence, and comedy that makes Zatoichi Challenged one of the best in the long-running series. 20. It's the samurai showdown action fans have dreamed about, as blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu), tired of his violent life, returns to his native village. In his absence, however, a corrupt warlord has taken over, and itinerant bodyguard Toshiro Mifune is charged with taking out Zatoichi. 21. Cowritten by star Shintaro Katsu, this adventure pits Zatoichi against one of his most diabolical foes: a blind yakuza boss whose reign of terror and exploitation has made him nearly mythic. Guest starring the legendary Tatsuya Nakadai as a ronin haunted by a traumatic past, and featuring an unforgettable nude swordfight in a bathhouse, this twenty-first entry in the series is a fan favorite.