It's important to see Yojimbo or a Zatoichi film before viewing this stinker. Otherwise you might ascribe guilt by association. The progenitors are wonderful. Yojimbo gave rise to the vehicle which brought Clint Eastwood to stardom - A Fistful of Dollars. Zatoichi films are the mold for the current Xena and Hercules series. Unfortunately, Z... to Y... lives up to none of the promise of its title. It may possibly be the worst film featuring Zatoichi. The surprising thing is that Katsu and Mifune reprise their roles from the original. If you happen to see this one first, don't despair - the originals are real gems.
Review of Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
