1: Zatoichi monogatari (1962). The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur who also happens to be a master swordsman.

3: Shin Zatoichi monogatari (1963). Blind masseur and master swordsman, Zatoichi, is tired of killing. Zatoichi returns to his village to find not all is well.

5: Zatoichi kenka-tabi (1963). Blind swordsman/masseuer Ichi is asked by a dying man to deliver the maiden Mitsu (or "Omitsu") to her family in Edo, and Zatoichi feels honor-bound to do so.

7: Zatoichi abare tako (1964). When shot in the back, Zatoichi is somehow helped by the assassin's sister. He tries to return the favor when the lady's family has trouble with a rival gangster family.

9: Zatoichi sekisho yaburi (1964). Zatoichi befriends a young woman looking for her father, a village leader who has disappeared. He meets another young woman whose brother recently murdered someone.

11: Zatoichi sakate giri (1965). Zatoichi meets a cowardly and greedy hustler who steals the blind swordsman's identity. Of course he eventually needs Zatoichi's assistance!

13: Zatoichi no uta ga kikoeru (1966). Zatoichi meets a blind monk who makes him question his murderous lifestyle. (Note: The next film, #14, is the only one not announced for North American release.)

16: Zatoichi royaburi (1967). A gambling house kidnaps peasants for failure to pay debts. A rival house pays for them in a ruse to inlist Ichi to eliminate the competition.

18: Zatoichi hatashi-jo (1968). Ichi must deal with a gang of bandits and a corrupt official, all while he tries to rescue a young woman from the sweatshop conditions of a mill.

20: Zatoichi to Yojinbo (1970). Ichi seeks tranquillity in his favorite village. It has fallen prey to Boss Masagoro. Zatoichi forms a pact with the boss's bodyguard (played by Mifune Toshiro).

22: Shin Zatoichi: Yabure! Tojin-ken (1971). When Zatoichi and a Chinese one-armed swordsman (Wang Yu) meet, their different languages act as a barrier between them. The two are destined to battle.

24: Shin Zatoichi monogatari: Oreta tsue (1972). While getting money to free a prostitute, Ichi goes too far hustling the local gang. Trouble comes from the boss, a swordmaster, and the girl's lover.

26: Zatoichi (1989). Katsu Shintaro writes, produces, and directs in this last film starring himself as the iconic Zatoichi. (Note: Kitano Takeshi's Zatoichi (2003) is now on domestic DVD as well!)