Very nice. For some reason when I think of Zatoichi, I remember the beginning of one of the old movies where he's caught in a rainstorm, and says something to the effect of:
"I'd better find shelter! If I get an ear-infection, I'll be totally fucked!"
And I thought to myself, ah, so true! The hazards of being a blind swordsman are many!

I dont want to spoil for you (or maybe I do) but it's revealed in one of the movies that he's not actually blind.

A widow asks him at the end of a movie "Why have you pretended all this time?" to wich he answers "well I'm alive aren't I?"

(NOT an exact quote but you get the picture.)

It's a shame this is the only decent clip from the original Zatoichi series on youtube. The earlier films have some great fight scenes.

Echolocation and the art of the standing quick-draw.

Man, when you get killed, try not to fall onto a cart. It's an undignified way to go.

I love that old school sound effect of a sword slashing.

Oh, yay! And it's the original series, too! I haven't seen the new movie yet, but I'm calling bullshit as well- that dude is blind as shit, and damn proud of it. Besides, even if he wasn't blind in the film, is the new one even considered canon? Much as I love Beat Takeshi, he's not Shintaro Katsu, and- actually, you know what? Fuck this. It's getting beardy in here, so I'll just shut up and watch the clip.

On a side note, zato, I've always wondered whether you got your user name from this series. I guess this is my answer?

He's blind.

Brilliant. Love that haunting whistle thingy; it would be the spookiest thing ever to have some blind, old swordsman blowing that thing as your last memory.