The blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) escapes from a gang of assassins with help from a group of blind pilgrims, but a woman is killed by mistake during their hunt for him. He finds her baby alive and vows to bring the child to its father in a story that plays like a medieval Japanese version of John Fords Three Godfathers. The warrior dotes on the child even as he fends off attackers and helps to reform a woman criminal. When he gets the baby to its father, however, the man rejects the child and allies himself with the assassins trying to kill the hero. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide