I fell in love with Shintaro Katsu a long time ago. I inherited my fathers entire collection of Zatoichi movie and television programs. Zatoichi was much like some of the westerns here in the US but involved stories made in the time of Japan's Edo Period. Like a gunslinger, this blind gentle man carried a cane sword which he would use if provoked. The bodies did pile up, but he was so lovable, that he became a major sensation in japan.
Yojimbo vs Zatoichi Toshiro Mifune (Yojimbo) and Shintaro Katsu (Zatoichi) (from Wiki: )
Zatoichi is a fictional character featured in one of Japan's longest running series of films and a television series set in the Edo period. The character, a blind masseur and swordmaster, was created by novelist Kan Shimozawa.
This originally minor character was developed for the screen by Daiei Studios (now Kadokawa Pictures) and actor Shintaro Katsu, who created the screen version. A total of 26 films were made from 1962 to 1989. From 1972 to 1974, a television series of the same name was made. One hundred and twelve episodes were aired before the "Zatoichi" television series was cancelled.
Katsu was also a singer as well as an actor, and sung the theme song to
Zatoichi with several versions Shintaro Katsu - Otento-san (Zatoichi theme song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsI1TftGfFk&feature=relatedSample trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LybFr_ApFiY