Shintarô Katsu.

Shintarô Katsu entered the world on November 29, 1931 in Tokyo, Japan, the son of Kineya Katsutōji, a shamisen player who ran a music school. As a child, Katsu had a blind shamisen instructor, a coincidence that later informed his portrayal of the blind Zatoichi. His younger brother, Tomisaburō Wakayama, also became a celebrated actor.

Katsu made his film debut in the early 1960s. But his defining role came in 1962 with The Tale of Zatoichi, where he played the blind swordsman Zatoichi. He reprised the role in 26 films over three decades, including Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo 1970 and Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman 1971. Katsu also directed and produced several films, and co-starred with Toshiro Mifune. Other films include An Actor’s Revenge 1963 and Tokyo: the Last Megalopolis 1988.

Katsu married actress Tamao Nakamura on March 5, 1962. They had two children: Ryū Gan and Masami Okumura. He had an extramarital affair with geisha Mineko Iwasaki that lasted five years. His younger brother, Tomisaburō Wakayama, also worked in film.

Katsu’s Zatoichi series inspired numerous sequels, a TV series, and a 2003 remake directed by Takeshi Kitano. He won the Golden Arrow Award and the Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor. Katsu is remembered as the definitive portrayer of the blind masseur swordsman, a role he played in 26 films from 1962 to 1989.