My first thought when I read the original post was, "Bushido." I ran a campaign back in '82ish using the FGU edition and 1hp minions fitted perfectly into that. Ideal for making the taciturn ronin or the bo stick wielding priest look very cool before the Big Bad turns up, the minions scuttle back into the shadows, and the real fight kicks off.
I haven't tried them in any D&D style game, but my gut feeling is that they would have to be deployed carefully. I might use them as the faceless goons of a crime boss, but I'd use the old trick of making them a little tougher to hit to compensate. Then the overall effect is cinematic; a decent fight, but every blow that gets through to the goons is of high lethality -- impalements, decapitations, et al. Splash and area attacks upon them are a concern, admittedly. Perhaps a successful save means no damage at all.