“High and Low” (天国と地獄), 1963 Japanese STB Tatekan Poster (First Release), STB Size (c. 51 × 145 cm) O697
This is an original Japanese STB tatekan (two panel standing) poster set issued in Japan for Akira Kurosawa’s modern masterpiece High and Low (天国と地獄). Presented in the dramatic STB format (two B2 sheets designed to display together as a tall vertical), it’s among the most desirable—and most visually imposing—pieces of Kurosawa paper from the 1960s.
A distinctive collector detail: the “A film by Akira Kurosawa” credit is split across the two sheets, reading 「黒澤明監」 on one panel and 「督作品」 on the other—forming a single, emphatic vertical declaration when the set is displayed as intended.
Film background
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, High and Low is widely acclaimed as one of cinema’s greatest achievements. Toshiro Mifune stars as executive Kingo Gondo, whose world spirals after a kidnapping and ransom demand. Adapted from Ed McBain’s King’s Ransom, the film is both a taut police procedural and a searing social critique—contrasting the “high” of Gondo’s hilltop home with the “low” of Yokohama’s underworld. While Kurosawa is famed for his samurai epics, this razor‑sharp contemporary thriller proves his mastery of modern, morally complex storytelling.
Poster design
A masterclass in Japanese theatrical impact—delivered in two distinct, complementary movements.
One panel is dominated by enormous yellow brush‑stroke kanji for the title 「天国と地獄」 exploding off a deep black field. Behind it, a gritty, documentary‑like photographic view reinforces the film’s central divide: the modernist “high” residence above, and the dense, wired industrial sprawl below. Running down the side in urgent red typography is the ransom message—promising the child’s life in exchange for a staggering demand—turning the poster itself into a piece of narrative tension.
The companion panel is built from tight, cinematic close‑ups arranged in vertical bands: faces locked in worry, calculation, and dread, anchored by Mifune with the telephone—an instantly recognizable symbol of the film’s pressure‑cooker setup. At the top, the Toho emblem and anniversary marking underscore its studio prestige and period authenticity, while the stark vertical “Kurosawa” credit functions like a seal of authorship.
Together, the two-sheet tatekan presentation reads less like ordinary advertising and more like a gallery-scale graphic statement—bold calligraphy, controlled color, and psychological intensity, all in one towering display.
Rarity and condition
Kurosawa film posters are among the most collected in the world, and certain formats can be extremely valuable—especially scarce Japanese theatrical variants. The STB tatekan format was produced in far smaller quantities than standard posters and was typically used hard in cinemas, making complete surviving two-panel sets exceptionally difficult to find.
Importantly for collectors, the STB variant can dramatically elevate desirability and market value—something well documented in major auction history, including the notable case of an STB Seven Samurai set selling through Heritage Auctions. While prices always depend on title, condition, and provenance, STB scarcity is a recognized “multiplier” in top-tier Japanese poster collecting.
This set is ultra rare and in excellent condition (close to near mint)—remarkable for its age. No pinholes, tears, or stains. It has been stored carefully in perfect conditions, flat, for over 63 years, preserving its impact and presentation quality. Please inspect the photos carefully as they show the exact poster set for sale.
Japan Poster Shop has an extensive Kurosawa movie poster collection—from original pamphlets to large-format billboard pieces. Many of our items are sourced across Japan, often privately, as our owner is Japanese and has an extensive network of dealers and collectors developed over almost ten years.
It is over 63 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
A singular opportunity to acquire a towering, first-release STB tatekan set for one of Kurosawa’s greatest films—an elite-format centerpiece that rarely appears on the market, especially in this level of preservation.
