“Blind Woman’s Curse” (怪談昇り竜)
Original release Japanese billboard poster, 1970 — unrestored and in excellent condition
Offered here is a dramatic, large-format Japanese theatrical “billboard” poster for Kaidan Nobori Ryū—released internationally as Blind Woman’s Curse—Teruo Ishii’s hallucinatory Nikkatsu genre hybrid of yakuza film, female swordplay, and ghost-cat horror, released in Japan on 20 June 1970 and widely noted as Meiko Kaji’s first starring role under her adopted screen name. This is an ultra rare two-sheet billboard format, and the first time we have ever seen this title in this format.
Details
• Film: 怪談昇り竜 (Kaidan Nobori Ryū)
• English title: Blind Woman’s Curse
• Release date (Japan): 20 June 1970
• Studio: Nikkatsu
• Distributor: Dainichi Eihai
• Director: Teruo Ishii (石井輝男)
• Format: Japanese B0 “two-sheet / B-bai” billboard format, issued in two sections
• Approx. size (standard for format): approx. 155 × 103 cm) overall
• (Note: Japanese B0 is commonly standardised at approx. 103.0 × 155 cm; poster sizes can vary—always measure the individual example.)
• Condition: Unrestored; tear to one of the sheets has been repaired on the verso with tape; otherwise an excellent, highly displayable example (see “Condition” below).
Context: Nikkatsu, kaidan, and Teruo Ishii’s genre collision
Nikkatsu’s own materials describe the film as a tale of vengeance in which a woman who has been blinded confronts the female gang boss responsible, with ghost-story elements woven through the action; the studio’s later DVD materials condense that appeal even more neatly as “ninkyo × kaidan”—a collision of chivalric/yakuza codes and supernatural horror. Japan Society has likewise highlighted the film as a phantasmagoric Teruo Ishii work, pushing female swordplay into ghost-cat nightmare territory.
In poster terms, that fusion is exactly what makes this title so desirable: it sits at the junction of Nikkatsu action design, gothic horror imagery, and the fierce, cool screen persona that would make Meiko Kaji one of the defining faces of 1970s Japanese genre cinema.
Meiko Kaji: A star-making early lead
Japan Society notes that although Kaji began her career at Nikkatsu under her real name, Masako Ota, Blind Woman’s Curse was her first starring role under the name Meiko Kaji. That gives first-release material for this film particular weight: it captures the emergence of a screen identity that would soon become central to the mythology of Japanese cult cinema.
The film this poster represents
Blind Woman’s Curse as one of the great cult outliers of 1970
Official Japanese film databases record Blind Woman’s Curse / 怪談昇り竜 as a 1970 colour feature directed by Teruo Ishii, running approximately 85 minutes, with Meiko Kaji, Hoki Tokuda, and Makoto Sato among its principal cast. More importantly for collectors, it is one of those rare titles whose reputation exceeds ordinary genre boundaries: not just a yakuza picture, not just a horror film, but a feverish synthesis of both.
The poster
Gold cat’s eyes, monumental calligraphy, and a commanding Meiko Kaji image
Even by the standards of 1970s Japanese poster design, this composition is exceptionally forceful—an image built around inky black negative space, glowing gold feline eyes, and huge white calligraphic title lettering that crashes down the right side of the design. At centre, Kaji dominates the sheet in a pale blue kimono with drawn sword, flanked by smaller vignettes of violence and confrontation; above and behind her, the looming black cat turns the whole composition into a threat.
Key visual elements (as seen in the artwork):
• Monumental black field acting as a stage-like void, amplifying every accent of red, blue, gold, and white
• Two glowing cat’s eyes suspended in darkness, immediately signalling the film’s uncanny feline revenge motif
• Meiko Kaji centred in a hard, confrontational pose with sword drawn—cool, poised, and dangerous
• Oversized white brushstroke title typography (“怪談昇り竜”), giving the design explosive graphic weight
• Vertical blood-red copy cutting through the black field with urgency and menace
• Inset action scenes and secondary figures that add narrative density without weakening the poster’s stark overall impact
At B0 / two-sheet billboard scale, these choices become architectural: the black field expands, the cat imagery becomes eerie and immersive, and Kaji’s central figure takes on the kind of physical presence only the largest Japanese theatrical formats can deliver.
Rarity and survival
Why billboard-format Japanese posters are genuinely scarce
The B0 format sits at the top end of standard Japanese theatrical poster sizes and is commonly described as a two-sheet / B-bai format made from two B1 sheets. It was designed for impact, not convenience, and its sheer scale makes survival in strong unrestored condition markedly harder than more common release formats. For this title in particular, this is an ultra rare survival, and the first time we have ever seen Blind Woman’s Curse in this format.
Condition
Unrestored, excellent, and highly displayable
This example is unrestored and in excellent condition, with the kind of honest age and handling characteristics one hopes to see in a genuine large-format theatrical piece of this vintage. Most importantly, there is a tear in one of the sheets that has been repaired on the verso with tape. The poster otherwise retains strong colour, striking eye appeal, and outstanding wall presence.
Condition includes:
• Unrestored original two-sheet billboard format
• Original fold and handling wear consistent with age and theatrical use
• One tear repaired on the verso with tape
• Strong overall presentation and excellent display impact
• Once framed, this poster will display excellently as a formidable display piece
