This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1974 for the first Japanese release of The Yakuza (ザ・ヤクザ), Sydney Pollack’s stylish neo-noir that merges American crime storytelling with a distinctly Japanese underworld code of honour.
Film background
Starring Robert Mitchum alongside Takakura Ken, the film follows an American private investigator pulled back into a past he can’t escape—forced to navigate Tokyo’s yakuza world where obligation, loyalty, and reputation carry life-or-death weight. The result is one of the most compelling “East-meets-West” crime films of the 1970s: gritty, romantic, and steeped in atmosphere.
Poster design
A superb Japanese design with an almost “graphic novel” elegance. The symmetrical composition, kendo mask motif, and the central portrait imagery create a striking, high-end look, while the katana and gun imagery perfectly signals the film’s dual identity—American hardboiled noir colliding with Japanese tradition and ritual. The bold red title 「ザ・ヤクザ」 anchors the lower field with real punch. Framed, this one has serious gallery-wall presence.
Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 50 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
