Sanjūrō (椿三十郎) — First‑release Japanese B2, 1962 — Chihōban Regional Style — Unbacked, Corner‑Repaired (collector), Ultra‑Rare, B2 Size (c.51 x73cm)

Overview
An ultra‑rare Japanese B2 from the original 1962 Toho release of Sanjūrō (Sanjuro), in the scarce regional “Chihōban (地方版)” painted style—the celebrated Mifune portrait design documented for first‑release B2s (featured in the comprehensive "Akira Kurosawa Film Poster Collection" book, p.119). This is an original vintage theatrical sheet that has not been linen‑backed or professionally conserved; instead, a prior Japanese collector carried out practical corner reinforcement/repairs (a common approach in Japan for posters intended for long‑term private collections). Despite this history, it presents extremely well once framed, and pricing reflects both the rarity of the Chihōban style and the non‑professional corner restoration.

Film background
Released by Toho in 1962, Sanjūrō reunites Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai in a darkly witty companion to Yojimbo. The nameless ronin—off‑handedly calling himself “Sanjūrō,” “thirty‑year camellia”—guides naïve samurai through a web of corruption, culminating in a legendary final duel. Shot in widescreen black‑and‑white and scored by Masaru Satō, the film distils Kurosawa’s mastery of rhythm, movement and moral irony.

Poster design (first‑issue, Chihōban painted style)
Format: B2 one‑sheet (Japan, country‑of‑origin)

Artwork: Large painted head‑and‑shoulders Mifune dominates; dynamic group action vignette along the lower register.

Typography: Giant red calligraphic 椿三十郎 with reading marks; vertical yellow 「黒沢 明 監督作品」 credit; screenplay credits 菊島隆三／小国英雄／黒沢明 and producer credit 田中友幸; cast block at lower right beginning 三船敏郎／仲代達矢.

Studio mark: Toho (東宝) roundel—period‑correct for the first release.

Printing: Early‑1960s Japanese offset on thin, matte stock with the coarse screen typical of the era.

Variant note: The regional (Chihōban) alternate painted style—published for B2 (see "Akira Kurosawa Film Poster Collection", p.119) and substantially scarcer than the standard Toho issue. A cornerstone variant for serious Kurosawa/Mifune collectors.

Rarity
First‑release materials for Sanjūrō are scarce in any form, but the painted Chihōban regional style is notably difficult to obtain, having been produced in smaller quantities for non‑Tokyo circuits and often heavily used or discarded. This is the sought‑after published design in the classic B2 format—an exceptionally hard‑to‑find piece for Golden‑Age Japanese cinema collections.

Condition (with prior corner restoration)
Very Good (display‑strong), unbacked.
This is an original vintage sheet with a distinctive “private collection” history: the corners were reinforced/repaired by a previous Japanese collector rather than sent to a professional conservation studio. The repairs stabilise the extremities and the poster displays very well once framed; however, it is not linen‑backed and should be considered a well‑preserved, sympathetically maintained original rather than a museum‑conserved example. We have taken these factors into account when pricing. All four corners show reinforcement/repair (most evident from the reverse)

Authenticity: Guaranteed original; COA included

For further information or additional images, please contact Max Fujiwara Lieven — Japan Poster Shop.