This is a vintage Japanese pro wrestling (puroresu) movie poster prominently featuring the legendary Japanese wrestler Rikidōzan (力道山). This poster was printed in 1959.
The poster features a dramatic, action-packed black-and-white photo of Rikidōzan, bloodied in the middle of a fierce wrestling hold.
The design is amazing with a bright red with bold, colorful typography, typical of 1950s–60s Japanese sports and action promotion.
Additional smaller photos show other in-ring moments, including Rikidōzan with a championship belt and a shot of a crowded match.
Rikidōzan was a national hero in postwar Japan, known for defeating foreign (especially American) wrestlers, which held deep symbolic meaning for Japanese audiences during the country’s cultural rebuilding period.
This is a rare and highly collectible piece of early Japanese wrestling and sports pop culture history, especially valuable to fans of puroresu, postwar cinema ephemera, and Showa-era memorabilia.
It is over 66 years old!
This poster is in excellent condition. Please refer to the imagery (both front and back) as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
L33