“Wasabi” (ワサビ), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 2002, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA885
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 2002 for the Japanese release of Wasabi (ワサビ)—the cult French action-comedy starring Jean Reno and Ryoko Hirosue, directed by Gérard Krawczyk and presented/produced under Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp banner. Fast, funny, and unapologetically late-’90s/early-2000s in attitude, Wasabi has become a true fan-favourite—especially for collectors who love the rare crossover of French action cinema and Tokyo-set crime mayhem.
Film background
Jean Reno plays a hard-edged French detective pulled into Tokyo after a personal tragedy reveals he has a teenage daughter—played by Ryoko Hirosue—whose life is tied to a dangerous underworld plot. The film’s charm comes from its tonal whiplash: deadpan comedy, sudden bursts of violence, fish-out-of-water culture clash, and slick action staging, all wrapped in glossy early-2000s style.
Poster design
A superb, modern campaign image built around motion and contrast: Reno and Hirosue stride in opposite directions through a streaked, speed-blurred city background, with Hirosue’s vivid red dress cutting through the frame like a flare. The typography is clean and huge—WASABI as a bold graphic block across the bottom—while the mid-poster copy (“2002年、一番刺激的なカンケイ。”) sells the film as the year’s most “stimulating” odd-couple pairing. Minimal, stylish, and extremely displayable.
Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos (front and back)—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 24 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
