"Hana-bi", Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1997, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) Q218
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1997 for the first domestic release of Hana-bi / HANA-BI / 花火, written, directed, edited by, and starring Takeshi Kitano / Beat Takeshi.
One of Kitano’s most acclaimed and internationally celebrated films, Hana-bi is a haunting crime drama that blends sudden violence, grief, deadpan humour, quiet romance, and painterly stillness. The film follows Nishi, a former police detective struggling with guilt, debt, yakuza pressure, and the terminal illness of his wife. Moving between brutality and tenderness, Hana-bi became one of the defining works of 1990s Japanese cinema.
The poster features a striking, dreamlike beach composition: a solitary figure walks along the shoreline beneath a vast, moody blue sky, overlaid with the image of a large flower. The design beautifully reflects the film’s central contrast between violence and beauty, death and tenderness, and emotional restraint and explosive feeling.
Across the lower section, the title HANA-BI appears in bold, hand-painted style lettering, while the English text reads “A FILM Directed By Takeshi Kitano.” The upper-right Japanese tagline reads:
「その時に抱きとめてくれるひとがいますか」
“Is there someone who will hold you at that moment?”
This quiet, melancholic line perfectly captures the emotional core of the film.
The poster also highlights the film’s major international recognition:
第54回ベネチア国際映画祭 金獅子賞受賞
Winner of the Golden Lion at the 54th Venice International Film Festival
About the film
Hana-bi is widely regarded as one of Takeshi Kitano’s masterpieces. Released in 1997, it marked a major turning point in his international reputation and helped cement him as one of Japan’s most important modern filmmakers.
The film combines Kitano’s distinctive minimalist direction with moments of extreme violence, long silences, delicate humour, and deeply emotional visual poetry. Its themes of loss, guilt, love, illness, friendship, and redemption make it one of his most powerful and enduring works.
Why collectors prize this example
Original 1997 Japanese release: printed for the film’s first domestic theatrical campaign.
Golden Lion winner: connected to one of the most important international triumphs in modern Japanese cinema.
Iconic Kitano title: a key poster for collectors of Takeshi Kitano, Beat Takeshi, and 1990s Japanese film.
Beautiful visual design: the beach, flower overlay, and handwritten title treatment make this one of the most atmospheric Kitano poster designs.
B2 theatrical format: the classic Japanese cinema poster size, approximately 51 x 73 cm.
Condition
This poster is in excellent condition.
It presents beautifully, with strong colour, clean imagery, and superb visual impact. Please refer carefully to the imagery, as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
It is over 28 years old!
It is not a reproduction and not a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
