“The Films of Akira Kurosawa” (黒澤明—「そのヒューマニズムの芸術」), Original Japanese University Film Event Poster c. 1976, Design by K. Nishimoto, B2 Size (51.5 × 72.8 cm) — K258

This is an original Japanese B2 poster for “Akira Kurosawa—The Art of His Humanism,” a screening and discussion event held at Nihon University’s College of Art in Ekoda, Tokyo. Dated to circa 1976, it combines a striking photograph of Kurosawa at work with bold Japanese calligraphy and a sequence of images documenting his filmmaking.

Produced for a university arts festival, the poster advertises 35mm screenings, a lecture and a panel discussion, offering a distinctive record of the appreciation and study of Kurosawa’s cinema within Japan’s student film culture.

The event

The programme was organised by the Nihon University College of Art Arts Festival Executive Committee, with cooperation from the Akira Kurosawa Research Group.

Held in the college’s main auditorium on Sunday, 31 October, the event advertised two sessions, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with free admission.

The featured films were:

No Regrets for Our Youth (1946) — starring Setsuko Hara.
Rashomon (1950) — starring Toshiro Mifune and Machiko Kyo.

The promotional text emphasises complete screenings from 35mm prints, making the projection format a prominent part of the event’s appeal.

A lecture examined the Sorge incident and the establishment of the self in No Regrets for Our Youth, with Hotsuki Ozaki and Naoki Togawa listed as planned speakers. A separate discussion, “Akira Kurosawa and I,” advertised participation by writers and critics.

Together, these elements present Kurosawa’s work as both an absorbing cinema experience and a subject for serious historical and artistic discussion.

Poster design

The upper half is dominated by a magnificent black-and-white photograph of Kurosawa beside a motion-picture camera. Wearing his familiar cap and sunglasses, he appears absorbed in the practical work of filmmaking, with the substantial camera equipment filling the foreground.

Across the top, “THE FILMS OF AKIRA KUROSAWA” appears in pale blue-green lettering. This restrained accent colour recurs in the smaller text, lending clarity and elegance to the predominantly black-and-white composition.

A horizontal sequence of seven smaller production photographs separates the main image from the title below. Arranged like individual film frames, these photographs show Kurosawa working with performers and crew, extending the poster’s emphasis on the craft of directing.

The lower half is anchored by enormous white brush-style characters spelling 黒澤明 — Akira Kurosawa. Their expressive strokes contrast beautifully with the precise English typography and compact programme details.

At the lower right, Toshiro Mifune and Machiko Kyo in Rashomon connect the director’s working world with one of his most celebrated films.

The lower-left margin carries the credit “DESIGN BY K. NISHIMOTO.” 

An especially appealing piece for collectors of Akira Kurosawa, Japanese university film culture, photographic poster design and Rashomon.

Condition

Excellent+ condition. The front retains strong blacks, clear photographic detail and attractive pale blue-green lettering.

Please review all photographs, including the front and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

Japanese B2 format: approximately 51.5 × 72.8 cm.
Stock code: K258.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.