“Brutal Tales of Chivalry 5: Man with the Karajishi Tattoo”, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1969, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) N28A

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster produced for the 1969 release of Shōwa Zankyōden: Karajishi Jingi (昭和残侠伝 唐獅子仁義), directed by Masahiro Makino and released by Toei. Starring Ken Takakura and Ryō Ikebe, the film belongs to the celebrated cycle of Japanese chivalry dramas that established Takakura’s enduring screen image.

Printed in the standard Japanese B2 format of approximately 51.5 × 72.8 cm, this striking design combines painted portraiture, expressive brush lettering and delicate falling petals.

Film background

The fifth instalment in the Shōwa Zankyōden series, the film explores the conflict between personal loyalty and the unforgiving obligations of the underworld. Takakura and Ikebe portray men whose mutual respect cannot protect them from the rival allegiances that repeatedly bring them into confrontation. The supporting cast includes Junko Fuji and Takashi Shimura.

These tensions lie at the heart of ninkyō eiga, the chivalrous yakuza films closely associated with Toei during the 1960s. Their protagonists inhabit a world governed by giri, or duty, while struggling with ninjō, the demands of human feeling.

Makino brought extensive experience in period drama and popular entertainment to the genre. His emphasis on performance, dramatic rhythm and emotional restraint provided an ideal setting for Takakura’s quiet intensity.

Poster design

The composition centres on a painted portrait of Ken Takakura, bare-chested, with his kimono lowered around his waist. Red peony tattoos spread across his shoulders and arms, introducing rich colour against the pale background.

A drawn katana cuts diagonally across the composition, connecting the figure with the vertical lettering above. Takakura’s steady gaze and tightly controlled expression communicate the resolve and suppressed emotion associated with his screen persona.

Soft pink brushstrokes and scattered blossom petals surround the figure. Their delicacy gives the image an elegiac quality, suggesting the fragility of life alongside the threat of violence.

The Japanese title appears in commanding, deep-blue calligraphy:

「昭和残侠伝 唐獅子仁義」
“Shōwa Zankyōden: Karajishi Jingi”

The promotional verse at upper left evokes competing claims of loyalty, love and family. Above the portrait, the credits prominently identify Takakura, Ikebe and director Makino. The Toei emblem appears at lower right.

Cultural significance

The poster captures the visual vocabulary of the Toei chivalry film: tattoos, swordsmanship, self-restraint and tragic obligation. Its spacious composition gives Takakura’s portrait exceptional presence, while the brush lettering and floral imagery connect popular cinema with older Japanese pictorial traditions.

As an original 1969 Japanese theatrical poster, it is a compelling document of Takakura’s defining years and the distinctive advertising art of the Shōwa period.

Condition

Excellent. The poster presents strongly, retaining clear detail and attractive colour. Please review the photographs—they show the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster from 1969.
It is not a reproduction or a modern reprint.

It is approximately 57 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.