“Layer Cake” (レイヤー・ケーキ), Original Japanese First Release Movie Poster 2004, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA685

This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 2004 for the first Japanese theatrical release of Layer Cake (2004), the razor-sharp British crime thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn in his feature directorial debut, adapted by J. J. Connolly from his own novel. Starring Daniel Craig in the role that helped define his pre-Bond screen persona, the film follows a London cocaine broker attempting to exit the underworld—only to be pulled into a final, increasingly dangerous chain of favours, betrayals, and escalating violence. The cast also includes Colm Meaney, Sienna Miller, and an early standout turn by Tom Hardy. Craig’s character is famously unnamed, credited only as “XXXX”—a perfect detail for a film obsessed with identity, status, and the invisible mechanics of power.

This title had a very small release in Japan, and surviving original Japanese posters are extremely hard to find.

Poster design

A brilliant, minimalist typographic concept that feels like pure modern design. The layout stacks four black-and-white character portraits in horizontal “layers,” separated by bold bands of yellow—like strata in the film’s social and criminal hierarchy. The names along the top read ダニエル・クレイグ / コルム・ミーニイ / シエナ・ミラー / マイケル・ガンボン, while the Japanese tagline 「足を洗いたければ、手を汚せ。」 (“If you want to quit, dirty your hands.”) lands with perfect cold logic. The oversized yellow title block Layer Cake / レイヤー・ケーキ dominates the lower third, with additional copy selling it as “UK発、挑発的スタイリッシュ・クライム！” (“A provocative, stylish crime [film] from the UK!”). Clean, graphic, and incredibly frame-friendly—one of the strongest Japanese campaign designs for any 2000s crime film.

Condition

Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 21 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint. Certificate of Authenticity included.