“Léon: The Professional” / “Leon” (レオン), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1996, Luc Besson, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) A278

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1996 for the Japanese release campaign of Léon: The Professional / Leon (レオン), Luc Besson’s cult action drama starring Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman, and Danny Aiello.

This poster relates to the 1996 Japanese theatrical campaign, following the original Japanese release and associated with the later Complete Version / Uncut International Version presentation. It is one of the most elegant Japanese designs for the film, using a restrained cream-toned layout, a large emotional central image, and the monumental red LEON title across the bottom.

Film background
Directed by Luc Besson, Léon is one of the defining European action films of the 1990s. Set in New York, the film follows a solitary professional assassin whose closed world is transformed after he shelters a young girl whose family has been murdered.

The film is remembered for its unusual combination of stylised violence, emotional vulnerability, urban melancholy, and cult 1990s cool. It also became one of Besson’s most internationally recognised works, with its central relationship giving the film a tone that is both brutal and strangely tender.

Poster design
This Japanese B2 design is stark, emotional, and highly effective. The composition is dominated by a soft, pale background with a central image of Leon holding Mathilda protectively, surrounded by a smoky, dreamlike haze. The design avoids the busier action-heavy approach used in some international campaigns and instead focuses on the film’s emotional core.

At the upper right, the Japanese vertical copy reads:

「12才の女の子に愛された殺し屋、レオン。」
“Leon, the hitman loved by a 12-year-old girl.”

Beneath the title, the smaller Japanese phrase reads:

「凶暴な純愛。」
“A violent pure love.”

The English credit line “A LUC BESSON FILM / JEAN RENO IN” appears above the enormous red LEON lettering, which anchors the lower third of the poster with strong graphic force. A small inset image of Mathilda adds a secondary emotional focal point, while the bottom margin carries Japanese release credits and distribution information.

The overall result is one of the most refined Japanese campaign designs for the film: minimal, atmospheric, and instantly recognisable.

Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photo carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

The poster presents beautifully, with clean imagery, strong red title lettering, elegant negative space, and excellent overall display appeal. Minor signs of age and handling may be visible, consistent with an original Japanese poster of this period.

This poster is an original Japanese B2 poster from the 1996 theatrical campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is nearly 30 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.