“The Murder Corps” (日本暴力列島 京阪神殺しの軍団), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1975, Akira Kobayashi / Tatsuo Umemiya, STB Tatekan Two-Sheet Format (c. 51 × 145 cm) — N266

This is an original Japanese STB tatekan theatrical poster for the 1975 release of The Murder Corps, originally titled Nihon Bōryoku Rettō: Keihanshin Koroshi no Gundan. Over fifty years old, this complete two-sheet example combines stark photographic imagery with towering red typography. 

Directed by Kosaku Yamashita, the Toei crime drama stars Akira Kobayashi and Tatsuo Umemiya, supported by Goro Ibuki, Yutaka Nakajima, Hideo Murota, and Mikio Narita. The story follows a violent gang drawn into the struggle between powerful criminal organisations seeking nationwide dominance. Its treatment combines brutal action with the social concerns and documentary-style presentation associated with Toei’s 1970s crime cinema. 

Printed on two sheets arranged vertically, the design makes forceful use of the tall tatekan format. An enormous snarling wolf’s head dominates the upper section, looming above a montage of armed figures and violent confrontations. The grainy monochrome treatment creates a harsh, threatening atmosphere, while the Toei triangle logo appears in the upper-left corner.

The oversized red lettering 「京阪神殺しの軍団」 runs down the centre, carrying the composition across both sheets. Beside it, 「日本暴力列島」 appears in rough white brush lettering on an angled dark panel. Green promotional copy, blue text, and a row of cast portraits introduce further detail in the lower section without weakening the impact of the central title.

The prominent green tagline reads:

「そこは、社会の兇暴な底辺！」
“This is society’s brutal underbelly!”

The combination of animal imagery, confrontational photography, and vivid red lettering gives this poster a distinctive presence. It is an especially appealing example for collectors of Toei crime cinema, Akira Kobayashi, Kosaku Yamashita, and Japanese film poster design of the 1970s.

Condition: Very Good+ / Excellent. 

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

STB tatekan format: approximately 51 × 145 cm when assembled.
Stock code: N266.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.

About STB (Tatekan) posters
Japanese STB / tatekan posters were tall standing-board advertisements, printed in two pieces to be joined vertically for cinema display. Typically measuring around 51 × 145 cm, their elongated proportions offered considerable scope for distinctive compositions. Designed for temporary theatrical use, complete surviving examples preserve an important part of Japan’s cinema advertising history.