This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1973 for Matatabi (English: The Wanderers)—a jidaigeki road movie released by ATG (Art Theatre Guild) and directed by Kon Ichikawa. A gritty, free-wheeling tale of drifters and petty outlaws wandering Edo-period backroads, the film folds folk ballads, swordplay, and black humor into a revisionist take on the chanbara myth, reflecting early-’70s Japanese cinema’s shift toward counter-culture sensibilities.
Film background
Ichikawa casts a cadre of rising New Wave talent to play rōnin and ragtag travelers scraping by on the margins. The picture’s episodic structure and earthy tone connect it to contemporary “anti-hero” period films, while Ichikawa’s formal control and irony give the material bite—making it a cult favorite in the ATG catalogue.
Poster design
A stunning, high-contrast black-and-white montage dominates the sheet: three tight, dramatic close-ups in straw hats and coats, slashed through by a sweeping katana arc. Names and credits are set vertically in vivid carmine, cyan, and green type, injecting pop color into the monochrome field. The massive brush title 「股旅」 climbs the right side, with the small English header MATATABI at the top border. Lower left carries the 映倫 seal and a designer credit “DESIGN: M. OKAZAKI,” underscoring the poster’s gallery-worthy graphic pedigree.
Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photos; they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1973 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is over 52 years old!
Certificate of Authenticity included.
