“Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Hiroshima Deathmatch” (仁義なき戦い 広島死闘篇), Original Release Japanese Speed Poster 1973, Speed Poster Size (26 × 73 cm) N49A
This is an original Japanese speed poster printed in 1973 for the first Japanese theatrical release of Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Hiroshima Deathmatch (仁義なき戦い 広島死闘篇), also known internationally as Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima, directed by Kinji Fukasaku and distributed in Japan by Toei.
The film is the second entry in Fukasaku’s landmark yakuza cycle, shifting focus from Shozo Hirono to hot‑headed street punk Shoji Yamanaka as he rises and falls within the brutal post‑war gang wars of Hiroshima.
Film background
Set around 1950 in Hiroshima City, the story follows gambler Shoji Yamanaka, whose impulsive violence lands him in prison and then draws him into the orbit of rival yakuza families once he is released. Taken under the wing of a powerful boss but doomed by his own volatile nature and forbidden love for a war widow, Yamanaka’s trajectory is a tragic counterpoint to the wider clan struggles raging around him. Fukasaku continues the semi‑documentary style of the first film—handheld cameras, location shooting and on‑screen death notices—offering a raw portrait of a generation scarred by the war and abandoned by traditional codes of honour. Wikipedia+1
Poster design
This tall, narrow speed poster makes full use of its vertical format. The top half is dominated by a bird’s‑eye view of Hiroshima rendered in stark red, across which a group of sharply dressed gangsters stride like giants, casting long shadows over the city. Down the left edge, a strip of monochrome character portraits introduces key figures from the film. The lower section switches to a bold black‑and‑white close‑up of a gunman raising his pistol directly towards the viewer, surrounded by collaged images of crowded meetings and watchful faces. The vivid red brushstroke title 「仁義なき戦い」 slashes diagonally across the bottom, while the blue vertical panel 「広島死闘篇」 clearly identifies this as the Hiroshima Deathmatch chapter. The Toei logo sits at the top, reinforcing its studio pedigree and tying it visually to the rest of the series’ posters.
This poster is in excellent condition (please refer to the imagery of the exact poster for sale).
It is over 51 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
