"Brother", Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 2000, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q226
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 2000 for the first domestic release of Brother / ブラザー, written, directed, edited by, and starring Takeshi Kitano / Beat Takeshi.
Brother is a key film in Kitano’s career, marking his first major international production and his only feature shot predominantly in Los Angeles. Following the international success of Hana-bi and Kikujiro, Kitano brought his cool, minimalist yakuza style into an American crime setting, creating a stark cross-cultural gangster film about loyalty, exile, violence, and brotherhood.
Kitano plays Yamamoto, a hardened yakuza enforcer who leaves Japan after the collapse of his clan and travels to Los Angeles, where he reconnects with his younger half-brother Ken, played by Claude Maki. There, he becomes involved with a small-time drug crew led by Denny, played by Omar Epps, and gradually imposes yakuza discipline on the group — triggering a violent escalation with rival criminal organisations.
The poster features a bold, cinematic design. Large monochrome portraits of Beat Takeshi, Omar Epps, and Claude Maki are arranged diagonally against a warm ochre background. The composition gives the poster a sharp, off-balance energy, reflecting the film’s themes of displacement and cultural collision.
Across the centre, a small red line reads:
“Are you Japanese?”
The right side features a target-like bullet-impact motif with the vertical Japanese copy:
「北野組、世界照準」
“The Kitano crew sets its sights on the world.”
The title BROTHER appears in vivid red brush-style lettering, giving the poster an immediate and unmistakable visual identity.
The lower section also notes the film’s selection for the 57th Venice International Film Festival as a Special Invitation title.
About the film
Brother stars Beat Takeshi, Omar Epps, Claude Maki, Masaya Kato, Susumu Terajima, Ren Osugi, and Tatyana Ali, with music by Joe Hisaishi and costume design by Yohji Yamamoto.
The film is one of Kitano’s most important turn-of-the-millennium works, extending his yakuza mythology beyond Japan while preserving the quiet menace, abrupt violence, and emotional restraint that define his cinema.
Condition
This poster is in excellent condition.
It presents beautifully, with strong colour, clean imagery, and excellent overall visual impact. Please refer carefully to the imagery, as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
It is over 25 years old!
It is not a reproduction and not a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
