“Girl Boss: Diamond Showdown” (女番長 タイマン勝負) Original release Japanese billboard poster, 1974 (B0 Billboard / 2-sheet approx. 145 × 103 cm)

A spectacular large-format original Japanese theatrical billboard poster for 女番長 タイマン勝負, released in English as Girl Boss: Diamond Showdown. Directed by Ikuo Sekimoto for Toei and released in Japan in 1974, the film is the sixth entry in the 女番長 / Girl Boss series, one of the most notorious cycles of 1970s Japanese exploitation cinema.

This is the dramatic horizontal B1 × 2 billboard issue, printed as two separate sheets designed to be displayed side by side. At approximately 145 × 103 cm overall, it has the scale and visual force that make Japanese billboard posters so coveted. These formats were produced for theatrical display, not for retail sale, and survivors in strong unrestored condition are genuinely difficult to find.

What makes this poster especially striking is the artwork itself: a bold, full-force piece of 1970s Toei design. The composition is dominated by Reiko Ike, one of the defining stars of the era, posed aggressively across the centre seam in black. To the left, a knife-wielding topless fighter in vivid red trousers charges toward the viewer, while above her a line of kimono-clad women armed with staffs and blades reinforces the film’s “female gang warfare” energy. On the right sheet, a looming monochrome male face in sunglasses adds further menace, while inset action scenes intensify the sense of violence, confrontation, and pulp spectacle.

The Japanese headline copy at the top effectively promises that the blade-wielding “she-beasts” are gathering in force, and that the women’s one-on-one showdowns are fiercer than ever. It is exactly the kind of sensational campaign imagery that defines the best first-release material from this cycle.

Condition

This poster is unrestored and displays extremely well. Both sheets retain the expected original fold lines, with light creasing, minor edge and handling wear, and general surface waviness consistent with age and theatrical use. The reverse shows some small tears that have been repaired with archival tape (additional imagery provided). Overall, it remains an excellent, highly displayable example with strong colour and outstanding wall presence.

A superb and very rare billboard-format original for collectors of Reiko Ike, Toei exploitation cinema, and 1970s Japanese poster art.