"Harakiri" (Seppuku - 切腹), Original Re-Release Movie Poster 1970`s, Rare, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) O618

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical re‑release poster issued in Japan in the 1970s for Masaki Kobayashi’s landmark samurai drama Seppuku (originally released in Japan in 1962).

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi, Harakiri is a masterwork of jidaigeki (period drama) cinema. Set during the Tokugawa shogunate between 1619 and 1630, it follows the gripping tale of a rōnin, Hanshirō Tsugumo, who requests to commit seppuku in a feudal lord’s estate. What unfolds is a scathing critique of samurai honor and societal hypocrisy. It remains one of the most critically acclaimed Japanese films ever made, praised for its cinematography, structure, and philosophical depth.

Poster design
A bold, brutally simple composition: an all‑consuming blood‑red field with a stark black portrait and crossed‑blade tension, anchored by the monumental brush‑style title 「切腹」. The graphic economy is the genius here—huge negative space, aggressive contrast, and a “one look, instant impact” layout that feels closer to avant‑garde poster design than traditional period‑film marketing.

Important note on the “wear” look: this is a period re‑release produced via photomechanical copying of earlier key art, so the white scuffs/edge‑wear marks you see on the front are printed into the image (they come from the source poster that was copied), not actual damage to this sheet.

Condition
Excellent overall. There is slight age staining only on the verso (reverse), consistent with vintage paper; the front presents strongly and cleanly. Please review the photos as they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 45 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.