“Ikiru” (生きる), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1974, B3 Size (c. 36 × 51 cm) ZA1032

This is an original Japanese B3 theatrical poster printed in 1974 for the re-release of Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece Ikiru (生きる), one of the most deeply respected films in world cinema.

This horizontal B3 format is very hard to find even in Japan.

Starring Takashi Shimura as a Tokyo bureaucrat confronted with a terminal diagnosis, Ikiru is Kurosawa at his most humanist—an unforgettable meditation on mortality, purpose, and what it means to truly live. The film’s legacy has only grown over time, frequently cited among the greatest Japanese films ever made.

Poster design
A superb, moody Japanese re-release design: Shimura’s weary close-up dominates the lower frame, while the stark title 生きる in bold white calligraphy anchors the upper field beneath 黒沢明監督作品 (“A film by Akira Kurosawa”). The English credit AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DOOMED appears at lower left, reflecting the film’s international marketing angle during later revivals, while the red text 東宝名作シリーズ第一回 (“Toho Masterpiece Series – No. 1”) marks it as a prestige re-issue. Elegant, minimalist, and exceptionally frameable—especially in this scarcer B3 format.

It is over 51 years old!

Condition
Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.