This is an original Japanese B3 nakazuri train-hanging poster printed in 1975 for the major Japanese revival release of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (七人の侍). A highly distinctive format, this example was produced for display in trains and carries local period theatrical information, including advance ticket sales, release date, and venue details, making it especially desirable as a piece of authentic release ephemera.
Film background
Originally released in 1954, Seven Samurai is one of the most important films in the history of Japanese cinema and one of Akira Kurosawa’s defining masterpieces. Set in the Sengoku period, the film follows a group of masterless samurai hired by impoverished villagers to defend them against marauding bandits. Led by Takashi Shimura as Kambei and featuring an unforgettable performance by Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo, the film combines action, character drama, humanism, and formal brilliance on an epic scale.
By the time of this 1975 revival, Seven Samurai had already secured its place as a global landmark of world cinema. This reissue promoted the film as the “complete original version” running 3 hours 30 minutes, and also highlighted its 4-channel stereo sound, emphasizing the renewed theatrical power of Kurosawa’s epic for contemporary audiences.
Poster design
This B3 nakazuri format presents a bold, high-impact collage design, rich in movement and dramatic contrast.
At upper left is a massive roaring close-up of Toshiro Mifune, his face charged with ferocious energy, with a solemn Takashi Shimura portrait placed just behind him. Across the middle and lower sections, the poster erupts into battle imagery: samurai charge through mud, peasants run amid chaos, and swords are driven into the earth at the far left. On the right, silhouetted ranks of samurai and villagers with spears are arranged across a misty ridge, creating a striking sense of scale and historical drama.
The upper right bears the large orange director credit:
黒澤 明監督作品
“A Film Directed by Akira Kurosawa”
Below are the blue promotional slogans:
「そのスケール！その迫力！群を抜く面白さ！」
“That scale! That power! Unmatched entertainment!”
「世界中を熱狂させた不滅の超娯楽巨篇！」
“The immortal super-entertainment masterpiece that enthralled the world!”
The main title 七人の侍 is rendered in bold red brushstroke lettering, one of the most visually arresting title treatments associated with the film. Nearby text announces:
完全オリジナル版
“Complete Original Version”
堂々3時間30分
“A Full 3 Hours 30 Minutes”
and
4チャンネルステレオ音響
“4-Channel Stereo Sound”
The lower section is especially appealing from a collector’s perspective, as it preserves localized period release details:
当所にて 前売好評発売中
“Advance tickets now on sale here”
11月1日(土)大公開
“Grand opening on Saturday, November 1”
〈当日窓口料金￥1,000の処 800〉
“Advance price ¥800 instead of the ¥1,000 day-of-show ticket price”
with the venue prominently identified as:
東宝劇場
“Toho Theater”
These local exhibition details give the piece exceptional immediacy and make it far more than a standard poster: it is a surviving record of how this Kurosawa classic was actively marketed to Japanese audiences during its 1975 theatrical revival.
Condition
Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
The poster presents extremely well, with strong colour, sharp contrast, and excellent display impact. It shows expected signs of age and handling consistent with a vintage Japanese nakazuri poster, but overall remains a highly attractive example. The presence of period local theatrical information further enhances its desirability and historical character.
This is an original Japanese B3 nakazuri revival poster from 1975.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is approximately 50 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
