“Kinkanshoku” / 「金環蝕」 (“Annular Eclipse”), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1975, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) F276
Sale price$135.00
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the original release of Kinkanshoku / 「金環蝕」, Satsuo Yamamoto’s powerful 1975 political drama based on the novel by Tatsuzō Ishikawa.
A major work of post-war Japanese political cinema, the film exposes the hidden relationships between government, big business, financial interests, and the political brokers who manipulate national power from behind closed doors.
Film background
Against the backdrop of a fiercely contested prime-ministerial election, politicians, financiers, construction companies, and political intermediaries become entangled in a complex system of bribery, illicit payments, political influence, and public-works kickbacks.
As competing factions attempt to purchase political power and secure lucrative commercial advantages, the film reveals the corruption concealed beneath the respectable surface of Japan’s political and corporate establishment.
Directed by Satsuo Yamamoto, the screenplay was written by Hajime Takaiwa, based on the novel by Tatsuzō Ishikawa. The music was composed by Hikaru Hayashi.
The extensive ensemble cast includes Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentarō Mikuni, Akira Kume, Takashi Kanda, Gaku Yamamoto, Akira Nishimura, Tamao Nakamura, and Jūkichi Uno, alongside many other distinguished Japanese actors.
Following major works including The Great White Tower, War and Humanity, and The Family, Yamamoto again used large-scale ensemble drama to examine the structures of political, economic, and institutional power in post-war Japan.
Poster design
The poster uses a provocative surrealist composition that transforms political corruption into a grotesque vision of greed, decadence, and predatory power.
At its centre, a pale reclining nude figure lies amid a dense gathering of wild animals, including baboons, bulls, horned beasts, and shadowy creatures. Thorny branches and brightly coloured flowers surround the body, creating an unsettling contrast between beauty, violence, and corruption.
Behind the figures appears an ominous orange-ringed eclipse, directly referencing the film’s title. The annular eclipse becomes a visual metaphor for brilliance obscured by darkness and for the moral corruption concealed beneath the apparent glory of political authority.
The prominent white vertical text near the upper centre reads:
「輝く金色の栄光の中で 何が起っているのか 政権を買い利権に群がる 上流社会の華麗な獣たち」
“What is happening within the shining golden glory? The magnificent beasts of high society who purchase political power and gather around vested interests.”
The smaller red text at upper left reads:
「『白い巨塔』『戦争と人間』『華麗なる一族』の山本薩夫監督が遂に切り裂いた禁断の政界！」
“Director Satsuo Yamamoto of The Great White Tower, War and Humanity, and The Family finally cuts open the forbidden world of politics!”
The lower half is dominated by the monumental Japanese title:
「金環蝕」
rendered in enormous, energetic white brush lettering.
Beneath it appears the phonetic reading:
「きんかんしょく」
in vivid red script.
The left margin prominently credits:
「原作・石川達三／山本薩夫監督作品」
“Original work by Tatsuzō Ishikawa / A film directed by Satsuo Yamamoto.”
A vertical strip of fourteen cast portraits runs down the right edge, emphasising the film’s extraordinary ensemble. The extensive billing block along the bottom groups the characters by political factions, corporate interests, journalists, and other competing centres of influence.
The original artwork and design are attributed to Susumu Masukawa, one of the most important Japanese film-poster artists of the post-war period. The combination of hand-painted imagery, expressive calligraphy, cast photography, and dense political symbolism gives the poster exceptional visual impact.
Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release in 1975 and distributed in Japan by Toho.
It is a standard Japanese B2-size theatrical poster, measuring approximately:
51.5 × 72.8 cm / 20 × 28.7 inches
It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.
Condition
Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with rich colour, dramatic illustrated imagery, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.
There are only light signs of age and handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from this period, but overall it presents extremely well.
Reference: F276.
Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.
This is an original 1975 Japanese theatrical poster. It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
