{"product_id":"throne-of-blood-original-first-release-japanese-movie-poster-1957-rare-b2-size-51-x-73cm-k90-g-x-1-copy","title":"“Throne of Blood” (蜘蛛巣城), Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1957, Akira Kurosawa, Rare B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) L258A","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1957\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efirst release\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrone of Blood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (蜘蛛巣城 \/ Kumonosu-jō), Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece of samurai cinema and one of the greatest screen adaptations of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam Shakespeare’s Macbeth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDirected by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAkira Kurosawa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and produced by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the film stars \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e as the ambitious warrior \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWashizu Taketoki\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIsuzu Yamada\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLady Asaji\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, one of the most chilling figures in Kurosawa’s cinema. Original first-release Japanese posters for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrone of Blood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e are exceptionally rare, and this is a major piece for collectors of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKurosawa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and post-war Japanese film history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFilm background\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReleased in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1957\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrone of Blood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e transposes Shakespeare’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMacbeth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e into the world of feudal Japan, replacing medieval Scotland with a fog-shrouded landscape of samurai ambition, prophecy, betrayal, and doom. Kurosawa’s use of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNoh theatre\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, stark landscapes, ritualised movement, and psychological intensity gives the film a uniquely Japanese visual and dramatic language.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMifune’s performance as Washizu is one of his most powerful collaborations with Kurosawa: ferocious, haunted, and increasingly consumed by fear. Isuzu Yamada’s Lady Asaji is equally unforgettable, her stillness and controlled menace making her one of the director’s most terrifying characters.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToday, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrone of Blood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is widely regarded as one of Kurosawa’s essential works and one of cinema’s definitive Shakespeare adaptations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePoster design\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis original 1957 Japanese B2 is a superb country-of-origin design. At centre, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stands as Washizu, dressed in samurai costume and gripping his weapon, his intense expression immediately conveying suspicion, ambition, and impending violence. At upper left, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIsuzu Yamada\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e appears as Lady Asaji, posed with eerie stillness beside the castle interior, while the upper-right background shows mounted warriors advancing through thick fog — one of the film’s defining visual motifs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcross the centre, bold red text reads:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e「黒沢明 監督作品」\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“A film directed by Akira Kurosawa.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe bottom section is dominated by the enormous yellow title \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e蜘蛛巣城\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Spider’s Web Castle”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — rendered in powerful brush-style lettering. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e roundel appears at upper right, with dense cast and production credits printed along the lower margin, including major Toho names associated with Kurosawa’s ensemble.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe overall effect is commanding and atmospheric: a poster that captures the film’s world of fog, bloodline ambition, prophecy, and violent destiny with extraordinary clarity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRarity and collector significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthentic \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1957 first-release Japanese B2 posters\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrone of Blood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e are among the most difficult Kurosawa posters to source. Many surviving examples from this period show heavy theatre use, pinholes, fold wear, paper loss, or significant age toning. A strong, displayable country-of-origin example is therefore a major acquisition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis poster sits at the intersection of several important collecting fields: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAkira Kurosawa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToshirō Mifune\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJapanese Shakespeare adaptations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eToho cinema\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003esamurai film\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1950s Japanese graphic design\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExcellent \/ near mint vintage condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Please review the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale, including the front and reverse.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe poster presents beautifully, with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003erich colour, strong image clarity, crisp title lettering, and exceptional display presence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Minor signs of age and handling may be visible, consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from the 1950s, but overall this is an outstanding survivor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis poster is an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1957 first-release campaign\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enot a reproduction or a reprint\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enearly 70 years old!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56974864613754,"sku":null,"price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/wall-shelf-with-ornaments-2026-06-14T163506.560.jpg?v=1781422520","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/throne-of-blood-original-first-release-japanese-movie-poster-1957-rare-b2-size-51-x-73cm-k90-g-x-1-copy","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}