“Training Day” (トレーニング デイ), Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 2001, Rare, Large B1 Size (72.8 × 103 cm) JA16

This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical poster produced for the first Japanese cinema release of Antoine Fuqua’s acclaimed crime thriller Training Day (トレーニング デイ), starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.

Set over the course of a single day in Los Angeles, the film follows idealistic rookie police officer Jake Hoyt, played by Hawke, as he begins an evaluation day with veteran narcotics detective Alonzo Harris, played by Washington. What begins as an introduction to undercover police work gradually becomes a descent into corruption, intimidation and moral compromise, forcing Hoyt to decide how far he is prepared to go in the name of law enforcement.

Poster design
A superbly intense Japanese first-release design dominated by enormous close-up portraits of Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. Washington’s Alonzo fills the right half of the image, staring directly outward with extraordinary confidence and menace, while Hawke’s Jake appears immediately behind him with a markedly more uncertain expression.

The entire composition is saturated in deep reds, burnt oranges and black, creating an atmosphere of heat, violence and moral danger. A shadowy Los Angeles skyline emerges beneath the portraits, grounding the design in the urban environment that becomes almost a character in the film itself.

Across the centre, the large Japanese campaign line reads:

「ロス市警伝説の刑事は、『怪物』だった！」

— “The legendary LAPD detective was a ‘monster’!”

Immediately beneath it appears:

「新人刑事の勤務初日――彼とあなたの正義が試される24時間。」

— approximately “A rookie detective’s first day on duty — 24 hours in which his, and your, sense of justice will be tested.”

The bottom is anchored by the huge distressed Japanese title トレーニング デイ, with TRAINING DAY printed alongside it and the names Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke prominently displayed above.

The poster also carries the period promotional line:

「早くも全米でアカデミー賞の呼び声！」

— approximately “Already generating Academy Award buzz across America!”

In retrospect, the copy proved particularly prescient.

Film significance
Training Day became one of the defining American crime thrillers of the early 2000s and delivered one of Denzel Washington’s most celebrated performances. His portrayal of Alonzo Harris earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, while Ethan Hawke received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Washington’s performance was especially notable for overturning his established heroic screen persona, creating a charismatic but deeply corrupt character who has since become one of the most recognisable figures in modern crime cinema.

Rare B1 format
This is the considerably larger Japanese B1 format, approximately 72.8 × 103 cm (28.7 × 40.6 inches)—roughly twice the surface area of the standard Japanese B2 poster.

B1 posters were produced in substantially smaller quantities than the standard B2 format and used for larger-scale cinema and promotional display. For an iconic modern title such as Training Day, the B1 format gives the enormous Washington and Hawke portraits tremendous wall presence and is distinctly more difficult to source than the standard theatrical sheet.

It is nearly 25 years old!

Condition
Excellent+. An exceptionally well-preserved example. The poster retains deep, saturated reds, excellent blacks and strong photographic clarity, with the large portraits and Japanese typography presenting beautifully.

Once framed, this large B1 poster will display exceptionally well.

Please review the front and reverse photographs carefully—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.