“Yojimbo” (用心棒), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1976, Akira Kurosawa, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q211
This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1976 for the theatrical re-release of Yojimbo (用心棒), Akira Kurosawa’s legendary 1961 samurai film starring Toshirō Mifune. Released by Toho, the film is one of the defining works of Japanese cinema and one of the most influential samurai films ever made.
Original Japanese posters for Yojimbo are highly collectible, and this re-release B2 is especially desirable for its powerful Toho campaign design, dramatic Mifune imagery, and bold Japanese title treatment.
Film background
Directed, co-written, produced, and edited by Akira Kurosawa, Yojimbo stars Toshirō Mifune as a wandering rōnin who arrives in a lawless town divided between two rival gangs. Rather than serving either side honestly, he manipulates both factions against one another, turning the town’s violence, greed, and corruption back upon itself.
The film is celebrated for Mifune’s iconic performance, Kurosawa’s sharp visual storytelling, and its dry humour, moral ambiguity, and explosive bursts of action. It became one of Kurosawa’s most popular works and directly influenced later international cinema, most famously Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars.
Poster design
This 1976 Japanese re-release poster uses a strong, action-forward composition centred on Toshirō Mifune as the rōnin Sanjuro. Mifune dominates the right side of the image, sword drawn and body angled forward in a moment of violent movement. His expression is fierce and commanding, immediately conveying the character’s danger, intelligence, and physical force.
At the left, the huge red brush-style title 用心棒 runs vertically down the sheet, giving the poster enormous graphic impact. The central black text reads 黒沢明監督作品 — “A film directed by Akira Kurosawa” — positioning Kurosawa’s name as a major selling point for the revival campaign. The upper-left portrait of Mifune, additional action imagery, and the yellow Toho roundel at upper right reinforce the poster’s official studio presentation.
The overall effect is classic Toho re-release design: bold, direct, and immediately readable, with Kurosawa’s authorship and Mifune’s screen presence given equal prominence.
Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photos; they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1976 re-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is over 50 years old!
Certificate of Authenticity included.
