“Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo” (座頭市と用心棒), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1970, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA409
This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1970 for the first Japanese theatrical release of Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (座頭市と用心棒), directed by Kihachi Okamoto and distributed in Japan by Daiei. The film is the twentieth entry in the long‑running Zatoichi series, in which Shintaro Katsu reprises his role as the blind swordsman, and it features a landmark crossover with Toshiro Mifune playing a Yojimbo‑like bodyguard, bringing together two of Japan’s most iconic screen samurai.
Film background
Returning to a favourite hot‑spring village, Zatoichi discovers it has fallen under the control of feuding yakuza father and son, each scheming for power and wealth. The son has hired a cynical, hard‑drinking ronin (Mifune) who initially plays both sides but gradually finds his path aligning with Zatoichi’s. The film pits these two legendary swordsmen against corrupt gangsters and a larger conspiracy, offering a blend of chambara action, dark humour and character interplay that makes it one of the most talked‑about entries in the franchise.
Poster design
The B2 design is dominated by Mifune’s intense face, blown up to fill the right side of the sheet, his narrowed eyes and drawn blade creating a sense of looming danger. In the foreground, a smaller full‑figure image of Zatoichi lunges forward, sword extended and teeth bared in mid‑strike, capturing his wild, slashing fighting style. A tiny figure of another combatant is seen running across the sandy ground at lower right, emphasizing the scale of the duel to come. The bold red calligraphic title 「座頭市と用心棒」 stretches across the top, balanced by cast and staff credits in black down the left margin. The overall effect is both graphic and gritty, perfectly evoking the clash of two screen legends.
This poster is in excellent condition (please refer to the imagery of the exact poster for sale).
It is over 55 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint. Certificate of Authenticity included.
