Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink and Horror [Paperback]

Chuck Stephens (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2002 | ISBN-10: 0972312404 | ISBN-13: 978-0972312400

A tribute to 50 years of unforgettable images and purple prose created by nameless designers at Japanese film studios. Featuring classic posters from Samurai, Ninja, Monster, Sci-Fi, Yakuza, Pink, and Animation movies. As film critic Chuck Stephens observes in his introduction, "...the art of the Japanese movie poster-- a visual realm where the ridiculous meets the sublime... is like nothing one can hope to encounter anywhere else in the world." Inside you'll find 80 full-color, full-page illustrations, expert commentary, and plenty of swords, guns, tattoos, rubber monster suits, school uniforms, cartoon characters, thugs, and sirens.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a colorful, handsome volume...I recommend this book, not only to aficionados, but to the uninitiated. -- Mike Sugimoto, Professor of Japanese Literature and Film, University of Puget Sound

About the Author

Chuck Stephens is a contributing editor to Film Comment, a columnist for Kinema Junpo, and a freelance specialist in Asian cinema for publications worldwide. Tetsuya Masuda is a vintage poster expert and head of the cinema section of @wonder antiquarian books. Kairakutei Black is a Japanese film critic and traditional "rakugo" comic storyteller.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Cocoro Books (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972312404
• ISBN-13: 978-0972312400
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,279,215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DH Publishing is Tokyo's #1 publisher of Japanese pop culture books for the English speaking world. DH Publishing's goal is to introduce non-Japanese readers to the many facets of Japan's vibrant pop and underground cultures.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful classic posters in a SUPER format!, March 14, 2003

By 

John Pettibone (Ma.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink and Horror (Paperback)

If you buy one book on Japanese cinema this year, this is it. They have done a terrific job of laying out the history of Japanese film in poster format, in correct color no less, with
a lot of useful information for the Japanese film buff, and collector since many of the posters are available to order right from this publication. My only comment is when will their next
book be issued? Enjoy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Wacky Posters -- Nothing Like It!!, February 21, 2003

By 

Jon Lomax (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink and Horror (Paperback)

I discovered this new book put out by Tokyo-based DH Publishing by accident. And am glad I did. Chock full of full-page full-color posters of the most wonderfully wackiest of Japan's classic movie posters. There's everything from Horror and Monster to Samurai and Ninja, Pink (what they call soft porn) to Anime, and even some new posters thrown in. My best is easily the Sci-Fi genre, which includes the ultimate Ultraman. Also, you gotta check out some of the Monster posters, like Godzilla and some huge Ice Man creature. I bought two of these, as I knew it would make that perfect present when you've run out of ideas what to buy someone. DH Publishing arigato! I'm going to check out their other books. I hope they're as good!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unforgettable slice of Japanese popular culture, December 14, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink and Horror (Paperback)

Japanese Movie Posters: Yakuza, Monster, Pink And Horror is an eye-opening, full-color presentation of movie posters representational of the best and the worst of Japan's cinema. From lurid and graphic horror to yakuza movies to posters of Hayao Miyazaki's wondrous words of animation, Japanese Movie Posters offers an unforgettable slice of Japanese popular culture in the twentieth century. Brief yet erudite and scholarly commentaries by Chuck Stephens (contributing editor to "Film Comment", a columnist for "Kinema Junpo, and a freelance specialist in Asian cinema for publications worldwide), Tetsuya Masuda (vintage poster expert and head of the cinema section of wonder antiquarian books), and Kairakutei Black (a Japanese film critic and traditional "rakugo" comic storyteller) offer informed and informative insights into the psychology and media background of the individual posters round out this impressive collection. A unique compendium of cinematic poster art, Japanese Movie Posters is a welcome and highly recommended addition to any personal or academic Cinematic Studies reference collection.