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

Tetsuya Masuda (Author), Kairakutei Black (Author), Richard Jeffery (Compiler), Chuck Stephens (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

Accessible, fun, and colorful world of snarling gangsters, fire-breathing lizards, and animated dreams full of humor and wonder. While high-art Japanese cinema has been documented and analyzed in the West, popular and cult Japanese movies have remained largely unexplored. The fantastic vintage posters that drew the masses to Kurosawa's samurai flicks, Godzilla, and sexy Pink movies are now available to US audiences. Featuring genre classics and funky retro designs, as well as Anime, Sci-Fi and New Cinema, Japanse Movie Posters also offers irreverent commentary by poster and movie experts, as well as plenty of swords, guns, tattoos, geishas, ghosts, rubber monster suits, cartoon robots, samurais and sirens.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A gorgeous all-color tribute. -- Patrick Macias, ANIMERICA

Fun and informative. -- Andre Salas, Filmmaker Magazine

About the Author

Based in Tokyo, cocoro books specializes in visually stunning books about Japan's vibrant pop and anime subcultures.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: DH Publishing (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972312455
• ISBN-13: 978-0972312455
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.2 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: #958,023 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.