The design of the posters from this 1960s action genre evoke the films' cool aesthetic and unique sense of style with graffiti-like lettering and action-packed photography.
Presented for the first time in the U.S. with new digital subtitles, the series explores the golden age of the Nikkatsu studio (Japan's oldest film studio), with eight stylized action films. Influenced by Hollywood and the Nouvelle Vague, these films reflect the Westernization that swept away old values, while teaching an entire generation a new Japanese meaning of cool.
Leading Japanese film critic Mark Schilling discusses the unique appeal of Nikkatsu action films from the 1960s and the cultural moment that brought them to life.