The future Manhattan skies will rain blood in the key art for Takashi Doscher's Karoshi. The term itself is Japanese for 'died from overwork.' The producer of the film is one of the hardest working guys in modern action cinema: Chad Stahelski is arguably the principal creative mastermind behind the John Wick franchise. This is highlighted in the minimal text in the poster below.
A fascinating thing about this poster, which puts its neo-Samurai bonafides front and center, is that I am unclear if these men and women, wielding swords and umbrellas, are walking towards the city or away from the city. It is like trying to track if the Mona Lisa's eyes are following you. Maybe I am giving too much credit here.
Nonetheless, it is an interesting, and I have to assume intentional, design choice here by prolific Hollywood-focused design house, B O N D. The Blade Runner neon-typeface for the title is a mix of English and Japanese, and gently rests in the negative space at the bottom, gives off similar Manga vibes, as the Wachowski's capitalized on when they put out The Matrix.
Part of me has a real soft spot for the other Keanu Reeve's cyberpunk film a few years earlier, Johnny Mnemonic (look it up) which, somehow, also feels referenced here. Let us hope for a Takeshi Kitano cameo in the completed film come February.
It is a great teaser poster, and it has a very promising concept, and a magnificent tagline. The trailer is also embedded below.
Friday One Sheet: KAROSHI