Designing the Tampopo Poster

This poster is the first in a series exploring iconic films through geometric form and distilled emotion. Juzo Itami’s Tampopo is a genre-bending ramen western—playful, romantic, and suddenly surreal. My challenge was to capture its layered tone and visual rhythm in a single, focused composition. Using a single red noodle as the central element, I built a visual language rooted in tension, humor, and quiet sensuality—bringing cinematic energy into a minimalist design.

This film is a feast for the eyes, but to capture it in a single palette? That was the hardest part. I had to focus on what lingered: Soft beiges, cool whites, faded khakis, and sudden flashes of red.

For the noodle, I started with gold, like classic ramen.

Then I tried something more intense. The tip of the noodle turned red like blood, and I loved how it showed process.

But in the end, a completely red noodle combined three themes: a passion for food, the craft of ramen making, and an homage to the over-the-top drama of Hollywood.