Have been looking at some traditional wood block prints[1], which are pretty much the foundation of Traditional Japanese tattoo’s and came across this very cool print! More information about it below the image.

Onoe Shoroku II as Danshichi

The Story Behind the Print
• The hero Danshichi Kurobei, stripped to his loincloth and showing his magnificent tattoos, fights and kills his evil father-in-law Giheiji in the final scene of Natsu matsuri Naniwa kagami.
• Danshichi is a fishmonger and an otokodate (“chivalrous commoner”) who looks after the welfare of ordinary townsmen against samurai - The otokodate is thought to be the precursor of today’s yakuza.
• The scene where Danshichi kills his father-in-law is one of kabuki’s best loved due to the grotesquely beautiful mie poses that the actor in Danshichi’s role has to accomplish.

[1] click here for more information on woodblock printing in Japan