“Friday the 13th” (13日の金曜日), Original Japanese First Release Movie Poster 1980, B3 Size (c. 36 × 51.5 cm) O637

This is an original Japanese B3 poster issued in Japan for the first domestic theatrical release of Friday the 13th (1980), Sean S. Cunningham’s genre-defining slasher phenomenon—starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Jeannine Taylor, Mark Nelson, and featuring an early appearance by Kevin Bacon. The film first opened theatrically in Japan on 15 August 1980. 

A foundational title of modern horror, Friday the 13th helped codify the summer-camp slasher template and launched one of the most influential franchises in the genre’s history. 

Poster design
A brilliantly ominous Japanese design built around dread and suggestion: the misty lake and cabin set the “too-quiet” atmosphere, while the central image—a bloodied axe embedded in a bed—delivers the shock in one clean, brutal symbol. The Japanese title 13日の金曜日 slashes across the top in vivid red, and the vertical copy sells the film with classic exploitation-era punch: 「なぜ全米で失神者が続出したのか!?」 (“Why did people across America faint in droves!?”) paired with 「若者たちにとって楽しい夏休みキャンプのはずだった…」 (“It was supposed to be a fun summer camp vacation for the young…”).

A major bonus with this format: the reverse is fully printed with Japanese text, stills, and layout content (programme-style synopsis/cast/features), making it especially desirable as original Japanese theatrical marketing ephemera rather than a standard one-sided poster.

Condition
Very Good overall. Please review the photos as they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 45 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.