“STAR WARS” (1977) – ORIGINAL JAPANESE B0 “EKI‑BARI” BILLBOARD POSTER – ART BY SEITO Holy Grail Rarity | Massive Format | First Japanese Release Campaign (1978) | c. 99 × 157 cm (39 × 62 in) (G)

A monumental, first‑release Japanese “billboard / station display” (駅貼り・eki‑bari) poster for the very first Star Wars film—printed for the 1978 Japanese theatrical campaign and featuring exclusive painted artwork by the acclaimed illustrator Seito. This is the legendary Seito “Style A” image: Luke raises the lightsaber in a burst of light, Leia stands wind‑swept in flowing white, Vader’s presence looms in the star field, and the Death Star hangs in the sky—paired with the iconic English tagline at top: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”

For collectors, this is the pinnacle “grail” format for the Seito Star Wars campaign. It’s catalogued in the trade as a Japanese B0 example at approximately 39 × 62 in (about 99 × 157 cm)—a size designed for maximum impact in key public display settings.

Sourced by Japan Poster Shop in Japan, this is the first time we have personally encountered this billboard format in Japan—and we sincerely doubt we’ll see another example again for a very long time. (Large Japanese station/billboard sheets were working advertising, typically posted briefly and discarded—survival rates are dramatically lower than standard theatrical sizes.)

Date & Japanese Theatrical Release

Star Wars opened in Japan one year after the U.S. launch, beginning with advance screenings on June 24, 1978, followed by general release on July 1, 1978.

This matters for the poster: the design proudly spotlights the film’s awards success (see the Oscar statuettes at lower left), aligning perfectly with the film’s 1978 awards-season dominance just before the Japanese rollout.

The Film & Its Place in Cinema History

Written and directed by George Lucas, Star Wars (later marketed as Episode IV – A New Hope) became one of the most influential blockbusters ever made—redefining modern special effects, franchise filmmaking, and global fan culture. The Japanese first‑release paper for this title is especially important because Japan’s campaign leaned into distinctive, Japan‑exclusive illustrated key art rather than simply reusing a standard international layout—making surviving originals genuinely meaningful artifacts of worldwide release history.

Design Notes

Seito’s “Style A” re‑imagining (Japan‑exclusive painted key art):
Rather than a photographic montage, Seito delivers a dramatic, painterly composition with heightened mythic energy—one reason this image is considered the defining Japanese campaign artwork for the 1978 release.

Iconic elements on the sheet (all visible on this billboard):

• The English tagline “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” at the top

• Vader’s looming presence in the deep star field

• X‑wings in formation, and the Death Star rendered in a striking orientation

• Bold blue STAR WARS logo at lower right with the Japanese title スター・ウォーズ beneath

• Dense Japanese credits block with 20th Century Fox, Dolby, and the Eirin (映倫) mark

• A row of Oscar statuettes and award callouts at lower left (the “awards” version)

About the “7 Oscars” callout:
At the 50th Academy Awards, Star Wars won six competitive Oscars, plus the Academy’s Special Achievement Award (often counted together as “seven” wins in period advertising and press).

The Japanese B0 / BO “Billboard” Format and Why It’s So Hard to Find

Japan’s standard theatrical poster size is B2, and for a major nationwide hit like Star Wars it’s reasonable to assume the main campaign B2 posters were printed in large commercial quantities (likely in the low tens of thousands). The B0 “billboard” (駅貼り / eki-bari) format is a completely different category: these giant sheets were made for short-term public posting (especially in stations), where placements are typically bought and installed in packages counted in tens of B0 sheets per station set, not thousands—so even a strong multi-city campaign often totals only the low hundreds. Combined with heavy handling, exposure, removal, and disposal (plus the reality that almost nobody could easily store a poster this large), the survival rate is dramatically lower.

With no official print records available, an accuracy-focused estimate is 30,000 printed for a B2 campaign style versus only around 2-300 for a B0 —making this B0 likely 150× rarer at production, and often even rarer in today’s market due to survival.

About the Artist: Seito (セイト)

Seito is recognized among collectors for producing striking illustrated key art for Japanese releases, particularly in genre and action cinema of the 1970s–80s. A specialist Star Wars archive notes Seito’s Japanese Star Wars imagery as a standout, underscoring how distinct the Japanese campaign was compared with many international releases.

Beyond Star Wars, Seito is also strongly associated with high‑impact poster artwork for many huge titles such as “Conan the Barbarian”.

Condition Report

Overall presentation: Excellent / museum‑grade presentation (restored & linen‑backed).
This poster has been professionally conserved and linen‑backed to a museum standard by Fourth Cone Restoration. A Fourth Cone Treatment Certificate is included with the sale.

Conservation summary (high level):

• Professional linen backing, flattening, and long‑term stabilization

• Repairs to prior wear (including tear repair) and professional restoration where needed

• Careful finishing so the poster now displays as a premium example of a notoriously scarce format

Authenticity: Original 1978 Japanese release billboard poster — not a reproduction or modern reprint.
Documentation: Certificate of Authenticity included (plus Fourth Cone Treatment Certificate).

(Please refer to the image provided, this is the exact poster offered) - additional imagery available on request. 

*Please note the price is fixed for this item. It is not included in any of our periodic sales (e.g. Black Friday)!*