“Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”, Original First Japanese Release Japanese Movie Poster, 1999, B1 Size (approx. 73 × 103 cm), Style B / Double-Sided HAK-A
This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical poster for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (スター・ウォーズ エピソード1／ファントム・メナス), issued for the film’s 1999 first Japanese release.
Printed in the larger B1 format, this poster has a notably stronger visual impact than the more common B2 issue, and this example is especially desirable as it is the double-sided “Style B” theatrical version, produced for use in backlit cinema display cases. Surviving examples in Excellent condition are increasingly difficult to find.
Film background
Released in 1999, The Phantom Menace marked George Lucas’s return to the Star Wars universe after a sixteen-year gap since Return of the Jedi. Conceived as the opening chapter of the prequel trilogy, the film introduced audiences to the childhood of Anakin Skywalker and the earlier careers of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Queen Amidala, while expanding the mythology of the Jedi, the Republic, and the rise of the Sith.
Few modern films arrived with greater anticipation. The global launch of Episode I was a major cinematic event, and its Japanese campaign material forms an important part of late-1990s blockbuster poster history.
Poster design
This Japanese B1 features the celebrated painted montage artwork associated with the film’s international campaign, adapted here for the Japanese market in a particularly elegant format.
At the top, the composition is dominated by the intense eyes and red-and-black facial markings of Darth Maul, looming over the entire sheet and immediately establishing the darker tone of the story. Beneath him appear the principal figures of the film: Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, young Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi with ignited lightsaber, Jar Jar Binks, C-3PO, R2-D2, and a Naboo starship. The layered arrangement gives the poster a rich, mythic quality, balancing character portraiture with adventure spectacle.
The Japanese title block is especially attractive, with the metallic STAR WARS logo above large gold lettering for:
エピソード1
ファントム・メナス
Across the top border appears the Japanese tagline:
「すべての伝説には、始まりがある。」
“Every legend has a beginning.”
The overall effect is dramatic and highly polished, combining the grandeur of classic painted film advertising with the sleek presentation of late-1990s theatrical design.
Double-sided theatrical issue
A key feature of this example is that it is double-sided, with the image printed in reverse on the verso for illuminated display. This is an important indicator of an authentic cinema-use poster from the period, as such sheets were intended for lightbox exhibition in theatres rather than for ordinary retail sale.
Additional details visible on the poster include:
- Version B
- Printed in Japan
- Eirin classification mark
- Lucasfilm / 20th Century Fox / THX / Dolby / SDDS logos
- “For Promotional Use Only” legal line at the lower edge
These elements confirm that this is an original Japanese theatrical promotional poster, not a later commercial reproduction.
Condition
Excellent condition. The colours remain deep and vibrant, with strong blacks, rich red-orange tones in the Darth Maul artwork, and crisp gold title lettering. The poster presents very well overall, with only light signs of handling consistent with age and theatrical use.
Please refer to the photographs for the exact condition of the piece.
This is an original 1999 Japanese B1 theatrical poster for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, not a reproduction.
A scarce and highly displayable larger-format Star Wars poster, particularly desirable in double-sided B1 form.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
