“Kagemusha” / “Pia” No.100, Original Japanese Commemorative Poster 1980, Very Rare, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q76
This is an original Japanese B2 commemorative poster issued in 1980, using the cover design of Biweekly Pia issue no. 100, dated 11 April 1980. That milestone issue featured Akira Kurosawa’s Kagemusha on its cover, with the familiar ぴあ masthead at top and the printed 150 yen cover price retained at lower left.
The cover illustration was created by Masamichi Oikawa. Oikawa is renowned for his long-running work as the cover artist for Pia, meticulously depicting various artists and pop culture figures over several decades.
Film background
Released in Japan in April 1980, Kagemusha is Akira Kurosawa’s monumental historical epic, starring Tatsuya Nakadai as both the dying warlord Takeda Shingen and the petty thief recruited to serve as his political double, or kagemusha — literally, “shadow warrior.” The film is one of Kurosawa’s great late-period achievements, combining grand military spectacle with a meditation on illusion, power, identity, and sacrifice.
Why this piece is special
Unlike a standard theatrical one-sheet, this design comes out of Japan’s wider film-and-culture print world and offers a far more graphic, editorial interpretation of Kagemusha. The central image is a vivid caricatural portrait of Nakadai in full alarm, surrounded by charging cavalry and mounted banners that echo the film’s Sengoku-era battlefield imagery. The blazing contrast of yellow, purple, red, and electric blue gives the poster tremendous wall presence, while the printed issue details — 創刊100号 / 1980-4.11 / 150 yen — root it unmistakably in its original moment. It is an especially appealing piece for collectors because it preserves the atmosphere of the 1980 Pia cover while functioning today as a dramatic standalone display poster.
Collector significance
For collectors of Kurosawa, Tatsuya Nakadai, and Japanese graphic design, this is a particularly interesting and unusual item. It is not the familiar theatrical campaign artwork, but an authentic vintage 1980 commemorative poster-format issue built around the celebrated Pia cover image. That gives it a distinct crossover appeal: part film history, part publishing history, and part period illustration.
Condition
Excellent (unused). Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. The poster presents very strongly overall, with rich colour, clean gloss, and excellent display impact. The reverse is largely clean, with light toning and storage wear only. Overall, it displays beautifully. Please note, we have taken the impeccable condition into account when pricing this poster. From the outset it is incredibly rare. To find one in this condition is extremely difficult.
It is over 46 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
