Karagumi (Kara‑gumi) — Jagā no Me 「ジャガーの眼」 / Denshi‑jō 「電子城 — 背中だけの騎士 —」
Written & Directed by Jūrō Kara (唐十郎) | Poster art: Saori Yamanaka (山中 里織)
Original B1 theatre poster | 1989 | Offset lithograph | Approx. 73 × 103 cm
Why this poster matters
After closing Jōkyō Gekijō, Kara relaunched his itinerant Red Tent as Karagumi (唐組), continuing the spirit of Japan’s angura (underground) theatre. As with his earlier troupe, Kara paired radical performance with daring graphics by contemporary illustrators and designers. This large‑format sheet—drawn by Saori Yamanaka (山中里織)—announces a double bill (Jaguar’s Eye and Electronic Castle — The Knight with Only a Back). Surviving B1 examples from Karagumi’s Tokyo runs are scarce and highly collectible.
Design & typography
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Heroic surreal portrait: A one‑eyed heroine peers out from beneath a wide hat, hair streaming like midnight silk as crystal‑like shards whirl around her. A Babel‑like tower climbs the left edge under a blood moon; a scroll cartouche carries the scarlet title 「ジャガーの眼」 (Jaguar’s Eye).
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Second title & “revival” bug: At lower centre, a sky‑blue scroll reads 「電子城 — 背中だけの騎士 —」 (Electronic Castle — The Knight with Only a Back) with 「再演!!」 (“Revival!!”) stamped in yellow.
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Red Tent rallying cry: Along the bottom white band, Kara’s slogan 「より道主義だ。」 — “Detour‑ism!” — appears in bold brush lettering.
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Ornamental frame: A black‑and‑yellow pictorial border of tiny beasts and figures encloses the image; the troupe crest 「唐 karagumi 組」 sits in a rococo cartouche at bottom centre; sponsor SEIBU 西武 mark at lower right.
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Poetic copy on the hat (free translation):
“I saw it. You saw it.
The glint that slips away,
the proof we seek.
Even if only your back remains,
the knight still rides …”
(compressed reading of Kara’s short verse printed on the crown of the hat) -
Right‑side vertical red copy: “A new Red Tent ‘love’ double bill — to Meguro Fudōson!!” （新紅テント愛の二本立て興行／目黒不動尊へ!!）
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Performance & ticketing copy (as printed, translated)
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Tokyo opening: Fri 6 October （10月6日(金) 東京初日）
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Advance sales: From 20 August （8月20日前売開始）
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Site noted: Meguro Fudōson (a frequent Red Tent pitch in Tokyo)
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Play‑guide & booking lines: A column of phone numbers/outlets runs down the left edge for Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto stops; there is also a small CURIO / Seibu Shibuya design‑shop mark reflecting department‑store retail of avant‑garde graphics.
Context: theatre posters as art
Angura posters were printed in tiny runs, pasted around neighbourhoods or sold in the tent—hence their survival rate is low. Museums and publishers now treat them as standalone graphic artworks; the era’s graphics—by collaborators such as Tadanori Yokoo, Kiyoshi Awazu, Aquirax Uno, and contemporaries like Saori Yamanaka—anchor exhibitions and books on Japanese avant‑garde poster art.
Condition
Excellent B1 example with rich, saturated inks and a clean, satiny surface. Only minor, routine edge touches; no folds, losses, or repairs visible in hand. A striking, large‑format Karagumi poster.
Key details
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Titles: Jagā no Me 「ジャガーの眼」 / Denshi‑jō — Senaka‑dake no Kishi 「電子城 — 背中だけの騎士 —」
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Troupe / Director: Karagumi (唐組) / Jūrō Kara (writer–director)
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Artist: Saori Yamanaka (山中里織)
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Medium: Offset lithograph
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Size: B1 — approx. 73 × 103 cm
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Place & dates on poster: Tokyo opening Fri 6 Oct; advance sales from 20 Aug; Meguro Fudōson noted; further tour play‑guide numbers at left
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Provenance: Japan; private collection
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Rarity: Very scarce Karagumi Red Tent sheet; few B1s from this era surface.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
Please review the detail photos—this is the exact poster offered.
