“Army of Darkness” (Captain Supermarket / キャプテン・スーパーマーケット), Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1993, Ultra Rare B2 Size (51.5 × 72.8 cm) Q115

This ultra rare original Japanese B2 theatrical poster was produced for Sam Raimi’s cult classic Army of Darkness, released in Japan under the unforgettable title Captain Supermarket (キャプテン・スーパーマーケット). It is one of the most distinctive Japanese cult-film posters of the 1990s, and one of the most sought-after Japanese posters connected to the Evil Dead series.

At Japan Poster Shop, we regard this as an acquisition-tier modern Japanese B2. It is not simply a Japanese release poster for Army of Darkness; it is the Captain Supermarket poster — a uniquely Japanese reinterpretation of the film’s entire identity. The campaign takes Ash’s absurd S-Mart / supermarket employee background and turns it into a full visual concept: chainsaw heroism, medieval fantasy, skeleton armies, supermarket objects, comic-book sound effects, and bright pop-art chaos all collide in one extraordinary design.

Army of Darkness itself has become one of the defining cult films of its era. Directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell, with Embeth Davidtz and Marcus Gilbert, it transformed the Evil Dead formula into a delirious blend of medieval fantasy, horror, slapstick comedy, action cinema, and comic-book excess. Where The Evil Dead was raw horror and Evil Dead II pushed the material into splatter comedy, Army of Darkness made Ash Williams into a full cult-cinema icon: arrogant, sarcastic, ridiculous, physically comic, and somehow heroic.

The Japanese release title, Captain Supermarket, is central to the appeal of this poster. Rather than treating the film as a conventional horror sequel, the Japanese campaign brilliantly reframed Ash through his identity as a retail worker thrown into a mythic battle against the forces of darkness. More than thirty years later, the film’s following remains exceptionally strong, and original Japanese advertising material for the title has become increasingly desirable.

For collectors of Evil Dead, Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, horror-comedy, 1990s cult cinema, and Japanese poster design, this is one of the essential modern Japanese B2 posters.

Design

The design is one of the great Japanese cult-film poster images of the 1990s.

The composition places Ash at the centre, standing heroically with torn shirt, exposed torso, and chainsaw in hand. Around him, the poster builds a frantic fantasy-horror landscape of skeleton warriors, medieval ruins, skulls, weapons, supermarket cans, toothbrushes, hangers, S-Mart imagery, comic speech bubbles, and bright graphic effects. It is intentionally excessive — exactly in keeping with the film itself.

The Japanese title キャプテン・スーパーマーケット dominates the upper section in huge yellow lettering against black, giving the poster immediate graphic force. The surrounding colours — orange, turquoise, yellow, red, green, and black — create a visual intensity closer to manga, supermarket advertising, exploitation cinema, and comic-book design than conventional horror marketing.

Several details make the design especially memorable. Ash’s speech bubble reads “Gimme Some Sugar Baby!!”, one of the film’s best-known lines. The Japanese copy describes him as a hero who has fallen from the sky into a dark age ruled by evil, armed not with a sacred sword but with a chainsaw. The line 時空を超えて現れた史上最強の日用品係！ may be translated as “The strongest housewares clerk in history, appearing across time and space!” — a perfect summary of the Japanese campaign’s humour.

The poster’s strength lies in how completely it understands the film. Army of Darkness is not simply horror. It is medieval fantasy, slapstick, action cinema, self-parody, cult performance, and genre excess. This Japanese B2 captures all of that in one image.

Few posters express the spirit of a film more directly. It is chaotic, funny, violent, loud, and completely unforgettable — exactly like Army of Darkness itself.

Condition

Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

The poster displays beautifully, with strong colour, sharp graphics, and outstanding visual impact. 

It is over 32 years old.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.