{"product_id":"kagemusha-影武者-1980-japanese-stb-tatekan-poster-first-release-stb-size-c-51-145-cm-o602a","title":"“Kagemusha” (影武者), 1980 Japanese STB Tatekan Poster (First Release), STB Size (c. 51 × 145 cm) O602A","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Japanese STB tatekan (two‑panel standing)\u003c\/strong\u003e poster issued in Japan for \u003cstrong\u003eAkira Kurosawa’s\u003c\/strong\u003e monumental historical epic \u003cem\u003eKagemusha\u003c\/em\u003e (影武者). Presented in the dramatic STB format (two B2 sheets designed to display together as a tall vertical), it’s one of the most visually commanding pieces of Kurosawa paper—an unapologetically bold, graphic statement built around the film’s title as an emblem of war, power, and identity.\u003cbr\u003eNotably, the poster’s own credits include the overseas executive producer line for \u003cstrong\u003eFrancis Ford Coppola\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGeorge Lucas\u003c\/strong\u003e, underlining the film’s famous international backing and prestige.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFilm background\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eKagemusha\u003c\/em\u003e stands as one of Kurosawa’s defining late masterpieces: a grand Sengoku‑era tragedy in which a petty thief is forced to become the \u003cstrong\u003eshadow double\u003c\/strong\u003e of a dead warlord—living inside a role so convincing it must sustain an entire clan. The film’s themes—\u003cstrong\u003eperformance, myth‑making, and the terror of authority\u003c\/strong\u003e—play out on a vast canvas of banners, cavalry, smoke, and ritual, culminating in the kind of battlefield spectacle only Kurosawa could choreograph.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt also carries one of the great production stories in world cinema: a Kurosawa epic whose global reach was strengthened by the support and advocacy of Coppola (with Lucas), cementing the title’s place as a cornerstone of late‑20th‑century auteur cinema.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePoster design\u003cbr\u003eA masterclass in Japanese theatrical impact: the STB is dominated by \u003cstrong\u003eenormous blood‑red brush‑stroke kanji\u003c\/strong\u003e—the title \u003cstrong\u003e「影武者」\u003c\/strong\u003e—stretched across both panels like a war banner, aggressive and visceral against a deep black field. Behind the calligraphy, a cavalry mass and fluttering standards emerge in smoky, almost sepia tones, giving the image the feel of history half‑seen through dust and fire.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the right, a clean vertical block of white typography reads as a declaration of authorship—\u003cstrong\u003e「黒澤明監督作品」\u003c\/strong\u003e (“A film by Akira Kurosawa”)—a perfectly austere counterweight to the explosive red title. The limited palette (\u003cstrong\u003ered \/ black \/ white\u003c\/strong\u003e) and the sheer scale of the lettering make this one of the most immediately recognizable Kurosawa designs, and the tall tatekan presentation turns it into something closer to a gallery piece than conventional advertising.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRarity and condition\u003cbr\u003eJapanese \u003cstrong\u003eSTB tatekan\u003c\/strong\u003e posters were produced for theatrical display in \u003cstrong\u003efar smaller quantities\u003c\/strong\u003e than standard formats and were often used hard—making complete surviving two‑panel sets exceptionally difficult to find today. For a top‑tier director like Kurosawa, the format scarcity becomes even more pronounced, and this \u003cstrong\u003efirst‑release\u003c\/strong\u003e STB is \u003cstrong\u003every rarely encountered\u003c\/strong\u003e on the market.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCondition is \u003cstrong\u003every good overall\u003c\/strong\u003e, with one area that has been repaired on the verso with tape (not by us - the colour of the tape indicates that this was done quite a while ago - please see additional close up image provided) and \u003cstrong\u003etypical signs of age and cinema handling\u003c\/strong\u003e (light surface wear\/creasing and minor edge wear visible in the photos; reverse shows storage wear). Please inspect the photos carefully as they show the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is over 40 years old.\u003cbr\u003eIt is not a reproduction or a reprint.\u003cbr\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57181202809210,"sku":null,"price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/man-standing-in-front-of-gallery-wall_36.jpg?v=1787115540","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/kagemusha-%e5%bd%b1%e6%ad%a6%e8%80%85-1980-japanese-stb-tatekan-poster-first-release-stb-size-c-51-145-cm-o602a","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}