"Kagemusha" (影武者), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1980, B3 Roadshow Nakazuri Size (36 × 51 cm) Akira Kurosawa N217
This is an original Japanese horizontal B3 nakazuri poster printed in 1980 for the Japanese roadshow release of Kagemusha (影武者), directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara, and Jinpachi Nezu.
This example is especially interesting because it is not simply a standard printed poster. It includes handwritten Japanese roadshow information, advance ticket pricing, and affixed black-and-white production images, including a pasted image of Akira Kurosawa directing. These period promotional additions make this a much more individual theatre-display object, with a strong sense of local cinema use. This poster was used at a cinema in Kōchi Prefecture in Shikoku Island.
The handwritten text announces the pricing and roadshow details: general admission ¥1,200 / student admission ¥1,000, with the film opening as a roadshow from 26 April. The orange strip reads 前売ご鑑賞券発売中, meaning “Advance viewing tickets now on sale.” The black theatre panel reads 高知宝塚, indicating the local cinema or venue associated with this display.
This is a rare and highly characterful piece of Japanese theatrical advertising for one of Kurosawa’s major late works.
Rarity and Market Context
Original Japanese posters for Kagemusha are always desirable, but this horizontal B3 nakazuri has a particular appeal because of its format and its theatre-specific additions.
Nakazuri posters were produced for short-term promotional display, often in public transport, cinema interiors, or related high-traffic advertising settings. Their purpose was immediate visibility rather than long-term preservation. As a result, they were often folded, handled, pinned, replaced, or discarded after the campaign.
What makes this example especially appealing is the combination of the printed Kagemusha artwork with hand-applied promotional details. The handwritten pricing, roadshow date, advance-ticket notice, theatre name, and pasted Kurosawa production still transform the poster into a distinctive surviving object from the original 1980 release environment.
For collectors of Akira Kurosawa, Japanese cinema, Toho roadshow material, and Japanese theatrical display posters, this is a particularly evocative example.
The Film and the Director
Kagemusha (影武者, “The Shadow Warrior”) stands among the great late works of Akira Kurosawa.
The film tells the story of a petty thief chosen to impersonate the powerful warlord Takeda Shingen after his death, in order to preserve the authority and stability of the Takeda clan during Japan’s Sengoku period. Through this premise, Kurosawa explores identity, illusion, political theatre, loyalty, and the psychological burden of power.
The film is visually monumental. Its battle scenes, banners, armour, colour design, and formal compositions show Kurosawa working on an epic historical scale, while the central theme remains intimate: a man forced to become the shadow of someone greater than himself.
Kagemusha premiered internationally in 1980 and won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, reaffirming Kurosawa’s global stature at a crucial stage in his career. It remains one of his most acclaimed late-period achievements.
Poster Design
The printed design captures the severity and grandeur of Kurosawa’s vision.
Across the main image, silhouetted samurai on horseback charge through a dust-filled battlefield, with spears raised and red banners cutting through the smoky background. The large gold title 影武者 dominates the centre of the composition, giving the poster a strong calligraphic presence. The red text 黒澤明監督作品 identifies it as “An Akira Kurosawa directed work.”
The most distinctive feature of this particular example is the added theatre-display material. A small pasted black-and-white photograph shows Kurosawa behind the camera, reinforcing the poster’s identity as a director-led prestige release. Additional black-and-white still imagery appears near the edge, giving the sheet the feel of a cinema lobby or advance-ticket display rather than a purely standard poster.
The handwritten elements are also important. The price line — 一般 ¥1,200 / 学生 ¥1,000 — gives the poster a direct connection to the ticketing and exhibition culture of the time. The date 4月26日ロードショー announces the roadshow opening, while 前売ご鑑賞券発売中 promotes advance ticket sales.
These additions make the poster especially appealing. They record not only the film, but the way it was physically promoted to Japanese audiences in 1980.
Text and Translation Notes
影武者
Kagemusha / “The Shadow Warrior.”
黒澤明監督作品
“An Akira Kurosawa directed work.”
4月26日ロードショー
“Roadshow from 26 April.”
一般 ¥1,200 / 学生 ¥1,000
“General admission ¥1,200 / student admission ¥1,000.”
前売ご鑑賞券発売中
“Advance viewing tickets now on sale.”
高知宝塚
“Kōchi Takarazuka” — the theatre / venue name printed on the poster. This poster is from Shikoku Island.
Condition
Very Good / Excellent for its age. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
The poster shows handling wear, creasing, edge wear, and age-related marks consistent with original nakazuri / theatre display use. The reverse also shows age toning and some staining, as visible in the photographs.
The condition has been taken into account when pricing.
It is over 46 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
