“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (スター・ウォーズ 帝国の逆襲), Original Japanese Soundtrack Poster 1980, Size (60 × 85 cm) ZA1144
This is an original Japanese soundtrack promotional poster printed in 1980 for The Empire Strikes Back, the second film in the original Star Wars trilogy. It is not the standard theatrical B2 one-sheet, but a scarcer music / soundtrack campaign poster, issued in a larger format than the usual Japanese cinema poster. For collectors, that distinction matters: these soundtrack posters surface far less often than the regular theatrical B2s, and the larger size gives the artwork exceptional visual presence.
Film background
Released in 1980, The Empire Strikes Back is widely regarded as one of the high points not only of the Star Wars saga, but of modern blockbuster cinema as a whole. Directed by Irvin Kershner and starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz, the film deepened the mythology, darkened the emotional tone, and elevated the series from popular phenomenon to enduring modern myth.
For Japanese collectors, original paper from the film’s first release era remains especially desirable, and soundtrack-related material is rarer still.
Poster design
This is one of Noriyoshi Ohrai’s most celebrated Star Wars images. The composition is rich, dramatic, and unmistakably his: Darth Vader looms spectrally in the background, while Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 are arranged in a luminous central montage beneath him. The image combines romantic sweep, cosmic scale, and painterly intensity in a way that makes it one of the most memorable visual statements of the entire franchise.
What makes this poster especially appealing is the larger 60 × 85 cm format, which allows Ohrai’s art to breathe. The detail, colour, and balance of the composition read beautifully at scale, giving the sheet real wall presence. For collectors of Star Wars, Noriyoshi Ohrai, or original Japanese soundtrack and promotional posters, this is a particularly desirable piece.
Condition
Very Good / Excellent overall. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. The poster presents very strongly from the front, with rich colour and excellent display impact. There is light age-related handling, minor edge and corner wear, consistent with an authentic 1980 poster. The reverse shows scattered foxing / age spotting and light general toning, but this does not materially affect the front presentation.
It is over 46 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
