“Star Wars”, Original Japanese Advance Movie Poster 1978, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) O15A

This is an original Japanese B2 advance / teaser movie poster printed in 1978 for the first Japanese release of Star Wars — later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. This is the celebrated Japanese-only minimalist starfield design, one of the most elegant and sought-after posters from the film’s original international campaign.

Released in the United States in 1977 and in Japan in June 1978, Star Wars transformed modern cinema and established itself as one of the defining films of the twentieth century. Written and directed by George Lucas, and starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, and Anthony Daniels, the film introduced audiences to Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and an entirely new mythic universe. Its impact on visual effects, merchandising, sound design, and blockbuster filmmaking was profound, and its first-release paper remains among the most important and desirable areas of modern film-poster collecting.

This particular design is especially important. Rather than using character montage artwork, the Japanese advance campaign opted for a strikingly restrained and atmospheric concept: a vast deep-blue starfield, with the monumental silver STAR WARS logo floating low in the composition, the Japanese title 「スター・ウォーズ」 beneath, and a compact block of Japanese credits below that. At the top, the orange Japanese teaser copy reads:

「遠いむかし　はるか数万光年かなたの銀河系で
とてつもない大冒険が　くりひろげられた・・・」

This translates approximately as: “Once upon a time, in a galaxy tens of thousands of light years away, an incredible adventure unfolded…” The line functions as a beautifully localized echo of the film’s legendary opening crawl, while the minimalist design conveys mystery, scale, and prestige with exceptional confidence.

For collectors, this is one of the great Japanese Star Wars posters. It is a true advance / teaser poster, produced before the later, more familiar character-based campaign designs, and it has long been admired for its purity and graphic sophistication. It stands apart not only within Japanese poster design, but within the entire international Star Wars paper trail.

Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. Please review the imagery provided. It is incredibly hard to find this poster in fantastic condition like this!

It is over 48 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.