“Super Mario Kart” (スーパーマリオカート), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese “Not for Sale” Banpresto Panel Character Poster 1996, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) O655
What this is
An original Japanese B2 promotional poster produced in 1996 under the Banpresto imprint (marked 非売品 — “Not for Sale”) for Super Mario Kart—Nintendo’s foundational kart racer and the title that launched the long‑running Mario Kart series.
Unlike conventional retail one‑sheets, this is part of Banpresto’s “Panel Character Poster” line (パネルキャラポスター, printed at the bottom), created for promotional distribution rather than public sale—a format that was often displayed, handled, and discarded, making clean survivors notably difficult to source.
About the game
Released for the Super Famicom, Super Mario Kart introduced the series’ signature blend of tight circuit racing, character rivalry, and chaotic item play—an era‑defining Nintendo title whose iconography (shells, bananas, stars, and the coin economy) became a visual language for the franchise.
Poster design
This sheet is a brilliant piece of mid‑1990s Japanese character‑merch design, engineered to read instantly from across a room:
-
A playable sugoroku (すごろく) board game masquerading as a poster: the border is formed by a continuous chain of gold coins, each coin acting as a “space,” turning the entire B2 into a whimsical, wall‑mounted game board.
-
Center‑stage action tableau: Mario charges toward the viewer in his kart, with Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, Koopa Troopa, and Toad converging in a single, kinetic pack—an image that captures the game’s core sensation: speed, crowding, and comic collision.
-
Item‑driven storytelling: the corners and edges are punctuated with iconic hazards and bonuses—banana, green shell, star, Thwomp, balloon, and Lakitu—each tied to an instruction, like a rule card embedded in the art.
-
A gentle “golden sky” gradient and rounded forms give the piece a warm, toy‑like finish—very much in the language of prize / promotion graphics, where charm and legibility are paramount.
Why collectors prize this
-
True “Not for Sale” Japanese promotional issue (非売品) — inherently scarcer than retail posters.
-
Banpresto “Panel Character Poster” line — a specialist category that tends to survive in far smaller numbers, especially in this condition.
-
Exceptionally displayable — bold horizontal B2 format with a complete, self‑contained composition (and a built‑in conversation piece: the sugoroku board).
-
High nostalgia density — classic cast, classic items, classic mid‑90s Nintendo color language.
Details
-
Country: Japan
-
Year: 1996 (dated on the poster)
-
Type: Banpresto promotional Panel Character Poster / Not for Sale issue
-
Size: B2 — 51 × 73 cm (landscape format)
-
On the poster: 「非売品」, 「パネルキャラポスター」, BANPRESTO 1996 MADE IN JAPAN, LOT960623, ©Nintendo
-
Verso: Blank (as issued)
Condition
Excellent / close to near mint. Stored flat in a file for over two decades and presenting exceptionally well. Please review the photos (front and back); they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster is from 1996—nearly three decades old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
