Kagemusha — Original Japanese First-Release Poster (Akira Kurosawa, 1980)

Type: Original studio-issued vintage Japanese movie poster
Title: Kagemusha (影武者 / Shadow Warrior)
Year: 1980
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki
Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
Format: Japanese B2
Size: approx. 51.5 × 72.8 cm
Country of Origin: Japan
Authenticity: Original Japanese theatrical release poster; not a reproduction
Printing: Offset lithograph
Condition: Vintage/used condition; may show minor handling wear consistent with age

Description

An original Japanese theatrical poster for Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior), Akira Kurosawa’s monumental 1980 samurai epic.

Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, the film tells the story of a condemned thief recruited to impersonate the dying warlord Takeda Shingen in order to preserve political stability and military power. A meditation on identity, illusion, and the burden of power, Kagemusha marked Kurosawa’s major international return and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

This striking Japanese design emphasizes pure authority: an immense armored portrait dominates the composition, while cavalry charges beneath through a haze of smoke and sunset light. The minimalist structure and blood-red title create one of the strongest and most iconic visual statements in Kurosawa poster design.

An essential piece for collectors of samurai cinema, Kurosawa originals, and major Japanese film history.