Star Wars (1977)

Obi-Wan Kenobi might have been played by Toshiro Mifune. According to his daughter Mika, the great star of Seven Samurai was offered the part, and possibly that of Darth Vader too, but turned it down, fearing that such a film would cheapen the samurai tradition he had helped to define. Alec Guinness took the role instead. The samurai echoes stayed in Star Wars all the same: George Lucas has said that the word Jedi was partly inspired by jidaigeki, the Japanese term for period dramas of the samurai era. Few posters for the film make that link as clearly as those printed for Japan.

This Japanese B2 carries the Seito artwork, a design that belongs to Japan alone and has its own following among Star Wars collectors. Unfolded.

• Year: 1977
• Nationality: Japanese
• Condition: Unfolded
• Type: Original Japanese B2, Seito Artwork
• Size: 20 x 29 inches
• Product Code: W4250