Noriyoshi Ohrai

Noriyoshi Ohrai
Occupation	Illustrator

Noriyoshi Ohrai (Japanese: 生頼 範義, Hepburn: Ōrai Noriyoshi, November 17, 1935 – October 27, 2015) was a Japanese illustrator. Among his works is an illustration for the international version of The Empire Strikes Back poster.

His son, Ohrai Taro (オーライタロー) is also an artist in Japan.

Noriyoshi Ohrai was born in Akashi, Hyogo prefecture, Japan in 1935. After studying at (but not graduating from) the Art department of Tokyo University of the Arts, he began to work as an illustrator since 1962. In 1973 he moved to Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki prefecture where his wife came from.

In 1980, his image illustration of Star Wars which he posted to a science fiction magazine caught the eye of George Lucas. At Lucas's request, Ohrai illustrated the poster that was used internationally for Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, which made him famous internationally. In 2014 and 2015, he had exhibitions of his works in Miyazaki. On October 27, 2015, he died at the age of 79 from pneumonia.

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