The Japanese soldier of WW2 was a resourceful, resilient fighter, loyal to his Emperor and willing to undergo tremendous hardships. He would, as John Wayne once said, "just as soon die as stick a nickel in a jukebox". Imperial Japanese troops of WW2 were issued the classic Type 90 steel combat helmet, which quickly became symbolic of the fanatical "soldiers of the Rising Sun". This Imperial Japanese Army WW2 Type 90 Steel Combat Helmet is in Good Condition, with some scattered scratching, finish abrading, and spot patina around the exterior, a complete tear to the right side of the leather liner, which has torn away from its securing rivet, heavy tearing to the left side of the leather liner, though it does remain barely intact, that left side of the leather liner having also torn away from its securing rivet, a complete tear to the middle back seam of the leather liner, with those pieces having also torn away from their securing rivet, some drying, stiffening, and darkening to the leather liner, missing the chinstraps, and with some overall age wear evident. Otherwise, the helmet is in fine shape, with absolutely no dents, cracking, or other damage to the tough steel construction. Most interestingly, it retains approximately 85% of the original brush painted smooth brownish OD exterior finish, boasts the original IJA 5 pointed star metal insignia affixed at the middle front crown, which has been painted red, and carries three Kanji characters (though they look like they could read “7tH” in English) hand painted in matching red at the upper front crown. It sports the original brown leather lappet liner with brown cotton connecting lace, bears a small Kanji marked tag sewn to the small remnant of the chinstrap base at the middle back liner, and is a fine example of a very rare, original Imperial Japanese Army WW2 Type 90 Steel Combat Helmet.