The present invention is first directed to a thermal transfer sheet which is
not high in cost for obtaining a substrate, does not involve a problem of blocking
or the like at the time of winding after coating of a backside layer onto the substrate,
can eliminate the need to provide a release layer on the protective layer region,
and further can enhance glossiness of a print with a protective layer. The thermal
transfer sheet comprises a substrate, a dye layer of at least one color and a thermally
transferable protective layer provided in a face serial manner on one side of the
substrate, a protective layer provided on a part of one side of the substrate,
an easy-adhesion layer provided on the whole surface of the protective layer and
the substrate, the dye layer being provided on the easy-adhesion layer in its region
where the protective layer is not located on the underside of the easy-adhesion
layer. The second invention is directed to a thermal transfer sheet which can cope
with increased printing speed in the thermal transfer, can meet demands for the
provision of thermally transferred images having high density and high quality,
can prevent the occurrence of abnormal transfer, cockles, etc., and can improve
sensitivity in transfer at the time of printing. The thermal transfer sheet according
to the second invention comprises a substrate, a heat-resistant slip layer provided
on one side of the substrate, and an adhesive layer and a dye layer provided in
that order on the other side of the substrate, the adhesive layer comprising a
polyvinylpyrrolidone resin. By virtue of this construction, the sensitivity in
transfer can be significantly improved at the time of thermal transfer, and a high-density
thermally transferred image can be provided without applying high energy.