“Back to the Future Part II” (バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー PART 2), Rare Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 1989, B1 Size (c. 72 × 103 cm) HAK-A

This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical poster produced for the first Japanese release of Back to the Future Part II in 1989. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, the film continued the adventures of Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown through an audacious narrative spanning the future of 2015, an alternate 1985 and a return to the events of 1955.

Released theatrically in Japan on 9 December 1989, Back to the Future Part II became one of the defining science-fiction films of its era. Its vision of 2015—including hoverboards, flying cars, self-lacing footwear and wearable technology—became embedded in popular culture, while its intricate interlocking timelines dramatically expanded the possibilities established by the original film.

Design

This is the spectacular Japanese B1 presentation of Drew Struzan’s celebrated Back to the Future Part II key art, one of the most recognisable film-poster compositions of the late twentieth century.

At the centre, Marty McFly and Doc Brown stand together checking their watches, mirroring the celebrated pose established by Marty on the original Back to the Future artwork. Their costumes immediately establish that the sequel has travelled into unfamiliar territory: Marty wears his distinctive red futuristic jacket and Nike footwear, while Doc appears in his flamboyant yellow coat, patterned trousers and reflective visor.

Behind them, the DeLorean DMC-12 time machine emerges dramatically from the left of the composition, its gull-wing door raised against an explosive field of electrical energy. Brilliant white, blue, yellow and crimson lightning radiates outward around the two characters, suggesting the enormous release of energy accompanying temporal displacement.

The artwork is unmistakably the work of Drew Struzan, whose painterly approach to portraiture and cinematic spectacle defined some of the most celebrated film advertising of the 1980s and 1990s. Struzan’s signature is clearly visible at the lower right of the central illustration. His combination of airbrush, painted modelling and finely rendered detail gives Marty and Doc an almost luminous quality against the darker surrounding field.

The Japanese campaign transforms Struzan’s artwork through particularly bold typography. Across the top appears the enormous headline:

「“未来”の話題が世界を独占！」

“The talk of the ‘future’ is taking the world by storm!”

Immediately beneath are the names マイケル・J・フォックス and クリストファー・ロイド, giving Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd prominent star billing.

Running vertically down the right-hand side is another dramatic campaign line:

「想像を超えたスケールとストーリー展開がついに明らかになる!!」

“The scale and unfolding story beyond imagination are finally revealed!!”

The lower third is dominated by the enormous Japanese title バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー PART 2, rendered in a brilliant red-to-yellow gradient and incorporated into the franchise’s distinctive forward-pointing arrow motif. The oversized numeral 2 occupies almost the entire lower-right quadrant, giving the sequel identity immediate graphic force.

The complete original Japanese theatrical billing appears along the bottom, accompanied by the period Amblin, Universal and UIP marks and the original ©1989 Universal City Studios, Inc. copyright line.

At full B1 scale, the combination of Struzan’s artwork, electrical effects, monumental Japanese typography and expansive black background makes this an exceptionally imposing example of late-1980s Japanese film advertising.

Rarity

Japanese B1 posters measure approximately 72.8 × 103 cm, providing roughly twice the printed surface area of the standard Japanese B2 format. They were produced for larger and more prominent theatrical displays and survive in substantially smaller numbers than their B2 counterparts.

Original first-release B1 posters for Back to the Future Part II are especially desirable because the film has become one of the most internationally collected titles of the 1980s, while Japanese B1 material remains considerably harder to source than standard-format theatrical paper.

This particular design is arguably the definitive character artwork for the sequel, presenting Struzan’s iconic image of Marty and Doc at a scale where the extraordinary detail of the original illustration becomes particularly apparent. It also forms a natural visual companion to the famous Struzan artwork for the first and third films, making original examples particularly attractive to collectors seeking a complete trilogy.

The expansive black background presents an additional preservation challenge. Creases, abrasions and handling marks readily expose the lighter paper beneath the dense dark ink, meaning examples retaining strong blacks, vivid colour and clean overall presentation are increasingly difficult to find.

The combination of first Japanese release, rare B1 format, original Drew Struzan artwork, 1989 theatrical provenance and excellent preservation makes this an exceptional display piece for collectors of Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and the Back to the Future trilogy.

Condition

Excellent condition overall, with remarkably rich colour and exceptional display impact. The deep black background remains strong, while the electric blues, reds and yellows surrounding Marty, Doc and the DeLorean retain excellent saturation. The enormous Japanese title is particularly vivid.

There is minor age-related edge wear, including several small edge nicks and short closed tears visible along the left margin, together with light handling creases, shallow surface impressions and gentle natural paper undulation. There are also a few small marks within the black printed areas, which are particularly unforgiving of even minor handling. These points are modest relative to the poster’s age, substantial B1 format and theatrical purpose and do not detract significantly from its excellent overall appearance.

The poster remains unbacked and without prominent structural fold lines. The reverse is remarkably clean, with only light handling impressions and natural age-related undulation visible.

Once professionally mounted and framed, this poster will display exceptionally well, with the principal Struzan artwork, brilliant colour and Japanese typography retaining tremendous visual impact.

Please review all photographs carefully; they show the exact poster for sale, front and back, including detailed imagery of the edge wear.

This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical poster from the film’s first Japanese release in 1989.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 36 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.