“Gamera vs. Guiron” (ガメラ対大悪獣ギロン), 1969 Japanese STB Tatekan Poster (First Release), Rare, STB Size (c. 51 × 145 cm)
Japanese title: 「ガメラ対大悪獣ギロン」(Gamera tai Daiakujū Giron — “Gamera vs. the Giant Evil Beast Guiron”)
Format: STB tatekan, complete two-panel standing poster
Size: 20 × 57 in / c. 51 × 145 cm overall
Country / Studio: Japan / Daiei
This is an original Japanese STB tatekan issued in Japan for the first theatrical release of Daiei’s Gamera vs. Guiron. Printed in the dramatic two-panel standing format—designed to be displayed together as one tall vertical outside cinemas—it is a superb country-of-origin kaiju poster with enormous visual presence. We have never seen another example apart from in a book, and survivors in this format are exceptionally difficult to find. The poster was stored in a private collection for 35+ years - the poster was stored in two plastic sleeves and kept in a cardboard box - therefore the colours have not faded at all!
Film background
Released in 1969, Gamera vs. Guiron is one of the most colorful and imaginative entries in Daiei’s Shōwa-era Gamera cycle, directed by Noriaki Yuasa. Pitting Gamera against the blade-headed monster Guiron on a fantastical alien world, the film leans fully into the child-centered sci-fi adventure tone that makes late-1960s Gamera such a distinctive branch of Japanese tokusatsu cinema. This poster captures that identity perfectly—bold, strange, playful, and unmistakably theatrical.
Poster design
This STB is pure late-60s Japanese monster spectacle. The upper panel is dominated by a colossal image of Guiron’s knife-like head cutting across deep space beside a stark white moon/planet, while the title 「ガメラ対大悪獣ギロン」 crashes down the right side in huge red and blue lettering. The lower panel shifts into full adventure mode: Gamera rockets upward with flames blasting from his legs, a sleek spaceship cuts through the star field, and the alien landscape below is populated by frightened children and supporting characters. The design has the exaggerated scale, saturated colour, and graphic confidence that make Japanese kaiju paper from this period so desirable. The colours here are especially rich, deep, and beautiful, with the midnight blues, blazing reds, and orange fire effects presenting superbly.
Rarity and condition
Japanese STB tatekan posters were printed in much smaller numbers than standard formats and were made for real theatrical use, so complete surviving two-panel sets are genuinely rare. For a 1960s Gamera title, scarcity becomes even sharper. We have never seen this poster before, and in original first-release form it is an outstanding survival.
Condition is very good to excellent for its age and format. The poster is complete as a two-panel set and displays extremely well. Both panels show their original vertical and horizontal fold lines, with light, expected fold wear from age and handling. The most notable issue is on the upper panel, where there are small separations / stress breaks along the centre vertical fold, with localized foxing / staining on the reverse adjacent to that area. The lower panel has lighter general age toning / offsetting on the reverse and a few faint pencil / graphite marks. There is minor handling wear and light edge/corner wear overall, but no major paper loss, no heavy fading, and no restoration. Most importantly, the front retains rich, deep colour and a strong display presence; the reverse blemishes are far less distracting from the image side. Please inspect the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
Authentication
Guaranteed original; not a reproduction or reprint. Certificate of Authenticity included.
About STB (Tatekan) posters
STBs are tall, two-sheet vertical posters (approximately 51 × 145 cm) printed on thin stock and designed for outdoor display on purpose-built wooden stands outside cinemas and along busy approaches. They effectively functioned as mini billboards, and because they were exposed to weather and regularly replaced, very few survived. Original examples are ultra-rare, particularly for 1960s tokusatsu / kaiju paper, which makes the survival of a first-release piece like this especially significant.
