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“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)
“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)

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“Mothra” (モスラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese First‑Release Chihōban B2 Poster, 1961 Japanese Debut of Mothra, Ultra Rare — B2 Size (approx. 51 × 73 cm)

Sale price $3,200.00

Acquired from the same top‑tier Japanese collector as our Ghost of Frankenstein B2, this regional “chihōban” poster for Mothra is regarded in Japan’s kaiju community as one of the ultimate rarities. Until now we’d seen it only reproduced in specialist Japanese reference books—never in the wild. This is the first example we’ve handled or even seen offered for sale: a true holy grail in the realm of kaiju / tokusatsu posters.

Issued in 1961 for local cinemas, chihōban posters were printed in tiny numbers by regional distributors and were often discarded after short runs. Surviving examples for Toho’s landmark debut of Mothra are virtually unknown, making this B2 a key “first appearance” piece for the character and a centrepiece for any serious kaiju collection.

About the film
Toho’s 1961 spectacle Mothra (dir. Ishirō Honda) introduced audiences to one of the studio’s most beloved kaiju. Starring Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyōko Kagawa and the Peanuts as the Shobijin, the film follows the awakening of the guardian monster Mothra, who lays waste to Tokyo in larval form and later emerges as a radiant giant moth to rescue her captured priestesses. The success of Mothra paved the way for her later appearances alongside Godzilla and cemented her status as a protector‑deity within the Toho universe.

Poster design
This chihōban design captures the awe and menace of Mothra’s first screen appearance. The enormous larval Mothra rears up against a towering steel structure, dwarfing the tanks and ships below, while her fearsome, water‑borne visage looms ghost‑like in the sky. At lower left, JSDF / science‑team soldiers in silver radiation suits crouch behind rocky debris, giving the composition a vivid sense of scale and imminent danger. The massive red title モスラ slashes vertically down the right side, framed by a fiery sunset gradient of oranges, magentas, and yellows, with cool sea‑greens and blues balancing the left. Early‑60s Toho colour and typography at their most dynamic—and in this regional variant, unlike any of the standard national release designs.

Why collectors prize this example

  • Earliest regional (“chihōban”) poster for Mothra’s 1961 debut—an important “first appearance” piece for the character.

  • Printed in very small, localised quantities; long considered virtually unobtainable outside Japanese reference books.

  • Museum‑level rarity: this is the first example we have ever seen on the market and the only one we’ve handled.

  • Distinctive design variant, separate from the national campaign posters, prized by advanced kaiju / tokusatsu collectors.

  • Provenance: from an elite Japanese collection specialising in horror and tokusatsu, the same source as our celebrated Ghost of Frankenstein B2.

Conservation
Professionally conserved and backed with traditional Japanese washi paper to museum standards, bringing the piece to near‑mint presentation. Original fold lines have been relaxed and supported; a tiny split at the lower edge and minor edge stress were expertly mended. Restorers used hand‑torn kozo‑fibre washi and reversible, pH‑neutral wheat‑starch paste—a centuries‑old technique developed for sutras and ukiyo‑e—yielding strong, flexible and virtually invisible repairs that respect the original fibres. The result is a beautifully flat, stable poster with colours that still blaze more than sixty years on.

Details
Country: Japan
Year printed / release: 1961 printing for first Japanese theatrical release of Mothra
Type: Theatrical release poster (B2) — regional chihōban issue
Size: B2 — approx. 51 × 73 cm (20" × 29")
Identifiers: Giant larval Mothra rearing beside steel tower; JSDF figures in silver suits at lower left; bold vertical red モスラ title at right; blue cast credits at left; 「ポスターの宣映社」 (Seneisha Poster Company) credit at lower right.

Condition
Near Mint on conservation washi backing. Colours richly saturated with no notable fading. Original central fold now smoothly supported; tiny former tear at lower margin and minute edge stresses expertly stabilised using museum methods. Light, normal handling and faint age toning to verso only, including an old exhibitor tape mark now fully secured under the backing. No significant paper loss; overall presentation is crisp, vibrant and ready to frame. Please review the provided photos (front and back) — they show the exact poster offered.

It is over 64 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.

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