“My Neighbor Totoro” (となりのトトロ), Ultra-Rare Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 1988, Professionally Linen-Backed & Restored, B1 Size (c. 72 × 103 cm) - Gallery
This is an original Japanese B1 theatrical poster produced for the first release of Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro in 1988. Written and directed by Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten, the film opened in Japan on 16 April 1988, distributed by Toho as a double feature with Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies.
Today, My Neighbor Totoro stands among the defining works of Japanese animation. Totoro himself became the emblem of Studio Ghibli, while the film’s evocation of childhood, rural Japan, and the relationship between nature and imagination has made it beloved around the world.
This is the extremely scarce large-format B1 version of the celebrated bus-stop theatrical artwork, one of the most recognisable images in Japanese cinema.
The poster has been professionally linen-backed and restored by Fourth Cone Restoration and now presents in Excellent+ condition, with its atmospheric artwork beautifully displayed at this impressive scale.
Design
The poster depicts Totoro and a young girl waiting beside the 稲荷前 — Inari-mae — bus stop on a rain-soaked night.
An immense Totoro occupies the right side of the composition, standing quietly beneath the trees with a small green leaf balanced on his head. Beside him stands a young girl beneath a brilliant red-orange umbrella, her small figure emphasising his extraordinary scale.
Fine lines of rain descend across the dark forest. Wet tree trunks, roadside flowers, and reflections on the ground create a remarkable sense of atmosphere, while the girl’s yellow blouse, orange skirt, and umbrella provide vivid points of colour.
Above them, the warm pink となりのトトロ title contrasts beautifully with the shadowy woodland.
At B1 scale, the composition has exceptional presence. The forest’s subtle colours, delicate foliage, and falling rain become particularly striking, while the restored, linen-backed presentation allows the scene to be appreciated as a continuous image.
The Mysterious Girl
One of the most fascinating aspects of the artwork is that the girl combines characteristics of Satsuki and Mei, rather than depicting either sister exactly as she appears in the finished film.
Her pigtails and youthful appearance recall Mei, while her clothing and proportions also suggest Satsuki. This combination connects the poster to the film’s creative development.
Miyazaki originally conceived the story around a single girl before developing the two sisters. When composing the promotional artwork, he considered placing both sisters beside Totoro, but found the arrangement difficult to resolve. The final image instead brought characteristics of the two girls together in one figure.
The result is an unusual and memorable piece of film advertising: an image inseparable from My Neighbor Totoro, featuring a character who does not appear in this exact form within the film itself.
Japanese Copywriting
Across the white upper border appears:
「忘れものを、届けにきました。」
“We came to deliver something you had forgotten.”
Written by Shigesato Itoi (糸井重里) as the shared line for the Totoro / Grave of the Fireflies campaign, it captures the nostalgia and emotional resonance associated with the two films.
Within the forest appears another celebrated line by Itoi, written specifically for Totoro:
「このへんないきものは、まだ日本にいるのです。たぶん。」
“This strange creature is still somewhere in Japan. Probably.”
The final たぶん — “probably” gives the sentence its playful uncertainty, leaving open the possibility that creatures such as Totoro might still inhabit the quieter corners of everyday Japan.
Together, the artwork and copy express the film’s invitation to recover a sense of wonder in the familiar world.
The Bus Stop and Rural Japan
The weathered bus-stop sign, roadside vegetation, umbrellas, and puddles ground the scene in ordinary life.
This relationship between the familiar and the extraordinary lies at the heart of the image. Totoro stands beside a recognisable country road, making the encounter feel both impossible and strangely believable.
The poster beautifully expresses the film’s affection for the rural landscape and the sense of discovery that accompanies childhood. Its quietness is part of its power: a simple moment of waiting becomes an unforgettable encounter.
Original 1988 Theatrical Details
The lower section retains the Japanese production and distribution credits, including:
「原作・脚本・監督 ● 宮崎 駿」
“Original Story, Screenplay and Direction: Hayao Miyazaki.”
The credit block also identifies Studio Ghibli, Tokuma Shoten, and Toho.
The lower-right area retains the Eirin approval mark and printed identifier 199100-228, alongside the original distribution information.
These printed details remain part of the conserved sheet, preserving the character of the original Japanese theatrical campaign.
Rarity
Original 1988 Japanese B1 theatrical examples of this bus-stop design are highly sought after and difficult to source.
Measuring approximately 72 × 103 cm, the B1 format offers roughly twice the surface area of a standard Japanese B2 poster, giving the artwork an impressive scale.
The familiarity of the image can obscure the scarcity of the original theatrical material. The bus-stop artwork has appeared on numerous later products, commercial posters, and licensed reproductions, including B2 editions. This design was only ever produced in the large B1 size for its original 1988 theatrical release.
The example offered here is an original first-release B1 theatrical sheet.
Produced when Studio Ghibli was still a young studio, it belongs to the beginning of Totoro’s remarkable cultural history.
For collectors of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, and original Japanese animation posters, this combination of first-release significance, large format, celebrated artwork, and professional conservation makes it a particularly desirable piece.
Conservation & Condition Report
Overall condition: Excellent+, following professional linen backing and restoration by Fourth Cone Restoration.
The poster was originally folded and has now been professionally mounted on linen, providing support to the large sheet and a substantially flatter presentation.
The restoration included:
Fold lines: Areas of missing pigment along the original folds were carefully filled to restore continuity to the printed image.
Borders: Minor chips in the border were patched and airbrushed to integrate the repaired areas with the surrounding paper.
Colour and presentation: The dark woodland, pink Japanese title, red-orange umbrella, and warm colours of the girl’s clothing retain beautiful visual appeal. The subtle forest detail and reflections remain especially effective at full B1 scale.
The Excellent+ condition grade reflects the poster’s present appearance following professional conservation. The linen backing and restoration have greatly improved its presentation while preserving the original theatrical sheet.
The stated dimensions refer to the printed poster; the linen support extends beyond its edges.
This is an exceptionally attractive display example. Once framed, the scale, colour, and quiet atmosphere of Miyazaki’s celebrated artwork should make a striking impression.
Please review the supplied photograph carefully. It shows the exact linen-backed and restored poster offered for sale.
This is an ultra-rare original Japanese B1 theatrical poster from the first Japanese release of My Neighbor Totoro in 1988.
It is not a reproduction, later commercial poster, or reprint.
It is over 38 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
