“Tales from Earthsea” / 「ゲド戦記」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 2006, B2 Size (51.5 × 72.8 cm) G265

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the original Japanese release of Tales from Earthsea / 「ゲド戦記」, Studio Ghibli’s 2006 animated fantasy directed by Gorō Miyazaki.

Authenticity
Important note: many official modern reproductions of this design circulate (often sold inexpensively in Ghibli stores). The example offered here is 100% an original theatrical printing, not a later shop reprint—so you can buy with confidence.

Loosely inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin’s celebrated Earthsea novels, the film marked Gorō Miyazaki’s feature-film directorial debut. This beautiful Japanese poster presents a panoramic view of the coastal city of Hort Town beneath a glowing sunset, with a dragon soaring through the sky.

Film background

The story takes place in Earthsea, a vast world of islands, ancient magic, dragons, and powerful wizards.

The natural balance of the world is beginning to collapse. Crops are failing, livestock are dying, and dragons—creatures normally confined to the far reaches of the western sea—have begun appearing within the realm of humans.

The Archmage Ged, also known as Sparrowhawk, travels across the land in search of the source of this disturbance.

During his journey, Ged encounters Prince Arren, a troubled young man fleeing his homeland and the consequences of a terrible act. Arren is haunted by fear, anger, and a mysterious shadow that appears to follow him.

Ged takes Arren under his protection, and the pair travel to the farm of Ged’s old friend Tenar. There, Arren meets Therru, a quiet and guarded girl whose face bears the scars of an earlier trauma.

Their lives become entangled with Cob, a powerful sorcerer obsessed with overcoming death and achieving immortality. By opening the boundary between life and death, Cob has disrupted the balance upon which Earthsea depends.

Directed by Gorō Miyazaki, the screenplay was written by Gorō Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa.

The film was produced by Toshio Suzuki and Tomohiko Ishii.

The principal Japanese voice cast includes Junichi Okada as Arren, Bunta Sugawara as Ged, Aoi Teshima as Therru, Yūko Tanaka as Cob, Jun Fubuki as Tenar, and Teruyuki Kagawa as Hare.

The film draws principally upon elements from The Farthest Shore and Tehanu, the third and fourth volumes of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea cycle, while developing its own interpretation of the characters and mythology.

Tales from Earthsea opened at number one at the Japanese box office and became one of Japan’s highest-grossing domestic films of 2006.

The production is especially admired for its richly painted environments, atmospheric fantasy world, orchestral score, and Aoi Teshima’s haunting performance of the film’s principal song.

Poster design

The poster presents an expansive, sunlit view over the fictional port city of Hort Town.

The composition looks down from a high stone terrace towards the city’s harbour and the sea beyond. The elevated viewpoint reveals an intricate landscape of towers, bridges, markets, stairways, red-roofed houses, stone arches, and crowded streets.

At the centre, the descending stairway leads directly towards the harbour, creating a strong line of perspective through the composition.

Ged, Arren, Therru, and Tenar appear in the foreground, walking down the broad stone steps towards the city. Their relatively small scale emphasises the enormous size and complexity of the world surrounding them.

Below, the harbour is filled with sailing vessels and smaller boats moving through the calm blue-green water.

A monumental stone arch spans the left side of the city. Houses, market stalls, workshops, and groups of townspeople occupy both its upper and lower levels, creating the impression of a densely inhabited ancient settlement built gradually across many centuries.

On the right, a large red building and adjoining terraces are illuminated by the warm evening sun. Figures gather on the balconies and stairways while trees and dense foliage soften the surrounding architecture.

The city opens towards a glowing sea beneath an extraordinary sunset. Gold, orange, pink, purple, and pale blue clouds stretch across the horizon, bathing the entire landscape in warm light.

Above the city, a large dark dragon glides through the sky with its wings extended. Several smaller dragons can be seen in the distance, directly reflecting the mysterious disruption of the natural order that begins the film.

The vertical white tagline reads:

「見えぬものこそ。」

“Precisely because it is unseen.”

The phrase reflects the film’s recurring concern with invisible forces: fear, mortality, identity, the shadow self, and the delicate balance governing life and death.

The lower-left section is dominated by the distinctive red title:

「ゲド戦記」

The title is rendered in expressive, irregular brushwork, with extended strokes cutting sharply across the richly detailed cityscape.

Immediately above it appear the credits:

「ル＝グウィン原作
宮崎吾朗 第一回監督作品」

“Based on the original work by Le Guin
The first film directed by Gorō Miyazaki.”

Beneath the Japanese title appears the English title:

TALES FROM EARTHSEA

The lower edge carries the principal production credits and the original Studio Ghibli website address.

Design note

The poster artwork was created through Studio Ghibli’s animation and background-art departments for the film’s original Japanese theatrical campaign.

Rather than relying on a close portrait of the principal characters, the design gives almost the entire composition to the world of Earthsea itself.

The intricate architecture, crowded streets, distant harbour, luminous sea, and dragon-filled sky establish a sense of immense history and scale. The characters are presented as travellers moving through a world much larger and older than themselves.

The painterly architecture combines Mediterranean, European, and imagined ancient influences. Warm natural light and carefully controlled perspective give the city extraordinary depth and atmosphere.

The contrast between the peaceful, richly inhabited city and the dragons crossing the sky introduces the central tension of the film: a beautiful world whose fundamental balance is beginning to fail.

It is a particularly impressive example of Studio Ghibli’s environmental storytelling and Japanese animated-film poster design from the 2000s.

Release note

Tales from Earthsea was produced and released theatrically in Japan in 2006 under the title:

「ゲド戦記」

This poster was printed for the film’s original 2006 Japanese theatrical release.

It is a standard Japanese B2-size theatrical poster, measuring approximately:

51.5 × 72.8 cm / 20.3 × 28.7 inches

It is an original period Studio Ghibli theatrical poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.

Condition

Near Mint condition. An exceptional example with vivid colour, beautifully preserved painted detail, sharp typography, and superb overall display impact.

There are only the faintest signs of age or handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from 2006. The paper remains clean and bright, with no significant tears, staining, fading, or distracting damage.

Overall, it presents exceptionally well and would be difficult to improve upon.

Reference: G265.

Please review the photographs carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.

This is an original 2006 Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now approximately 20 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.