“The Machine Girl” (片腕マシンガール), Poster printed in 2008, Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese Hisashi Eguchi Illustrated Theatrical B2 Poster, Noboru Iguchi Director‑Signed and Dated “2008.9.1,” Dedicated to Kyoto Minami‑Kaikan, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) Q277

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster for Noboru Iguchi’s splatter-action cult film The Machine Girl (片腕マシンガール, 2008), featuring official campaign artwork by legendary manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Eguchi (江口寿史). Commissioned for the film’s domestic promotional campaign, this illustrated version replaces the standard photographic key art with Eguchi’s pop-art reinterpretation of heroine Ami Hyūga, and carries the English tagline “A Girl, A MachineGun, A Revenge.”

This is the highly sought-after Hisashi Eguchi illustrated B2 version, an exceptionally rare variant of the poster and one of the most visually distinctive pieces produced for the film. This example is further elevated by a large original black-marker autograph by director Noboru Iguchi, with a handwritten date reading “2008.9.1” on the left side of the poster.

The right side also carries a handwritten dedication reading 「京都みなみ会館さん江。」 This translates naturally as “To Kyoto Minami-Kaikan.” Kyoto Minami-Kaikan was one of Japan’s important independent cinemas, making this a particularly evocative cinema-dedicated presentation example from the film’s original release period.

Dating and identification

The Machine Girl is a 2008 Japanese action-horror comedy written and directed by Noboru Iguchi, produced by Fever Dreams and Nikkatsu. The film stars Minase Yashiro as Ami Hyūga, with supporting roles from Asami, Kentarō Shimazu, Honoka and Tarō Suwa. Special effects were handled by Yoshihiro Nishimura, later director of Tokyo Gore Police.

The film follows Ami, a schoolgirl who seeks revenge after the murder of her younger brother. After losing her arm to a ninja-yakuza clan, she returns with a multi-barrel machine-gun prosthesis, creating one of the defining images of late-2000s Japanese splatter cinema.

This poster is the Eguchi illustrated B2 theatrical version for The Machine Girl. The small red script “Eguchi” at the lower left is part of the printed poster artwork and should be understood as Hisashi Eguchi’s printed artist signature, not a separate hand-signed inscription.

The handwritten elements on this specific example are:

Left side: A large original autograph by Noboru Iguchi, together with the handwritten date 「2008.9.1」, meaning 1 September 2008.

Right side: 「京都みなみ会館さん江。」, meaning “To Kyoto Minami-Kaikan.” The character 「江」 is a traditional handwritten form used in dedications, equivalent to 「へ」, meaning “to.”

These inscriptions make this an unusually desirable example: an original 2008 theatrical B2 poster, signed and dated by the director during the film’s release period, and dedicated to a named Japanese cinema.

Poster design

Set against a flat, blood-red ground, Eguchi’s heroine dominates the composition: a clean-lined schoolgirl in sailor-style uniform, her pleated skirt torn and her white blouse marked with restrained splashes of blood and dirt. Her left arm is replaced by an enormous Gatling-style machine gun, rendered with dense industrial linework and heavy black detail.

Across the top margin, the English tagline reads “A Girl, A MachineGun, A Revenge.” Down the right side, the printed Japanese title 「片腕マシンガール」 translates literally as “One-Armed Machine Girl.”

The lower half of the poster is dominated by the monumental black title “THE MACHINE GIRL,” with Ami’s legs cutting into the typography. At the lower right, a small red silhouette repeats the heroine’s gun-arm pose, while the credit block names the principal cast and production team, including Fever Dreams, Nikkatsu and Tokyo Shock.

The overall design is a perfect fusion of Japanese cult cinema, splatter horror and Eguchi’s polished pop-illustration style: violent, graphic, stylish and immediately recognisable.

Why collectors prize this example

Cult splatter landmark: The Machine Girl is one of the defining films of the late-2000s Japanese splatter boom, combining revenge cinema, black comedy, outrageous practical gore and manga-like action into a globally recognised cult title.

Hisashi Eguchi crossover piece: Eguchi is one of Japan’s most celebrated illustrators of female characters, known for his clean line, fashion-conscious styling and distinctive pop sensibility. His involvement gives this poster appeal far beyond film collecting, extending into manga, illustration and contemporary Japanese graphic art.

Ultra-rare illustrated variant: The Eguchi B2 is far scarcer than the standard photographic poster and is widely regarded as the most desirable poster design for the film.

Director-signed and dated: This example bears a large original autograph by Noboru Iguchi, dated 1 September 2008, placing the inscription within the original theatrical release period.

Cinema dedication: The handwritten dedication to Kyoto Minami-Kaikan gives the poster a direct connection to Japanese theatrical exhibition, transforming it from a rare poster into a highly individual presentation piece.

Condition

Excellent, close to near mint condition. The poster is unfolded and unbacked, with a clean, bright image surface, rich red colour and crisp black printing. The sheet presents exceptionally well, with sharp corners, clean edges and only the lightest handling consistent with an original theatrical poster from 2008.

The reverse is clean and unprinted. There are no pinholes, tears, tape stains, paper losses or restoration visible. The autograph, date and dedication are original handwritten elements and are part of the appeal of this specific example.

Please review the photographs, which show the exact item for sale.

It is an original 2008 Japanese theatrical B2 printing, not a reproduction or modern reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.