"MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO" / となりのトトロ Japan (Toho), 1989 Original first-release Japanese theatrical poster (B1 Size) Colour-printed poster on paper, unrestored / unbacked — Excellent, close to Near Mint — Ultra Rare

 *Please note the price is fixed for this item. It is not included in any discounts (e.g. Black Friday)!*

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO / となりのトトロ
Japan (Toho), 1989
Original first-release Japanese theatrical poster (B1)
Colour-printed poster on paper, unrestored / unbacked (as issued)
A true “blue‑chip” Studio Ghibli sheet: the legendary B1 Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) poster—ultra rare in any condition, and exceptionally scarce in excellent (close to near mint), unrestored condition like this.

This poster is exceptionally hard to come by and is in super high demand worldwide.

“A top-tier Ghibli grail in a size and condition combination that borders on impossible.”

Key Facts

Film: My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro / となりのトトロ)
Director / Screenplay / Original Story: Hayao Miyazaki（宮崎駿）
Studio: Studio Ghibli（スタジオジブリ）
Release-era poster: 1989 Japanese theatrical printing (as offered)
Poster format: Japanese B1 — c. 71 × 103 cm (as offered)
Poster type:  large-format theatrical/lobby display sheet

Rarity and Market Context

The B1 factor: the size that changes the survival math

B1 is a very large Japanese format originally intended for cinema lobbies and major-theatre display—often used hard, frequently replaced, and rarely preserved flat. As a result, genuine original B1s for Totoro are dramatically scarcer than smaller formats.

“Only a few hundred printed” territory

Only a limited quantity of these B1s are believed to have been printed for theatrical use during the film’s initial run period, making it one of the most sought-after Ghibli posters ever produced. This is exactly why collectors treat the true original B1 as a benchmark piece: it is the sheet that almost never turns up, and almost never turns up this nice.

Condition rarity: the multiplier that matters

There are rare posters, and then there are rare posters in elite, unrestored condition. This example sits firmly in the second category—excellent, close to near mint, with the kind of clean presentation that experienced collectors actively wait years to upgrade into.

Why This Poster Is the One Everyone Wants

The definitive Totoro image

The rain-soaked bus stop scene—Totoro towering quietly beside Satsuki beneath a red umbrella—is not just iconic; it has become the visual shorthand for Studio Ghibli itself. Totoro is famously the studio’s mascot/logo, and this particular composition is the one most collectors associate with the title at its highest emotional pitch: wonder, stillness, and gentle magic rendered with absolute confidence.

A cornerstone of modern animation history

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Totoro stands as one of the essential works of modern animation, and the film’s cultural afterlife has turned authentic early Japanese theatrical paper into a global collecting category of its own.

Poster Design: Quiet Power, Perfectly Composed

This is a masterclass in restrained, atmospheric key art:

• Cinematic negative space: the wide, dark forest backdrop turns the characters into an instantly readable silhouette tableau.

• Rain-stripe design: the vertical rainfall lines create texture and motion without clutter.

• Colour punctuation: the red umbrella and pink title type act as bold anchors against the muted palette.

• Emotional tone: a single moment—waiting—becomes mythic.

Text and Translation Notes

Below are key on-sheet texts and their English meanings as printed on the poster:

Main title: となりのトトロ — “My Neighbor Totoro”

Top tagline: 忘れものを、届けにきました。
“We came to deliver what you forgot.” (often interpreted as “We’ve come to return something forgotten.”)

Vertical copy: このへんな生きものは、まだ日本にいるのです。たぶん。
“This strange creature still exists in Japan. Probably.”

Credit line (lower left): 原作・脚本・監督 ● 宮崎 駿
“Original story / Screenplay / Director: Hayao Miyazaki”

The sheet also bears the expected theatrical/legal identifiers (including the Eirin (映倫) mark and Toho distribution imprinting), consistent with authentic Japanese cinema posters of the period.

Authenticity and Reprints

There are many modern reprints of this image in circulation, and it is common to see reprints offered online as “originals.” This example is 100% an original vintage Japanese theatrical B1, and it appropriately shows only the light, honest signs of age you would expect from a poster that is now well over three decades old—while still presenting at an exceptionally high level.

Conservation

Unrestored / unbacked: originality preserved

This poster is offered unrestored, with no linen backing and no restoration work. For many collectors, this is the preferred state—especially when the paper survives in excellent condition—because it preserves the sheet’s full originality.

Condition

Excellent, close to Near Mint, with strong overall eye appeal and unusually clean presentation for an original B1 of this era and intended use.
Please refer to the imagery provided — it shows the exact poster offered for sale. This is the exact poster you will receive upon purchase.

Certificate of Authenticity included.

Please note the price is fixed for this item. It is not included in any discounts (e.g. Black Friday)!