“Akira” (アキラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese Opening‑Night / Admission‑Bonus “A.D.2019 NEO‑TOKYO” Poster 1988, B2 Tea‑Paper Size (c. 51.5 × 72.8 cm) O548

This is an original Japanese theatrical premium poster produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha / the Akira Production Committee and goods maker Movic, with Kodansha oversight, for the first Japanese release of Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark feature film Akira. Issued around the July 1988 opening, it was printed on distinctive coarse brown “tea paper” B2 stock and offered to cinema‑goers as an exclusive admission‑bonus / opening‑night souvenir rather than as standard lobby paper.

Ultra‑rare original survivor: pieces of this type were printed in very small numbers, handed directly to a very limited special group of early audiences who had lined up for hours! This exact brown‑stock “A.D.2019 NEO‑TOKYO” design is widely regarded among collectors as the canonical Akira Opening Night Poster and has been documented by major galleries and auction houses.

Dating and identification

Along the bottom margin the fine print reads 「©1987 マッシュルーム・アキラ製作委員会［300］0788G MOVIC」, crediting the Akira Production Committee and Movic with internal goods code 0788G. The ©1987 notice and 0788‑series Movic mark place printing firmly in the original production window leading up to the film’s 1988 theatrical debut.

A silver Kodansha inspection sticker—repeating “KODANSHA” with an oval cartouche reading 「検数証紙 ©講談社」—serves as an authenticity seal from the publisher of the Akira manga. Japanese collectors and dealers identify this exact tea‑paper B2 with Kodansha sticker as the 「映画 AKIRA A.D.2019 NEO‑TOKYO 入場特典ポスター」 (theatrical admission‑bonus poster). English‑language markets have adopted the shorthand “Opening Night Poster” for the same item.

Poster design

The composition is one of the most iconic images in all of anime: from a high, slightly oblique vantage, Kaneda strides up the centre of a cracked concrete roadway toward his red prototype motorcycle. The pale central lane marker runs vertically through the sheet, bisecting the tan ground and leading the eye down from the machine’s nose to the massive “AKIRA” logotype below.

Kaneda’s trademark red riding suit glows against the muted brown stock, its quilted panels and padding rendered in thick brush lines. On the back of his jacket the familiar blue‑and‑white capsule patch catches the light, echoing the drug imagery of the film. In front of him, the bike bristles with Otomo’s industrial detail: stickered with sponsor logos—“Mon⋆Star”, “METAL” and circular racing marks—its faceted saddle, curved windscreen and heavy swingarms feel almost sculptural.

At the bottom of the sheet, the title AKIRA is set in bold, distressed black capitals, the verticals subtly broken as if stencilled on rough asphalt. Diagonally across the logotype lies a pill‑shaped orange dog‑tag emblazoned 「NEO‑TOKYO A.D.2019」, tying the image directly to the film’s near‑future setting. Beneath, a matching black subtitle reads “A.D.2019 NEO‑TOKYO”, repeating the date and location in stark, military‑style letterforms. The overall effect is minimalist and powerful: a single charged moment before motion, frozen on warm brown paper that suggests newsprint, flyers and street posters.

Why collectors prize this example

• Direct, first‑run theatrical tie‑in: an in‑theatre admission bonus linked to the 1988 Japanese release, created specifically for opening audiences rather than later home‑video or revival campaigns.

• Distinctive “tea‑paper” construction: printed on coarse, slightly heavier brown stock that sets it apart from all standard white B‑series film posters.

• Canonical key‑visual: this Kaneda‑and‑bike composition became the defining image of Akira, endlessly reused on video sleeves, books and merchandise; this poster captures one of its earliest and most prestigious screen‑used manifestations.

• Rich documentary features: on‑sheet credits with Movic’s 0788G code plus the Kodansha inspection seal make it a key historical artefact for the film’s original marketing and merchandising programme.

• A true “holy grail” for Otomo and Akira completists, pairing perfectly with the main theatrical B2 while representing the scarce, audience‑only side of the film’s premiere ephemera.

Condition

Very good / Excellent condition for its age (c. 37 years), especially given the tea‑paper stock. No writing, tape or pinholes. The sheet shows light overall handling wear and soft horizontal waves from past rolling/flattening, minor surface impressions typical for this paper; edges remain strong with no tears or losses. Colours are rich and well‑preserved, with Kaneda’s red suit, the bike and the deep black “AKIRA / A.D.2019 NEO‑TOKYO” typography printing beautifully against the warm brown ground.

Please review the photos, which show the exact item for sale.
It is an original late‑1980s printing, not a modern reproduction.
Certificate of Authenticity included.