“Mandala” (曼陀羅), Original Japanese Movie Poster 1971, ATG, B2 Size (51.5 × 72.8 cm) — U45

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1971 for Mandala, Akio Jissoji’s provocative exploration of desire, belief and communal living. Distributed by the Art Theatre Guild (ATG), the film belongs to a particularly adventurous period in Japanese independent cinema, when filmmakers challenged both conventional storytelling and accepted social values.

Following his acclaimed This Transient Life (Mujō, 1970), Jissoji reunited with screenwriter Toshirō Ishidō for a film that brings young people into contact with an isolated agricultural commune. Its competing ideas of freedom, authority and spiritual fulfilment become increasingly troubling, questioning the promises made by those who claim to offer an alternative to modern society.

The cast includes Shin Kishida, Ryō Tamura, Kōji Shimizu and Hiroko Sakurai. Jissoji’s experimental visual approach gives the film an unsettling atmosphere, reflected in the poster’s unusually bold photographic treatment.

The composition is dominated by an enlarged, grainy monochrome image of intertwined figures, cropped so closely that faces, arms and bodies become an almost abstract arrangement. The coarse photographic texture creates a striking contrast between dark areas and the pale paper ground, giving the sheet an immediate graphic impact.

A rectangular inset at the left introduces a woman’s upturned face in pink, green and deep shadow. Its sharper photographic detail interrupts the surrounding grain, while its colours anticipate the typography below.

The enormous Japanese title, 「曼陀羅」, occupies the lower portion of the composition. The outer characters appear in rich purple, with the central character picked out in green. Pink promotional copy sits above it, while Jissoji’s director credit appears beneath in matching green. Small cast and production credits, together with the ATG logo, complete the design.

The combination of tightly cropped photography, coarse texture and unexpected colour makes this a distinctive example of early-1970s ATG poster design, particularly appealing to collectors of Akio Jissoji and Japanese experimental cinema.

Condition: Very Good+.

The poster has visible horizontal and vertical fold lines, with additional handling creases, localised surface wear and minor edge wear. The reverse shows age toning, scattered marks and discolouration along the folds, together with a small old tape repair near the lower end of the vertical fold.

The purple, green and pink printing remains strong, and the dramatic photographic composition retains considerable display impact.

Please review all photographs, including the close-ups and reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

Japanese B2 size: approximately 51.5 × 72.8 cm.
Stock code: U45.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.