“Akira Toriyama THE WORLD” / “Toei Anime Fair ’90 Summer”, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1990, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) S112
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical release poster, printed in 1990 for Toei Anime Fair ’90 Summer (東映アニメフェア ’90夏), a special theatrical program promoted under the banner “Akira Toriyama THE WORLD” (鳥山 明 THE WORLD). Issued in the standard B2 cinema-display format, this is a superb and increasingly desirable piece of original Japanese anime poster art from a key moment in Akira Toriyama’s golden era.
Rather than advertising a single feature, the poster promotes a multi-film theatrical event, with the main attraction being Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might (ドラゴンボールZ 地球まるごと超決戦), accompanied by adaptations of Toriyama’s shorter works Kennosuke-sama (剣之介さま) and Pink: Mizu Dorobō Ame Dorobō (Pink みずドロボウ あめドロボウ). As a result, the sheet functions not only as a Dragon Ball Z poster, but as a broader celebration of Toriyama’s creative world at its commercial peak.
Poster design
This is an exceptionally lively and visually packed design, unmistakably aimed at the youthful theatrical audience of the period while also showcasing the full breadth of Toriyama’s character design appeal.
The upper portion is dominated by Dragon Ball Z imagery, with an energetic Goku charging forward at right, while Turles looms in dramatic profile behind him. Gohan appears riding Icarus, and additional Saiyan figures fill the left side, giving the composition movement and action. The central DRAGON BALL Z logo is rendered boldly and prominently, immediately anchoring the sheet.
The lower section shifts into Toriyama’s wider universe, introducing Kennosuke-sama and Pink through a colorful array of character illustrations and vehicles. The result is a wonderfully varied composition that mixes action, comedy, fantasy and adventure in exactly the way the seasonal Toei Anime Fair programs were intended to do.
The poster also includes several charming design details that make it especially appealing to collectors. The top-left area incorporates Toriyama’s “Tori-bot” mascot, while the surrounding text and callouts emphasize the event format and its all-Toriyama identity. The bright palette of pink, yellow, blue, red and orange gives the piece enormous display presence and makes it one of the most eye-catching anime posters of the early 1990s.
Event and anime context
The Toei Anime Fair series was one of the defining theatrical institutions of Japanese children’s entertainment during the 1980s and 1990s. These seasonal programs, usually released during school holidays, combined multiple animated features or shorts into one cinema event and were an important part of how anime franchises reached audiences beyond television.
What makes this poster particularly notable is that the event was explicitly branded around Akira Toriyama, highlighting just how dominant his work had become by 1990. By this point, Dragon Ball Z was already a phenomenon, and Toei’s decision to package it together with other Toriyama adaptations under the heading “Akira Toriyama THE WORLD” created a uniquely appealing crossover piece for collectors of Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump / Toriyama-related material, and original Japanese anime posters more generally.
For many collectors, The Tree of Might remains one of the best-loved early DBZ theatrical films, and posters tied to its original Japanese release campaign—especially those connected to this broader Toriyama event—are now highly sought after.
Condition
Offered here in excellent+ condition. The poster presents beautifully, with strong, vibrant colour, clean overall appearance, and excellent display quality. Only minor signs of age or handling may be present, but nothing that detracts from the poster’s outstanding visual impact.
An especially attractive example of a highly collectible early-1990s Toriyama / Dragon Ball Z theatrical poster, and a fantastic piece for display.
This is not a reproduction or reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
