“Dumbo” (ダンボ), Framed Original Ultra Rare Japanese first‑release chirashi style flyer for Disney’s beloved animated classic (Japan first release 1954) — Size: c. 26 × 18.5 cm (B5‑type) GA8
Original Japanese first‑release movie chirashi / handbill for the 1954 Japanese debut of Walt Disney’s Dumbo, issued for the 「日本語発聲版」 (Japanese‑language dubbed edition) and noted as distributed by RKO・大映. The front is a beautifully graphic, full‑color design: Dumbo dozing amid floating soap bubbles against bold circus‑tent stripes, with the huge vertical katakana title 「ダンボ」 and the English “DUMBO” at the top.
This has been professionally mounted and framed. Presented in a modern gloss red frame with an off‑white mount and clear glazing. Sold framed as shown—ready to hang and the perfect gift for a Disney animation, vintage‑poster, or Japanese‑cinema fan.
Why this matters
Dumbo is one of Disney’s most emotionally direct films—an outsider fable built around a mother‑and‑child bond, delivered with dreamlike visual invention and unforgettable set‑pieces. Japanese first‑release paper from the early post‑war era is especially compelling: it captures the moment classic American animation re‑entered Japanese cinemas, localized for domestic audiences as a Japanese‑language “talkie” edition. This chirashi is a small, display‑ready artifact from that exact cultural crossover.
About this piece
Format: one original Japanese theatrical chirashi / handbill from the 1954 first Japanese release period.
Front / main side: Full‑color Dumbo illustration with bold vertical title 「ダンボ」, the edition mark 「日本語発聲版」, and the English “DUMBO” title at top.
Noted distribution (per the original listing text shown in photos): RKO・大映配給.
Framing: professionally mounted with an off‑white mat in a modern red frame; sold framed as photographed.
Design & iconography
Dumbo side (primary display)
Printed in charming mid‑century color with a clean, poster‑like economy—instantly readable and highly frameable.
Central character image: Dumbo is shown in a quiet, sleepy pose, draped in a warm brown wrap with a small yellow cap, his soft grey form outlined in confident animation lines—tender rather than “big spectacle.”
Background motif: Alternating candy‑pink and pale stripes evoke a circus tent backdrop, while translucent bubbles float across the whole sheet, adding a dreamy, childlike lightness.
Title treatment: The vertical 「ダンボ」 title strip in bold red katakana functions like a modern graphic column, balancing the large character illustration on the right.
Edition mark & English title: 「日本語発聲版」 sits inside a bubble motif near the top (a clever integration of text and imagery), with “DUMBO” in white at upper right.
Bottom copy band: A strong sales pitch in Japanese frames the story as the “flying baby elephant” searching for his mother—promising wondrous adventure and fantastical dreams, and even claiming the film surpasses “Bambi.”
Translations of the main captions
Main title: 「ダンボ」 — “Dumbo.”
Edition mark: 「日本語発聲版」 — “Japanese‑language dubbed edition” (literally, “Japanese sound/speaking version”).
Bottom copy (full sense):
「母をたずねる“空飛ぶ子象”ダンボのすばらしい冒険と奇想天外な夢！『バンビ』を凌ぐディズニーの名作！」
— “The wonderful adventures and wildly imaginative dreams of Dumbo, the ‘flying baby elephant,’ as he searches for his mother! A Disney masterpiece that surpasses ‘Bambi’!”
Rarity & significance
Authentic first‑release Japanese chirashi for classic Disney titles—especially early post‑war Japanese releases—are far scarcer than later reissue paper. This design is particularly desirable because it leans into pure graphic charm: circus stripes, bubbles, and a gentle Dumbo pose that reads beautifully on a wall. It’s an evocative, period‑correct piece of Japanese theatrical ephemera from the moment Dumbo was first introduced to Japanese audiences in dubbed form.
Condition
Excellent for age. Light overall toning and minor handling wear consistent with vintage Japanese cinema paper. Colors remain appealing—strong reds/pinks in the striped field, clean title typography, and clear linework in the Dumbo illustration.
The piece has been professionally mounted and framed as shown. Frame, mount, and glazing present cleanly and are display‑ready. Please review the photos—this is the exact item offered.
Details
Country: Japan
Year of issue: 1954 (first Japanese release)
Size: approx. 26 × 18.5 cm (about 10.24 × 7.28 in, B5‑type)
Printing: Original Japanese printing; not a reproduction
Verso: not shown (framed for front display)
Authentication: COA included
