"Ebirah, Horror of the Deep", Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1966, Speed Poster (c. 26 × 73 cm) O472

Original Japanese Speed Poster (c. 26 × 73 cm), 1966 — Ultra‑Rare / Cinema‑Used

Japanese title: 「ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ　南海の大決闘」 (Gojira, Ebirā, Mosura: Nankai no Daikettō)
Common English release titles: Ebirah, Horror of the Deep / Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
Country / Studio: Japan / Toho (東宝) — © 1966 TOHO CO., LTD. Printed in Japan (credit printed at lower left on the poster)
Format: Speed poster (スピードポスター) — slim, theatre‑front vertical used on quick‑change street stands; roughly half‑width of a B2
Technique: Offset lithograph on slightly thicker theatrical stock
Provenance: Cinema‑used; this is the first example of this speed format for this title we have ever offered
Authentication: Guaranteed original first‑release Japanese poster. Certificate of Authenticity included.

Why this is a trophy piece

• Godzilla’s early Showa era, big and bold. Released in 1966, this is the seventh Godzilla film, the first in the series directed by Jun Fukuda, with special‑effects direction by Eiji Tsuburaya. It pivots the franchise into tropical‑adventure territory while keeping the classic tokusatsu spectacle—Godzilla vs. giant crustacean Ebirah, with Mothra looming above.

• Ultra‑rare format. Speed posters were posted on narrow “speed” frames outside cinemas and along arcades to catch foot traffic. They were exposed to weather, swapped frequently and almost never saved. We have not seen another of this title/format come to market.

• Iconic design at “street distance.” The composition stacks huge vertical type with a thunder‑torn sky: Mothra’s head at the top, Godzilla’s atomic breath cutting across the frame, and Ebirah thrashing in surf. The gigantic red brush title slams down the center—pure 1960s Toho drama.

• Footnote at lower left (black line):
  © 1966 TOHO CO., LTD. Printed in Japan.

Cultural importance

Godzilla is more than a movie monster—he’s post‑war Japan’s global icon, bridging fear of nuclear technology, national recovery, and pop‑culture bravura. By the mid‑1960s the series had become a worldwide phenomenon, blending disaster spectacle with colourful adventure. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep marks the Fukuda era’s brisk pacing and island settings, while keeping Tsuburaya’s handcrafted effects and Toho’s deep bench of stars. The film also re‑introduces Mothra (and her singing tiny guardians, here played by Pair Bambi), strengthening the shared‑monster universe that would define the Showa cycle.

Design highlights

• Three‑kaijū billing in the black vertical—an explosive promise of Godzilla, Ebirah and Mothra in one picture.

• Diagonal “atomic‑breath” slash pulling the eye through storm clouds to the surf battle below.

• Monumental brush lettering for the title (a Toho hallmark of the period), with furigana readings printed alongside—designed to read at speed from a distance.

• Colour lithography with rich cyan and magenta inks—classic mid‑’60s Toho palette.

Printing & format notes — About Speed Posters

Speed posters (スピードポスター) are narrow, quick‑change verticals (about 26 × 73 cm) displayed on theatre‑front “speed” frames and sidewalk stands. Printed on light stock and exposed to the elements, they had short lifespans and were almost never archived—hence their rarity today, especially for marquee franchises like Godzilla.

Condition

Very good for a cinema‑used street piece. Unrestored and not linen‑backed.

• Bright, saturated colour with strong blacks.

• Horizontal fold lines from original handling; light creasing and small edge nicks.

• Tiny chip/loss at extreme lower‑left corner and a small top‑edge nick (see photos).

• Minor handling and age toning to the verso with traces of old mounting tape—typical of theatre use.
  Please refer to the imagery—you are viewing the exact poster for sale.

Summary

• Original 1966 Japanese speed poster for Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Great Duel in the South Seas.

• Ultra‑rare format / first time we’ve offered one for this title.

• A defining early Showa‑era Godzilla entry with Fukuda/Tsuburaya pedigree.

• Cinema‑used survivor with superb display presence.

• It’s nearly 60 years old.

• Not a reproduction or reprint.

• Certificate of Authenticity included.