"Ghost in the Shell" (攻殻機動隊), Original Japanese Wall Calendar Poster 1996, Rare, Size (42 × 60 cm) O474

This is an original Japanese calendar poster issued in 1996 for Mamoru Oshii’s cyber-punk landmark Ghost in the Shell (based on Masamune Shirow’s manga, produced by Production I.G.). Released at the height of the film’s first-run success, it’s an authentic period promotional calendar—distinct from theatrical B2 posters—and survives far less often. Credits printed in the lower margin read: ©1995 士郎正宗／講談社・バンダイビジュアル・MANGA ENTERTAINMENT. Design staff are explicitly credited on the art: Layout by TAKASHI WATABE / Illustrated by HIROTSUGU KAWASAKI.

Design
Striking, character-led composition of Major Motoko Kusanagi seated front-and-center in deep teal tactical wear, with neon-violet accents and exposed thigh—a confident, human/inhuman allure that mirrors the film’s identity questions. The top band carries the bilingual campaign copy:
“People love machines in 2029 A.D.” and “‘Who are you? Who slips into my robot body and whispers to my ghost?’”
Below it sits the classic GHOST △ IN △ THE △ SHELL logotype with Japanese title 「攻殻機動隊」 in metallic ink. The image block is printed over a grainy, out-of-focus background that suggests memory artifacts. A clean, blue-type 1996 month grid runs along the lower third (January–December), completing a utilitarian but highly displayable piece of period marketing.

Why collectors care (cult status & context)
Oshii’s film is a defining work of late-20th-century science fiction whose philosophy and visuals profoundly influenced global cinema (most famously The Matrix). Genuine 1995–96 Japanese promo materials—especially calendar poster sheets—were printed in smaller numbers for bookstores/retail partners and were typically discarded after use, making surviving examples scarce. The explicit Watabe/Kawasaki credit line further distinguishes this piece within the franchise’s vast visual corpus.

Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact calendar poster for sale. The image of the verso shows two horizontal "bends" - these are waves in the paper as the poster was stored for almost three decades in a typical Japanese loose three fold - these are not hard folds and can be easily flattened out without a trace!

This is an original 1996 Japanese promotional calendar poster for Ghost in the Shell.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 29 years old!

Certificate of Authenticity included.