“Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space” / 「機動戦士ガンダムIII めぐりあい宇宙」, Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1982, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q284
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1982 for Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (Kidō Senshi Gundam III: Meguriai Sora), the climactic third film in the landmark Mobile Suit Gundam theatrical trilogy.
For collectors of anime, mecha design, and Japanese popular culture, this is an especially important and desirable piece: it features Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s legendary “Last Shooting” artwork, one of the most iconic images in all of Gundam history.
Historical background
Released in 1982, Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space brought the original 1979 television series to its cinematic conclusion, adapting the final stages of the One Year War and the decisive Battle of A Baoa Qu. Alongside the first two compilation films, it helped elevate Gundam from a once-struggling television series into one of the foundational franchises of modern anime.
The original Mobile Suit Gundam changed the course of Japanese science-fiction animation. Rather than presenting super robots in purely heroic fantasy terms, it introduced a more serious and militarised vision of war, politics, and human conflict. The film trilogy was instrumental in cementing that legacy, and the third entry remains the emotional and thematic culmination of the original saga.
Poster design
This poster is dominated by the unforgettable “Last Shooting” composition, a truly monumental image in anime poster art.
At the center stands the RX-78-2 Gundam, shown in a dramatic low-angle heroic perspective. It has already suffered catastrophic damage in its final confrontation: the head is gone, and one arm has been destroyed. Yet even in this ruined state, the Gundam remains upright, defiantly raising its beam rifle for one final shot.
From the rifle erupts a brilliant vertical column of golden-white light, blasting upward through a violent sky of crimson, orange, and fiery explosion tones. The surrounding space is filled with debris, shattered machinery, and fragments of battle, conveying the chaos and tragedy of the war’s closing moments.
Beneath and behind the Gundam are the wrecked remains of enemy mobile suits, most notably the ruined Zeong, reinforcing the image’s meaning as the final, mutually devastating climax of the conflict.
The artwork is powerful not merely as an action image, but as a distilled symbol of Gundam itself: heroism at the point of destruction, victory entwined with loss, and the tragic grandeur of war.
Text and design details
The top left carries the English phrase:
“Last Shooting!”
At the upper right appears the poetic Japanese tagline:
「震えるか宇宙 めぐりあえよ生命」
This is typically understood as an evocative line calling out to the trembling universe and to lives crossing paths in destiny, entirely in keeping with the film’s elegiac tone.
At the lower right is the film’s title logo:
「機動戦士ガンダムIII めぐりあい宇宙」
The lower margin includes the principal production credits, including Shochiku, director Yoshiyuki Tomino, character designer and animation director Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, mechanical designer Kunio Okawara, and Nippon Sunrise.
The “Last Shooting” image has achieved near-mythic status within Gundam collecting and fandom. It is not simply a poster illustration, but one of the defining visual statements of the franchise. As such, original first-release examples are prized both as display pieces and as foundational artefacts of anime history.
Among all posters connected to the original Gundam series, this is unquestionably one of the most iconic.
Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.
The poster presents extremely well, with rich colour, strong contrast, and outstanding display appeal. It remains a highly attractive surviving example of this now-classic 1982 release poster. As with most original theatrical posters of the period, light, age-appropriate signs of handling may be present, but overall it displays beautifully.
This is an original 1982 Japanese theatrical B2 poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is now over 40 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
