“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (風の谷のナウシカ), Original Release Japanese Movie Poster 1984, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) L269

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1984 for the film’s first Japanese release of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and featuring the voices of Sumi Shimamoto, Gorō Naya, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Iemasa Kayumi, and Jōji Yanami.

Although often associated with Studio Ghibli, the film was produced before Ghibli’s formal founding, with animation by Topcraft. Its success was one of the key events that led directly to the creation of Studio Ghibli in 1985.

Authenticity

This point is important: many official later reproductions of Nausicaä poster designs circulate, often sold through Ghibli-related retail channels or reproduced for later promotional use. The example offered here is 100% an original 1984 theatrical printing, issued for the film’s original Japanese cinema campaign — not one of the later shop reproductions.

That distinction matters greatly for collectors. Original first-release Miyazaki and early pre-Ghibli posters are far scarcer than the reproductions many buyers encounter, and demand for authentic theatrical material remains consistently strong.

Film background

Released in 1984, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is one of the foundational works of modern Japanese animation. Set in a future world devastated by pollution, war, and ecological collapse, the film follows Princess Nausicaä, a warrior, mediator, and peacemaker who lives in the Valley of the Wind, a fragile community bordered by the toxic jungle and threatened by warring nations.

More than simply a fantasy adventure, the film established many of the themes that would come to define Miyazaki’s greatest work: environmental balance, empathy toward non-human life, the tragedy of war, and the possibility of coexistence between humanity and nature. It remains one of the most important films in the history of Japanese animation.

Poster design

This is a superb and highly dramatic original release design. The composition shows Nausicaä riding her Mehve glider through the sky with Teto on her shoulder, while a large aircraft passes above and the strange, damaged world below unfolds in extraordinary detail. The landscape includes ruined architecture, windmills, the skull-like remains of a giant creature, and the uncanny organic forms that define the film’s post-apocalyptic setting.

What makes this poster so strong is the sense of movement, scale, and adventure. The glider cuts diagonally across the composition, pulling the viewer into the image, while the vivid blue sky and earthy ruined landscape create a striking contrast. The large red Japanese title at the bottom has tremendous impact, and the whole design captures the film’s unique mixture of peril, wonder, and lyrical beauty.

Among original Nausicaä posters, this is one of the most visually exciting and immediately recognisable theatrical images.

Condition

Very Good / Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. 

It is over 42 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.