“Princess Mononoke” / 「もののけ姫」, Original Release Japanese Promotional Poster 1997, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) E251
This is an original Japanese B2 promotional poster printed in 1997 for Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke / 「もののけ姫」, Studio Ghibli’s landmark epic of myth, violence, and ecological conflict.
One of the most important Japanese animated films ever made, Princess Mononoke was a major cultural event on release and became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time. Original first-release Japanese posters for the film are among the most sought-after pieces of Studio Ghibli paper.
Film background
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and produced by Studio Ghibli, the film follows Ashitaka, a young prince drawn into a brutal struggle between the gods and spirits of the forest and the humans of Iron Town, led by the formidable Lady Eboshi. At the heart of the film is San—Princess Mononoke—raised by the wolf goddess Moro and fighting fiercely to defend the natural world.
The Japanese voice cast includes Yōji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yūko Tanaka, and Akihiro Miwa.
Poster design
This is one of the film’s most iconic Japanese promotional designs. The composition is dominated by a commanding image of San, standing frontally with dagger in hand, her expression resolute and uncompromising. Her white fur cape, bone necklace, and red war paint immediately establish her as one of Miyazaki’s most unforgettable heroines.
Behind her looms the immense, spectral presence of Moro, the white wolf goddess, whose powerful face fills the composition and gives the poster much of its dramatic force. The contrast between San’s human scale and Moro’s protective, almost monumental presence gives the design a mythic, devotional intensity.
At lower left San holds her distinctive mask, while below the main image sit four smaller character panels featuring key figures from the film, including Ashitaka, San, and Lady Eboshi. The title “The Princess MONONOKE” appears across the lower section in bold red lettering, set against a dark, richly atmospheric forest background and enclosed within a jagged burnt-orange border.
The result is a superbly balanced design: elegant, immediately recognisable, and charged with the film’s themes of identity, violence, and spiritual power.
Condition
Excellent condition. Please review the photographs carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
The poster presents beautifully, with strong colour, clean paper, and excellent overall display quality. It remains an especially attractive example of this increasingly collectible Studio Ghibli promotional issue.
This is an original 1997 Japanese promotional theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is now over 27 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
