{"product_id":"the-boy-and-the-heron-original-release-japanese-movie-poster-2023-b2-size-51-x-73cm-copy","title":"“The Boy and the Heron” (君たちはどう生きるか), Original Japanese First-Release Movie Poster 2023, Hayao Miyazaki \/ Studio Ghibli, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) S210","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Japanese B2 theatrical release poster\u003c\/strong\u003e, printed for the \u003cstrong\u003e2023 first Japanese cinema release\u003c\/strong\u003e of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli feature \u003cstrong\u003eThe Boy and the Heron\u003c\/strong\u003e (君たちはどう生きるか \/ \u003cem\u003eKimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka\u003c\/em\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe film opened in Japan on \u003cstrong\u003e14 July 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e, distributed by \u003cstrong\u003eToho\u003c\/strong\u003e, and marked Miyazaki’s return to feature filmmaking approximately ten years after \u003cem\u003eThe Wind Rises\u003c\/em\u003e. Studio Ghibli identifies it as Miyazaki’s \u003cstrong\u003e12th theatrical feature as director\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePoster design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn extraordinary example of minimalist Studio Ghibli advertising, dominated almost entirely by the mysterious \u003cstrong\u003eGrey Heron\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bird’s enormous face fills virtually the entire B2 sheet, rendered with a loose, expressive combination of \u003cstrong\u003edeep indigo blue, charcoal-like linework, grey washes and a striking ochre-yellow beak and eye\u003c\/strong\u003e. Huge areas of untouched cream paper surround the image, giving the poster an almost calligraphic or traditional Japanese ink-painting quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than relying on the elaborate scenic compositions associated with many earlier Ghibli campaigns, this design offers virtually \u003cstrong\u003eno narrative information whatsoever\u003c\/strong\u003e. The viewer is presented simply with the strange, intense gaze of the heron—a character whose significance could not be understood until audiences actually saw the film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt upper left, the poster announces:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e7.14\u003cbr\u003eROADSHOW\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ewhile the upper-right corner carries the familiar \u003cstrong\u003eStudio Ghibli\u003c\/strong\u003e mark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese title is integrated vertically into the lower-right portion of the image:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e「君たちはどう生きるか」\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e— literally:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“How Do You Live?”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside it appears:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e「宮﨑駿監督作品」\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e— \u003cstrong\u003e“A film directed by Hayao Miyazaki.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bottom margin retains the official \u003cstrong\u003e©2023 Studio Ghibli\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTOHO\u003c\/strong\u003e, and importantly \u003cstrong\u003eNOT FOR SALE\u003c\/strong\u003e markings, confirming its status as genuine theatrical promotional material rather than a commercially sold decorative poster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe extreme simplicity of the composition gives this piece tremendous wall presence. At first glance it resembles a large-scale piece of contemporary Japanese illustration rather than conventional movie advertising.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe extraordinary no-marketing campaign\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis poster has particular historical importance because, before the Japanese premiere, \u003cstrong\u003ethis single poster image was essentially the entirety of Studio Ghibli’s public visual campaign for the film\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudio Ghibli deliberately adopted an almost unprecedented promotional strategy: \u003cstrong\u003eno trailer, no scene stills, no plot synopsis and no cast information were released before opening day\u003c\/strong\u003e. Ghibli later confirmed that this poster was the \u003cstrong\u003eonly visual image made public\u003c\/strong\u003e ahead of release. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat makes the poster materially more significant than an ordinary first-release sheet. For months, this enigmatic heron was effectively \u003cstrong\u003ethe public face of Miyazaki’s first feature in a decade\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAudiences entered Japanese cinemas on 14 July 2023 knowing remarkably little about what they were about to see—a deliberate attempt by producer \u003cstrong\u003eToshio Suzuki and Studio Ghibli\u003c\/strong\u003e to restore a sense of discovery to theatrical moviegoing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe visual therefore became one of the most recognisable Japanese film images of 2023 despite—or perhaps because of—the absence of a conventional advertising campaign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFilm background\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten and directed by \u003cstrong\u003eHayao Miyazaki\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Boy and the Heron\u003c\/em\u003e follows young \u003cstrong\u003eMahito Maki\u003c\/strong\u003e, who relocates to the countryside after losing his mother during the Pacific War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere he encounters a strange Grey Heron who draws him toward an abandoned tower and eventually into an extraordinary alternate world populated by fantastical creatures, mysterious ancestors and shifting boundaries between life and death.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the Japanese title is borrowed from \u003cstrong\u003eGenzaburō Yoshino’s 1937 novel \u003cem\u003eHow Do You Live?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, Studio Ghibli has explicitly stated that the film itself tells an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Miyazaki story rather than adapting the novel’s narrative\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe film features music by Miyazaki’s longtime collaborator \u003cstrong\u003eJoe Hisaishi\u003c\/strong\u003e, with production by \u003cstrong\u003eToshio Suzuki\u003c\/strong\u003e. The Japanese voice cast includes \u003cstrong\u003eSoma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Takuya Kimura, Yoshino Kimura, Shōhei Hino and Kaoru Kobayashi\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInternational significance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing its Japanese release, \u003cem\u003eThe Boy and the Heron\u003c\/em\u003e became one of the most internationally acclaimed films of Miyazaki’s career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt won the \u003cstrong\u003eAcademy Award for Best Animated Feature\u003c\/strong\u003e, as well as the \u003cstrong\u003eGolden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Animated\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eBAFTA Award for Animated Film\u003c\/strong\u003e, confirming the film as one of the major achievements of contemporary animation. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor collectors, this original Japanese poster therefore documents not only Miyazaki’s return to cinema but also an extraordinary experiment in film marketing: \u003cstrong\u003ea worldwide cultural event initially represented by one strange, beautiful image and almost nothing else\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExcellent+.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA particularly strong example with \u003cstrong\u003ebeautifully preserved colour, clean cream margins and excellent overall presentation\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe deep blue brushwork, warm ochre beak and eye, and vivid red typography remain exceptionally fresh and well defined. There are only \u003cstrong\u003every minor signs of handling or storage consistent with an original theatrical poster\u003c\/strong\u003e, with no significant condition issue affecting the artwork, title or margins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheet presents extremely cleanly overall and retains the crisp, minimalist appearance that is so important to this design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOnce framed, it will display exceptionally well.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease review the photograph carefully—it shows the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis is not a reproduction or decorative reprint. It is an original Japanese theatrical promotional poster from the film’s 2023 first-release campaign.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57250811216250,"sku":null,"price":200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/wall-shelf-with-ornaments-2026-09-10T062826.513.jpg?v=1788989325","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/the-boy-and-the-heron-original-release-japanese-movie-poster-2023-b2-size-51-x-73cm-copy","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}