“The NeverEnding Story” (ネバーエンディング・ストーリー), Original Japanese First Release Movie Poster 1985, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q212
This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1985 for the first theatrical release of The NeverEnding Story (ネバーエンディング・ストーリー), the beloved fantasy classic directed by Wolfgang Petersen and based on Michael Ende’s celebrated novel. Distributed in Japan by Toho-Towa, this is a highly appealing country-of-release poster for one of the defining fantasy films of the 1980s.
This Japanese design is especially desirable for its expansive, collage-style composition, which captures the film’s dreamlike scale and sense of wonder far more fully than many international campaign posters.
Film background
Released internationally in 1984 and in Japan in March 1985, The NeverEnding Story became one of the era’s most memorable fantasy films. The story follows Bastian, a lonely boy who discovers a mysterious book and is drawn into the endangered world of Fantasia, where the young warrior Atreyu undertakes a perilous quest to save the realm from the Nothing.
The film is remembered for its richly imaginative world-building, its mixture of adventure and melancholy, and its unforgettable characters, including Falkor the Luckdragon, the Rockbiter, the Childlike Empress, and Morla the Ancient One. It remains one of the landmark fantasy productions of its period and a touchstone of 1980s popular culture.
Poster design
This Japanese B2 poster presents a striking cosmic fantasy tableau. The upper section is dominated by a deep star-filled sky, out of which emerges the monumental face of the Rockbiter, lending the composition an epic and slightly mysterious tone. Below him glides Falkor, rendered in luminous blue as he flies across a radiant burst of white light at the centre of the design.
The main title, ネバーエンディング・ストーリー, appears boldly across the middle in large red stylised lettering with a white outline, creating a dramatic visual anchor. Above it sits the small English title, while the poster’s warm lower half opens into the glowing fantasy architecture of Fantasia, including the Ivory Tower bathed in golden light.
At lower left are portrait images of the Childlike Empress and Atreyu, giving the design a human focal point, while smaller inset scenes along the bottom add further glimpses of the film’s magical world. The top carries the vibrant Japanese tagline 「さあ、オメガ・ファンタジーの旅へ！」, encouraging viewers to embark on a journey into fantasy.
The result is a beautifully balanced design: atmospheric, richly detailed, and unmistakably rooted in the visual language of mid-1980s Japanese film promotion.
Condition
Excellent vintage condition. Please review the photos carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
This is an original Japanese theatrical poster from the 1985 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is now around 40 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
