“The War of the Gargantuas” (フランケンシュタインの怪獣 サンダ対ガイラ), 1966 Japanese B2 Poster (First Release), Rare, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73.5 cm) (G)
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster issued in Japan for Ishirô Honda’s landmark Toho kaiju film The War of the Gargantuas (Japanese title: Frankenstein no Kaijū: Sanda tai Gaira). With its towering red title typography, lightning-slashed sky, and Tokyo-in-flames spectacle, it is one of the most visually commanding non-Godzilla Toho designs of the 1960s—and an ultra-rare example to find in excellent condition.
It is the first time we have had this poster in our gallery since 2021.
The poster has been professionally conserved and backed with traditional Japanese washi to museum standards, bringing it to a beautifully flat, stable, display-ready state. A tiny top-centre split and minor edge stress expertly mended using hand-torn kozo washi and reversible, pH-neutral wheat starch paste—a centuries-old technique used for sutras and ukiyo-e that creates strong, flexible, near-invisible repairs while respecting the original fibres. The result is a poster whose colours still blaze more than sixty years on.
Film background
Directed by Ishirô Honda and released in 1966, The War of the Gargantuas is widely regarded as one of the darkest and most intense entries in the wider Toho kaiju canon—celebrated for its grim tone, furious physicality, and peak-era practical effects.
The film centres on two gigantic humanoid “Gargantuas,” spawned from the discarded cells of the Frankenstein monster (a connection explored in the earlier Frankenstein Conquers the World). The story follows the “brother” monsters: Sanda, a gentle brown giant raised by humans in the mountains, and Gaira, a violent green sea-dwelling man-eater who begins terrorizing Japan’s coast. When the military deploys high-tech Maser weaponry to trap Gaira, Sanda intervenes—only to realise his sibling is a human-devouring predator. The result is a tragic, unwilling battle that culminates in a fiery showdown in Tokyo.
Starring Russ Tamblyn, Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, Nobuo Nakamura, and Jun Tazaki. Directed by Ishirô Honda.
Cult status and influence
The film has attained legendary cult status and is often cited as one of the best non-Godzilla kaiju films ever made. It has also been repeatedly referenced by major filmmakers and artists: Guillermo del Toro has spoken about the kaiju films that shaped his imagination (with Pacific Rim often discussed in that lineage), and Quentin Tarantino has referenced the brutal, physical rhythm of monster-on-monster combat as a creative touchstone when discussing cinematic fight energy. The film is also famous for its surreal, unforgettable musical sequence—“The Words Get Stuck in My Throat”—a tonal curveball that only makes the picture more mythic to collectors.
Poster design
A masterclass in mid-60s Toho impact: the composition is dominated by enormous, distressed red katakana title lettering, set against a storm-lit battle tableau—lightning cracking through a deep twilight sky, aircraft and wreckage slicing the air, and the two Gargantuas locked in a moment of imminent violence. Beneath, an arcing modern expressway cuts across an inferno-orange Tokyo, turning the city into a burning stage set.
One of the most striking graphic details is the sheet-music border motif running along the edge—an unusual and highly memorable design choice for a kaiju one-sheet, and a subtle nod to the film’s notorious musical moment. The overall palette—red / yellow / electric blue / ember-orange—is pure Toho spectacle, and the printing still reads as bold and dynamic today.
Rarity and condition
Japanese B2 posters were working cinema paper—printed to be displayed, handled, and discarded—making high-grade survivors genuinely difficult to find today, especially for the most desirable Toho titles. This is an ultra-rare example and an exceptional opportunity, returning to the gallery for the first time since 2021.
Condition: Excellent presentation due to professional conservation and museum-standard washi backing. Tiny split at top centre and minor edge stress expertly mended using kozo fibre washi and reversible wheat starch paste. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 55 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
A singular opportunity to acquire one of Toho’s most iconic non-Godzilla kaiju posters—rarely encountered, now restored to museum display standards, and ready to anchor a serious collection.
