"Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature", (長篇怪獣映画ウルトラマン), Ultra-Rare Original First-Release Japanese Movie Poster 1967, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) M200

An exceptionally rare original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for Toho’s first release of Feature-Length Kaiju Movie: Ultraman (長篇怪獣映画ウルトラマン) in 1967.

Released on 22 July 1967, this was the first theatrical film in the Ultraman franchise. As country-of-origin theatrical paper advertising the first cinema appearance of one of Japan’s most internationally recognized screen heroes, it represents an important surviving artefact from the formative years of postwar Japanese tokusatsu.

Finding a first-release poster for a children’s and family production from the 1960s is exceptionally difficult. This example is preserved in Excellent+ condition, extremely close to Near Mint, making it a remarkable, museum-quality survivor.

Film background

The original Ultraman television series was produced by Tsuburaya Productions and broadcast on TBS between July 1966 and April 1967. Its combination of science fiction, miniature effects, memorable monsters and a towering extraterrestrial hero rapidly became a nationwide cultural phenomenon.

For the franchise’s first theatrical presentation, four episodes directed by Hajime Tsuburaya were re-edited into a 79-minute feature:

• Episode 1: “Ultra Operation No. 1”, featuring Bemular
• Episode 8: “The Monster Anarchy Zone”, featuring Red King, Chandlar, Magular and Pigmon
• Episodes 26 and 27: “The Monster Highness”, featuring Gomora

The television material was enlarged from its original 16mm format for 35mm theatrical exhibition. The resulting feature introduced cinema audiences to Hayata’s encounter with the being from Nebula M78, the formation of their shared identity as Ultraman and a succession of the television series’ most celebrated monster battles.

The film was directed by Hajime Tsuburaya, with supervision by his father, legendary special-effects pioneer Eiji Tsuburaya, special-effects work associated with Koichi Takano, and music by Kunio Miyauchi.

The cast includes Susumu Kurobe as Shin Hayata, Akiji Kobayashi as Captain Muramatsu, Hiroko Sakurai as Akiko Fuji, Masanari Nihei as Mitsuhiro Ide, Sandayū Dokumamushi as Daisuke Arashi and Bin Furuya as Ultraman.

The feature was released by Toho as part of a theatrical programme with King Kong Escapes. At a time when many Japanese households still watched television in black and white, the promise of seeing Ultraman and his monsters enlarged on the cinema screen in colour was a major attraction. The poster consequently gives unusual prominence to:

「カラー作品」
“A colour production.”

Poster design

The poster employs an extraordinary photographic montage that places Ultraman at colossal scale, dominating almost the entire composition. He is shown performing his instantly recognizable cross-armed Spacium Ray pose, with his silver-and-red body, illuminated eyes and blue Color Timer presented in brilliant colour.

The exaggerated scale makes Ultraman appear to project forward from the surface of the poster, while the surrounding monsters, aircraft, explosions and members of the Science Patrol create an exceptionally dense field of action.

The enormous red Japanese title:

「ウルトラマン」

runs vertically down the left side. Beside it, the green lettering identifies the production as:

「長篇怪獣映画」
“Feature-Length Kaiju Movie.”

The combination of red, green and yellow typography gives the poster the immediacy of a children’s adventure publication while preserving the photographic spectacle of Toho and Tsuburaya’s theatrical advertising.

The monster roster

The design assembles the principal creatures represented in the feature:

• Red King — the immense, rock-skinned monster occupying the left side
• Chandlar — the winged creature positioned above the title
• Gomora — the powerful crescent-horned kaiju at the lower left
• Magular — the dark, heavily spiked subterranean monster
• Bemular — shown projecting flame beneath Ultraman
• Pigmon — the small red creature positioned at the lower right

Each monster is individually identified in Japanese, turning the poster into an illustrated index of several of the franchise’s earliest and most important kaiju.

At the bottom right, the uniformed members of the **Science Special Search Party—more commonly known internationally as the Science Patrol—**aim their Super Guns towards the surrounding threats. Their bright orange uniforms provide a strong human counterpoint to the gigantic figures above.

Tagline and musical border

The sweeping yellow text along the right declares:

「シュワーッ！ぼくらの味方ウルトラマン！怪獣どもをやっつけろ！」

“Shuwatch! Ultraman is our ally! Defeat the monsters!”

One of the poster’s most delightful graphic details is the blue musical notation running around its outer border. Based upon the familiar musical identity of Ultraman, it gives the design a celebratory, almost participatory quality—as though children viewing the poster were being invited to recall and sing the television theme.

The Toho mark at the upper right and the period Tsuburaya and copyright information along the lower edge confirm its place within the official 1967 theatrical campaign.

Historical importance

Ultraman helped establish the kyodai hero, or giant-hero, tradition that became fundamental to Japanese special-effects entertainment. Its recurring structure—a human linked to an extraterrestrial protector, transforming to confront a new giant monster—created a durable model for the Ultra Series and influenced generations of later filmmakers, designers and animators.

The programme’s monsters also became central to Japan’s growing sofubi toy culture. Characters such as Red King, Gomora, Bemular and Pigmon remain recognizable and commercially important nearly six decades later.

As the poster for the first Ultraman theatrical film, this piece stands at the beginning of a cinema history that now encompasses numerous films, television generations and an international audience.

Condition

This poster is in Excellent+ condition, extremely close to Near Mint.

The front presents extraordinarily well, with exceptionally strong colour, sharp photographic detail, clean margins and vivid typography. The paper retains an excellent overall appearance, with only minimal evidence of age or handling.

Faint original fold lines are visible but remain remarkably unobtrusive and do not detract from the image. The verso shows mild natural age toning and the characteristic show-through of the deeply printed red title ink. This is consistent with authentic, relatively thin Japanese theatrical paper of the period and is not staining or restoration.

Most importantly, there is no tape, no significant paper loss, no notable tears, no heavy foxing and no obvious display pinholes. Only a few isolated age-related marks are visible on the verso.

For an original children’s theatrical poster printed in 1967, its state of preservation is exceptional. Please refer to the photographs of both the front and verso of the exact poster offered for sale.

It is almost 60 years old.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.