"Un Amour de Sorcière / Witch Way Love" (ヴァネッサ・パラディの奥サマは魔女), Original Japanese Release Movie Poster 1999, Artwork by Hisashi Eguchi, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) R4
This is an original Japanese B2 poster printed in 1999 for the first Japanese theatrical release of René Manzor’s French fantasy romantic comedy Un Amour de Sorcière, internationally known as Witch Way Love. Created specifically for the Japanese market, this exceptional poster features original artwork by celebrated manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Eguchi.
The printed credit confirms: “illustration inspirée du film ©1999 HISASHI EGUCHI,” with the advertising material’s graphic design credited to Chisako Suzuki.
Film background
Originally released in France in 1997, Un Amour de Sorcière stars Vanessa Paradis as Morgane, a benevolent witch attempting to protect her infant son Arthur from the sinister sorcerer Molok, played by Jean Reno. To break the magical inheritance threatening her child, Morgane seeks the help of American inventor Michael Firth, played by Gil Bellows, whose fate is mysteriously connected to Arthur’s.
Directed by René Manzor, the film blends romantic comedy, supernatural fantasy and fairy-tale adventure. Its cast also includes Jeanne Moreau, with the Japanese campaign prominently emphasizing the considerable domestic popularity of Vanessa Paradis and Jean Reno.
The localized Japanese title, ヴァネッサ・パラディの奥サマは魔女, may be translated as Vanessa Paradis’s “My Wife Is a Witch.” It deliberately echoes 奥さまは魔女, the familiar Japanese title of the classic American television series Bewitched, immediately communicating the film’s playful combination of romance, domestic comedy and magic.
Poster design
Rather than adapting the film’s European photographic campaign, the Japanese distributor commissioned a distinctive illustrated composition by Hisashi Eguchi. Against a spacious cream-white background, Eguchi transforms the principal cast into stylish, sharply observed pop-art figures.
Vanessa Paradis dominates the composition in a vivid red dress and matching shoes, her flowing hair and elegant pose displaying Eguchi’s celebrated ability to combine manga linework with contemporary fashion illustration. The magical infant Arthur floats playfully overhead, while Jean Reno’s Molok forms a strong central silhouette in black, holding his slender wand. Gil Bellows appears at the right in a blue jacket, striped shirt and red necktie, completing a carefully balanced red, blue, black and cream palette.
The restrained negative space and oversized pastel lettering give the poster the appearance of a sophisticated late-1990s fashion or music advertisement. The French title, Un Amour de Sorcière, appears in translucent blue and yellow typography behind the Japanese lettering, while the vertical tagline reads:
愛の魔法で、あなたを守ってあげたい。
“With the magic of love, I want to protect you.”
Hisashi Eguchi artwork
Hisashi Eguchi is one of the most influential Japanese manga artists and commercial illustrators of his generation. He first achieved widespread recognition through manga including Susume!! Pirates and Stop!! Hibari-kun!, before becoming particularly celebrated for his precise linework, fashion-conscious portraits and modern interpretations of bijin-ga—the Japanese tradition of depicting beautiful women.
From the 1990s onward, Eguchi’s unmistakable imagery became highly sought after for advertising campaigns, record sleeves, magazines and other commercial commissions. His clean outlines, carefully controlled colour and acute awareness of contemporary fashion helped establish a visual language that remains immediately recognizable.
This poster is therefore collectible on two levels: as original Japanese theatrical advertising and as an authentic, officially credited Hisashi Eguchi artwork. Its bespoke Japanese-market illustration makes it considerably more distinctive than conventional photographic posters produced for the film elsewhere.
This poster is in excellent condition, retaining a clean, bright background, strong colours and crisp printed detail. Please refer to the supplied imagery of the exact poster and its printed Eguchi credit.
It is over 25 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
