“Sanguelia” (サンゲリア), Original First Release Japanese Movie Poster 1980, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) ZA661

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1980 for the first Japanese release of Sanguelia (サンゲリア), Lucio Fulci’s notorious Italian horror classic, released internationally as Zombie or Zombi 2, and starring Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, and Olga Karlatos.

Among collectors of European horror and Japanese poster design alike, this is one of the most memorable and visually arresting Japanese release posters of the period. The film itself has long since achieved cult-classic status, while the Japanese campaign is especially admired for its distinctive retitling and bold, highly graphic presentation. Sanguelia is now regarded as one of the iconic imported horror titles of the early 1980s Japanese market.

Film background
Produced in 1979 and released in Japan in 1980, Sanguelia follows a young woman and a journalist as they investigate a mysterious island in the Caribbean where the dead are returning to life as flesh-eating zombies. What begins as an eerie mystery quickly descends into one of the most visceral and unforgettable horror films of its era.

Directed by Lucio Fulci—frequently and justifiably described as the “Godfather of Gore”—the film became internationally famous for its uncompromising atmosphere, graphic practical effects, and a number of set-pieces that have become legendary among horror audiences. Most famous of all is the extraordinary underwater sequence involving a zombie and a tiger shark, alongside the film’s unforgettable imagery of rotting, worm-infested undead.

Although originally conceived in the commercial wake of Dawn of the Dead, which had been released in Italy as Zombi, Fulci’s film ultimately established a reputation entirely its own. Over the decades it has become one of the defining works of late-1970s / early-1980s Euro-horror and remains one of the essential titles in the Fulci canon.

Poster design
The Japanese poster is exceptionally strong and highly characteristic of the period’s imported horror marketing. Toho-Towa coined the title 「サンゲリア」 / Sanguelia, a memorable hybrid evoking “sangue” (blood) while also recalling the sensational impact of titles such as Suspiria, creating an unforgettable Japanese-market identity.

The design is built around a stark black field, against which a blood-red Manhattan skyline glows ominously in the centre. Emerging from within the red cityscape is the haunting partial face of Olga Karlatos, giving the poster a surreal, almost hallucinatory intensity. At lower right lies a corpse-like figure wrapped in a vivid blue shroud, a striking chromatic counterpoint that intensifies the macabre mood.

Above, the title SANGUELIA is rendered in huge cracked white Roman letters, while the Japanese title 「サンゲリア」 at the bottom appears in a thick, blood-textured red treatment that seems almost smeared across the sheet. The bright green tagline across the top reads:

「心臓一撃 いま80年最大のショックが襲いかかる！」
“A shock to the heart—the greatest shock of 1980 strikes now!”

The overall result is a poster of remarkable graphic force: minimal, sinister, lurid, and instantly memorable. It stands as one of the great Japanese horror poster designs of the period.

Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original 1980 Japanese theatrical release.

It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.

Condition
Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with strong colour, clean paper, and superb overall display presence.

Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 40 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.