Magic Boy 1959 Japanese B2 Poster

This is a 1959 Japanese B2 Poster (20.3" x 28.7") for the Japanese animated feature film "Magic Boy", known in Japan as Shōnen Sarutobi Sasuke (少年猿飛佐助). Produced by Toei Animation, it holds a significant place in history as the first anime film ever released theatrically in the United States, where it was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in June 1961.

Released in December 25, 1959 (Japan); June 22, 1961 (USA), the story is about a young boy named Sasuke who lives in a forest with his sister and animal friends. After a sorceress devours one of his pets, Sasuke embarks on a journey to learn powerful ninja skills from a master to defeat her and save Japan.

Produced by Hiroshi Ōkawa (大川博). Directed by Akira Daikubara and Taiji Yabushita. The voice cast featured prominent actors from Toei's live-action period dramas, including Katsuo Nakamura as Sasuke and Hiroko Sakuramachi. It was the first Japanese animated feature film produced in Cinemascope(widescreen).

The film gained international acclaim, winning the Grand Prix in the children's film category at the Venice International Film Festival (as mentioned on the poster text).The character Sasuke Sarutobi is a legendary fictional ninja who has since inspired numerous other famous characters, most notably in the Naruto series.