Tag: ‘60s’

Vintage political posters

22 Nov 2010

Here is a selection of old Japanese posters featuring political, social and environmental messages.

Political poster from Japan --
Sheltered Weaklings (Takashi Kono, 1953) [+]

Political poster from Japan --
Anti-pollution poster (Kenji Ito, 1973)

Political poster from Japan --
Against the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan (Kinkichi Takahashi, 1960s)

Political poster from Japan -- Political poster from Japan --
Anti-war poster (Kenji Iwasaki, 1960s) [+] // Give Us Back Man (Tsunehisa Kimura, 1969) [+]

Political poster from Japan --
Poster for exhibit in support of Vietnamese women and children (Makoto Wada, 1968)

See more vintage political posters »

Posters by Kazumasa Nagai

08 Nov 2010

Here is a collection of posters by graphic artist Kazumasa Nagai from the 1960s and 1970s.

Poster by Kazumasa Nagai --
Kōrakuen Jumbo Pool, 1973

Poster by Kazumasa Nagai --
Growth - Life Science Library, 1966

Poster by Kazumasa Nagai --
Toshiba IC, 1967

Poster by Kazumasa Nagai --
The Mind - Life Science Library, 1965

Poster by Kazumasa Nagai --
Expo '75 - International Ocean Exposition, 1975

See more posters by Kazumasa Nagai »

Tetsujin 28 manga covers (1956-1966)

20 Oct 2010

Tetsujin 28-gō, the famous Japanese robot manga series written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, ran as a monthly insert in Shōnen Magazine from July 1956 to May 1966. The manga follows the adventures of a 10-year-old boy named Shotarō and his giant crime-fighting robot named Tetsujin 28 (a.k.a "Gigantor" in the US), which was originally built by the boy's late father as a secret weapon for the Japanese military during World War II.

Here are some scans of the manga covers (from the mook Yokoyama Mitsuteru Manga Taizen).

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
July 1956

Tetsujin 28 manga cover art -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
September 1956 [+] // October 1956 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
February 1957 [+] // April 1957 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover art -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
August 1957 [+] // October 1957 [+]

Gigantor manga cover --

Gigantor comic cover art -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
November 1957 [+] // December 1957 [+]

Tetsujin-gō 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
April 1958 [+] // November 1958 [+]

Tetsujin 28-go manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
June 1958 [+] // December 1958 [+]

Iron Man 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
March 1959 [+] // July 1959 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover art --

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
August 1959 [+] // September 1959 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
April 1960 [+] // June 1960 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
July 1960 [+] // August 1960 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
October 1960 [+] // November 1960 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
December 1960

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
March 1961 [+] // August 1961 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
November 1961

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
January 1962 [+] // May 1962 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
February 1962

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
September 1962 [+] // December 1962 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
August 1962

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
February 1963 [+] // April 1963 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
November 1963 [+] // December 1963 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
January 1964 [+] // July 1964 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover --

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
January 1965 [+] // March 1965 [+]

Tetsujin 28 manga cover -- Tetsujin 28 manga cover --
September 1965 [+] // October 1965 [+]

Sci-fi illustrations by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

21 Jun 2010

Here is a collection of sci-fi illustrations by the prolific Shigeru Komatsuzaki (1915-2001), whose fantastic work appeared on plastic model kit boxes and in magazines and picture books in the 1960s to 1970s. Click the "+" under each image for a larger view.

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
The Missiler, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Giant Shocker Machine, 1975 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Space colony, 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Crawler, 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Mobile marine airport, 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Tokyo volcano, ca. 1965

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Attack Boy, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Undersea super tunnel, 1981 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
SHADO-mobile, ca. 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
UFO, ca. 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Solar City, 1982 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 1, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 2, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 3, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird ships, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Rikishi Boy, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Frog car boat, 1961 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Baron car boat, 1961 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Highway rescue boat, 1981 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Space train, 1981

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Moon bus [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Air car [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
HariHari, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Sea monster battle, 1954 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
The Mole (Jet-Mogura Tank), 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 6 - Sky-Ship 1, 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird Mars Explorer - Zero X, 1967 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Proteus Bluebird CN7, 1963 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Long John - Spirit of America, 1963 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Earthquake, 1979 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Guardman Robot, 1970 [+]

* * * *

Edit: A few more images. (Thanks, Franz!)

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Underground metropolis, ca. 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
World Space Force, 1982 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Horizon Car, ca. 1960 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Ark of Space, 1968 [+]

Illustrations of future robots (1969)

28 Jan 2010

"Robot Age," a series of illustrations published by Shōnen Sunday magazine in 1969, offers a glimpse into a utopian future populated by sophisticated robots.

Robot Age magazine, 1969 --
Robot workers [View full image]

In the coming Robot Age, assembly lines will be manned by tireless robot workers. Once the robots start building newer and better versions of themselves, the need for human factory workers will cease to exist.

Robot Age magazine, 1969 --
Robot nanny [View full image]

Autonomous robot nannies will care for the kids when mom is busy. In addition to singing and playing games, these gentle robots will breastfeed babies and cuddle them when they cry.

Robot Age magazine, 1969 --
Surgical micro-robots [View full image]

Surgical micro-robots that navigate the human body will usher in a new era of medicine. Equipped with lasers and tiny hands, these miniature machines will be able to perform delicate operations inside the body (such as replacing damaged blood vessels with artificial ones), reducing the need for open surgery.

[Images via: Tokyo Scum Brigade]

- See also: Computopia: Old visions of a high-tech future

Mechani-Kong and Dr. Who’s secret pyramid base

20 Nov 2009

In 1967, Shōnen Magazine published a set of illustrations detailing the secret weapons of Dr. Who, an evil scientist bent on capturing King Kong who regularly appeared in "The King Kong Show," a popular animated series on Japanese and US television at the time (not related to the British "Doctor Who").

Mechanikong of Dr. Who --
[View full image]

"Death Battle with Robot Kong," an illustration by Takashi Minamimura, features a cutaway diagram of Robot Kong, also known as "Mechani-Kong" in the US version of the cartoon and in the 1967 spin-off film "King Kong Escapes." Built to defeat King Kong, the 50-meter tall remote-control robot is powered by a 200,000-kilowatt nuclear reactor and can shoot laser beams from its eyes and poison gas from its nose.

Mechanikong of evil Dr. Who -- Mechanikong of evil Dr. Who --

The accompanying text describes Dr. Who's sinister plans to capture King Kong, place a mind-control helmet on his head, and use him to hijack ships and rob banks. He estimates King Kong can carry about 100 million yen in cash in his giant paws.

Secret pyramid base of evil Dr. Who --
[View full image]

Appearing in the same issue of Shōnen Magazine is a schematic illustration by Takayoshi Mizuki entitled "Secret Pyramid Base," which shows Dr. Who's secret base inside one of the Giza pyramids in Egypt.

Secret pyramid base of Dr. Who --

The pyramid is equipped with advanced military hardware, including 3D radar, jet launchers, recoilless guns, flamethrowers, rocket launchers, and military tanks that burrow underground. Dr. Who monitors all the action from a wall of TV screens in his room at the center of the pyramid. The base is powered by a nuclear reactor in the basement and surrounded by giant ant-lion sand traps.

Secret pyramid base of evil Dr. Who --

Situated nearby is a giant nuclear-powered Sphinx Tank. King Kong battles a variation of this weaponized Sphinx in an episode of "The King Kong Show." (Watch "The Jinx of the Sphinx.")

The diabolical Dr. Who and Mechani-Kong also appear in the 1967 film "King Kong Escapes," which was an adaptation of some of the cartoon episodes.

King Kong Escapes --

In the film, King Kong is captured and hypnotized by Dr. Who, but he eventually snaps out of it and escapes to Tokyo. Dr. Who sends Mechani-Kong after him, and the two end up in a battle to the death atop Tokyo Tower.


+ King Kong Escapes - US trailer

[Images via: 昭和の雑誌広告・懐かしモノ]

Computopia: Old visions of a high-tech future

22 Oct 2009

Computopia -- [+]

In 1969, Shōnen Sunday magazine featured a series of illustrated articles entitled "Computopia," which depicted life in a pleasant future pervaded by computers. Here are three illustrations from the series (1, 2, 3).

* * * * *

- Future Classroom

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

"The Rise of the Computerized School," illustrated by Shigeru Komatsuzaki, takes a peek inside the classroom of the future, where the teacher is an image on a screen and students sit at desks equipped with computers. When the teacher presents a problem, the students input the answer into their computers. If an answer is incorrect, the students use a light pen to make revisions on the monitor until the computer says it is right.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

For the purpose of maintaining order, the future classroom will come equipped with watchful robots that rap students on the head if they lose focus or act up. [View full image]

* * * * *

- Future Home

This illustration by Toshio Okazaki, entitled "Computer Life in 20 Years," depicts what the typical household might look like 20 years in the future -- in 1989 -- after computers have become an integral part of daily life.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

In this high-tech home, dad chats on the videophone while the wall-mounted home computer spits out a newspaper and the automatic air conditioner cools the room.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

Junior's eyes are glued to the 3D TV while an autonomous vacuum robot cleans the floor nearby. A hovercraft floats in the sky outside the window.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

Mom performs calculations on a miniature home computer.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

The home is also furnished with nifty devices such as an automatic iron, an autonomous wheeled table that keeps food warm, and a kitchen robot that sets the table and takes care of the dishes. [View full image]

* * * * *

- Future Hospital

"The Amazing Unmanned Operating Room," illustrated by Teruya Yamamoto, takes a peek inside the computerized hospital of the future.

Computopia, old visions of a computerized future --

In this unmanned operating room, a computer-controlled robot arm is performing a heart transplant with cool precision. The patient's heart has been removed and placed on the adjacent table. Before inserting the new artificial heart, the computer waits for instructions from the human doctor, who is monitoring the procedure on a screen in the next room. [View full image]

[Via: 昭和の雑誌広告・懐かしモノ]

Sonosheet cover art

11 Sep 2009

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Mirrorman

In the 1960s and 1970s, Japan saw an explosion in the popularity of sonosheets -- cheap, flexible phonograph records printed on thin sheets of vinyl. Widely available from a variety of publishers, the most popular sonosheets featured theme music from TV anime, manga and tokusatsu, and they often came packaged inside booklets featuring colorful artwork. The sonosheet boom was short-lived, though -- many companies went under as the market became flooded in the 1970s, and the phenomenon all but disappeared by the 1980s. Here is a small sample of the vast array of sonosheet cover art from that era.

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultra Q [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman vs. Iceman

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Vampire

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Captain Ultra

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman (back cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ambassador Magma [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
GeGeGe no Kitaro (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
GeGeGe no Kitaro (back cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Falcon of Shidenkai [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Kaiki Daisakusen (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Kaiki Daisakusen (back cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Daikaij?sen

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Space boy Soran [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Thunderbirds [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Tetsujin Tiger Seven/ Inazuman/ Diamond Eye

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultraman (front cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultraman (back cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Henshin Ninja Arashi

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Frankenstein [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Robot Detective (front cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Robot Detective (inside) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Space Monsters

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultra Seven

[More]

Psychedelic posters by Aquirax Uno

27 Aug 2009

Graphic artist Aquirax Uno, a prominent figure in the Japanese underground art scene of the 1960s-1970s, is famous for creating psychedelic posters featuring strange (and occasionally grotesque) eroticism, bright colors, and elements of collage.

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
First Love Inferno, 1968 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Keiko's at Marubutsu Department Store, 1967 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Michelangelo's Expression, 1968 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Display Exhibition, 1969 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Untitled, from "Mono Aquirax" [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Sailor 21 Gold Fountain Pen, 1968 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
"Aquirax Uno Collection" Exhibition Poster, 1968 [+]

Poster by Aquirax Uno --
Mini Books, 1967 [+]

The images here (and more like them) are from the website of Tara Sinn, who has also posted a 2007 interview with Uno.

A selection of Uno's original posters can also viewed at Kawasaki City Museum as part of the "Graphic Design in the 60s and 70s" exhibit that runs until October 4 (free).