Nikkatsu (Japan)
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Logo descriptions and captures by kidinbed, Lazlow and CokeFan12
Videos by shimomov, Peakpasha, CokeFan12, LogicSmash, EnormousRat, Moe Szyslak (a.k.a. CenturyUniversalify), szjdfgsALT and LogosForTheWin
Background: Nikkatsu is one of the "big five" Japanese film studios (the others are Kadokawa Daiei, Shochiku, Toho and Toei). Nikkatsu was formed by four film companies merger in 1912. It was later bought by the game company Namco in 1996, but with the merger of Namco and Bandai in 2005, it was sold off to Index Holdings. Nikkatsu gained fame in the 1960's when they produced big-budget films about yakuza, and they gained even more fame in Japan when they released adult films such as the Roman Porn series of films. Today Nikkatsu releases films from all sorts of genres. In September 2012, Nikkatsu celebrated its 100th anniversary.
1st Logo
(Late 1920's)
Background: Nikkatsu is one of the "big five" Japanese film studios (the others are Kadokawa Daiei, Shochiku, Toho and Toei). Nikkatsu was formed by four film companies merger in 1912. It was later bought by the game company Namco in 1996, but with the merger of Namco and Bandai in 2005, it was sold off to Index Holdings. Nikkatsu gained fame in the 1960's when they produced big-budget films about yakuza, and they gained even more fame in Japan when they released adult films such as the Roman Porn series of films. Today Nikkatsu releases films from all sorts of genres. In September 2012, Nikkatsu celebrated its 100th anniversary.
1st Logo
(Late 1920's)
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Logo: On a black background a white circle with a bird inside. The company's name is around the circle.
FX/SFX: None. The logo is very shaky.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
2nd Logo
FX/SFX: None. The logo is very shaky.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
2nd Logo
(1935-1937)
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Logo: The bunched-up "NK" inside the white circle outline (the Nikkatsu emblem) is on a gray background with the company's name under it.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
Logo: Same as the last logo, but on the white wood-like background and has the addition of the kanji "製作".
Nicknames: "NK with Spikes", "NK Star"
Logo: On a background with different colored moving spikes, we see the Nikkatsu "NK" and the kanji 日活株式会社製作 , which mean "A Nikkatsu Corporation Production".
Variant: In some cases, the "NK" is in metallic gold.
FX/SFX: The different colored moving spikes. Pretty good animation.
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: Among other things, it's available on the Roman Porn films.
Editor's Note: None.
7th Logo
(1980's)
FX/SFX: This is what you call a logo update! The same concept of the 6th logo, redone in good-looking live action and brighter colors.
Music/Sounds: A portion of "Danse des cygnes" from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
8th Logo
(Late 1980's)
FX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
9th Logo
(1990's)
FX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
10th Logo
(Early 2000's)
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
3rd Logo
(1937-1940)
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Logo: Same as before, only the background now has vertical stripes.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
4th Logo
(1940 - 1955)
(1940 - 1955)
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Logo: Same as before, but now the emblem looks as if it was hewn out of rock. The emblem is smooth, while the background is rough.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Extremely Rare.
Editor's Note: None.
5th Logo
(1950's - Late 60's)
(1950's - Late 60's)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu logo 1" height="230" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/MZY4BHDKpN34Ia8gw345Bg110907/GW377H230" title="Nikkatsu logo 1" width="377"/>
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Logo: Same as the last logo, but on the white wood-like background and has the addition of the kanji "製作".
Variant: On color movies, the emblem is red.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Rare. Seen on yakuza films of the time period, as well as Nikkatsu's first films, like Buta to Gunkan.
Editor's Note: None.
6th Logo
(Late 60's-Late '70s?)
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: Rare. Seen on yakuza films of the time period, as well as Nikkatsu's first films, like Buta to Gunkan.
Editor's Note: None.
6th Logo
(Late 60's-Late '70s?)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu (1970s)" height="183" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/73240fb92dd3ff4655d8dccd15e8b437/GW322H183" title="Nikkatsu (1970s)" width="322"/><img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu logo 2" height="184" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/2beXRBzBXVzrM_1Y_8CH-g109835/GW271H184" title="Nikkatsu logo 2" width="271"/>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="186" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/a3eefaae1f3dd2a2ab7ada1c9a0dee1f63867a98" width="329"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" height="186" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/025c60a7281562736c477d43cfd429ffd5d0de6b" width="329"></iframe>
Logo: On a background with different colored moving spikes, we see the Nikkatsu "NK" and the kanji 日活株式会社製作 , which mean "A Nikkatsu Corporation Production".
Variant: In some cases, the "NK" is in metallic gold.
FX/SFX: The different colored moving spikes. Pretty good animation.
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: Among other things, it's available on the Roman Porn films.
Editor's Note: None.
7th Logo
(1980's)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu" height="202" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/48b776c236cb4aa39dac9517bad1a744/GW343H202" title="Nikkatsu" width="343"/><iframe align="bottom" frameborder="0" height="202" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/5cba559a05ea107f00c825f9cc7d7a5f2cc18d33" width="357"></iframe>
Logo: Essentially an updated version of the 6th logo. On a background with blue moving spikes, the abstract N in red and orange colors appears turning up, and Japanese text appears below.FX/SFX: This is what you call a logo update! The same concept of the 6th logo, redone in good-looking live action and brighter colors.
Music/Sounds: A portion of "Danse des cygnes" from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
8th Logo
(Late 1980's)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu (1986)" height="195" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/8e0903ef3219c1b91ee07b1c4cd6f729/GW344H195" title="Nikkatsu (1986)" width="344"/><iframe frameborder="0" height="206" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/genericvideo/78e6cf6511fc8df03ac8e69d91a05a72cb85df9b" width="366"></iframe>
Logo: TBAFX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
9th Logo
(1990's)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu (1992)" height="205" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/3/eb2cfdc313fb021be15ec01a8f3c4973/GW339H205" title="Nikkatsu (1992)" width="339"/><iframe frameborder="0" height="212" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/genericvideo/3d797a034178adc95c01da80e085a9c9e0dbb1fa" width="375"></iframe>
Logo: TBAFX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: TBA
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
10th Logo
(Early 2000's)
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu (2001)" height="185" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/1/mwQUbena4VI2g-6ab6kLKg41752/GW398H185" title="Nikkatsu (2001)" width="398"/><iframe frameborder="0" height="191" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/genericvideo/25d8b13c4e3a51f49bcd6de95874e03badc8858c" width="338"></iframe>
Logo: TBA
FX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
11th (known) Logo
(2000's- )
Nickname: "Majestic Filmreel NK"
Logo: We start near to the moving copper rods and move further to reveal the inner structure of film projector with filmstrip running. Then we zoom out into light and folded joined NK figure flies to the center, surrounded by trembling light. The name appears below, in later releases with the addition reading "SINCE 1912".
FX/SFX: Outstanding animation, a great improvement over past logos.
Music/Sounds: A soft soundtrack.
Availability: Seen on new Nikkatsu films, including Yattaman.
Editor's Note: None.
FX/SFX: TBA
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: TBA
Editor's Note: TBA
11th (known) Logo
(2000's- )
<img align="bottom" alt="Nikkatsu (2010)" height="216" src="http://image.wikifoundry.com/image/1/lTnjSexFEDyjaVnmmjStJQ26421/GW395H216" title="Nikkatsu (2010)" width="395"/>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="186" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/36d5ada526dd9985d6c55848950da63917766577" width="329"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" height="186" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/8242f0884363cfab2a0b57e0352f6ae5473e6af4" width="329"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" height="186" src="http://wikifoundrytools.com/wiki/closinglogos/widget/unknown/16ec37dfec14f8f2f6ab78583827a7204f501f4a" width="329"></iframe>
Nickname: "Majestic Filmreel NK"
Logo: We start near to the moving copper rods and move further to reveal the inner structure of film projector with filmstrip running. Then we zoom out into light and folded joined NK figure flies to the center, surrounded by trembling light. The name appears below, in later releases with the addition reading "SINCE 1912".
FX/SFX: Outstanding animation, a great improvement over past logos.
Music/Sounds: A soft soundtrack.
Availability: Seen on new Nikkatsu films, including Yattaman.
Editor's Note: None.