Bandai Namco Filmworks

Background

Sunrise was founded in 1972 by former Mushi Production animators according to an interview with members of the studio. They later grew into one of the biggest animation studios in Japan, having worked on the Gundam franchise, Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, Love Live, Armored Trooper Votoms, Space Runaway Ideon, Keroro Gunso (Sgt. Frog), Dirty Pair, Tiger & Bunny, and many more. They've also co-produced stuff with other companies such as Toei (Robot Romance Trilogy (Combattler V, Voltes V, and Daimos) and Cyborg 009 (1979)), Toho (Gunhed), and Tsuburaya (The Ultraman). They have been a part of Bandai since 1993, who would later merge with Namco to form Bandai Namco Holdings in 2005.

1st Logo (March-July 1983)

Logo: On a black background, 3 beams of light strike the screen, forming a strange-looking "N". It glows for a second before a blue circle appears around it and "NIPPON SUNRISE INC." rises from the bottom of the screen. Several red rays then emerge from the circle, all before the circle flashes and they stop. The background then fades to white.

FX/SFX: The lights striking the screen, the name rising. All very choppy animation.

Music/Sounds: Something that sounds like metal waving around, ending with a futuristic gleaming sound, or none.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on Crusher Joe and Fang Of The Sun: A Documentary/Document Dougram. Other films will just have a in-credit notice.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (July 9, 1983)

Logo: On a blue background, several orange sunbursts rotate about. A humanoid figure then "swims" up to the center of the screen, bringing up the sunbursts with it before going into a pose. The figure has a plain look to it, wearing a white headband with the Japan flag attached to it, a red cape, yellow underwear, and a cyan "N" on his chest. The figure then points to his lower left and a white laser emerges from it, scanning it across the bottom of him to reveal the credit for Nippon Sunrise. It then goes back to its original pose as the sunbursts disappear.

FX/SFX: The figure swimming up, the laser.

Music/Sounds: Only the sounds of the moving and the laser.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen only on Choro Q Dougram.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (1988-1993)

Logo: On a black background, an orange streak and a blue streak swirl around and meet in the middle, before retracting. This causes the screen to flash white, and a blue/orange disc flips towards the screen, one half being solid and the other being segmented. They split into an abstract "S" shape. "SUNRISE" then zooms out and settles below the logo.

FX/SFX: The streaks spinning, the CGI logo forming.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on the Mobile Suit Gundam movies Char's Counterattack (1988), F91 (1991), and The Last Blitz of Zeon (1992).

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (1998-2006)

Logo: On a space background, a translucent Sunrise logo spins away from the screen, while another drops down and sparkles come together in the middle. The 2 copies then come together as "SUNRISE" emerges from it, but in a different font and having a segmented dot on top. The logo then ripples, causing the background and logo to fade to their proper colors.

FX/SFX: The logo forming, the ripple.

Music/Sounds: A four-note synth tune rising with every note, ending with a ding. Sometimes, there will be no sound.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen on Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz -Special Edition- (1998), Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea (2000), Crush Gear: Kaizaban's Challenge (2002), and any DVDs of Sunrise anime.

Editor's Note: None.

5th Logo (2006-present)

Logo: On a white background, Haro from the Gundam franchise rolls into frame and jumps in excitement. The ball then rolls towards the Sunrise logo as it revolves around and Haro flaps above the logo. It drops onto the text, causing it to ripple and bounce a bit, before the logo wipes to the print form.

FX/SFX: Haro rolling, the transformation.

Music/Sounds: Three separate chimes for Haro bouncing.

Availability: Current. Seen on any movie or DVD after 2006, like Love Live! The School Idol Movie (2015), among others.

Editor's Note: None.