Nelvana

Logo descriptions by Nicholas Aczel, Kris Starring, Sean Beard, Originalsboy11, oneeighthundred, and Logoboy95
Logo captures by Logoboy95, Eric S., Derrick Anderson, Pygmalion X, oneeighthundred, Logent and ClosingLogosHD
Editions by Logoboy95, Bob Fish, TheAdmiester, V of Doom, and Nathan B.
Video capture courtesy of DudeThatLogo, jacob mills, ClosingLogosHD, EnormousRat, LateNightLogoTV, ENunn, Pepsi9072

Background: Nelvana was founded in 1971 in Canada by Michael Hirsh (now in the directory of DHX Media), Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith to produce and distribute children's animated shows and movies originally. The original specials the company produced (from 1977 until 1980) were distributed by Viacom Enterprises. Until 1985, the company did not have an animated logo separate from the credits at the end of their shows, instead using an in-credit version of its logo. Today, it's a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment.

Background Trivia: The company's name originally came from a female Canadian comic book superhero from the 1940s named Nelvana of the Northern Lights, but the three decided to use a polar bear instead for a logo in order to avoid confusion.

1st Logo (December 6, 1977- )

Logo: It's only in-credit text that reads: "A Nelvana Limited Production". For co-produced shows and TV specials, the name of the company is seen below the Nelvana text.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Common. Seen on Nelvana shows and TV specials, starting with A Cosmic Christmas.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (October 15, 1978-April 2, 1988)

Nickname: "The Polar Bear"

Logo: On a black background, we see an in-credit version of the Polar Bear looking up at the star, as seen on Nelvana shows from 1985-2004, either with or without an arch. "NELVANA", "NELVANA LIMITED", or "A NELVANA PRODUCTION" is seen below, sometimes with copyright info below.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: Either the beginning or the ending theme of the movie, probably silence, or probably the ending theme of the show.

Availability: Appeared at the beginning or end of Nelvana-produced films from the '70s and '80s, beginning with The Devil and Daniel Mouse. This was also seen on Rock & Rule, The Care Bears Movie, The Wild Puffalumps, and Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation. Also seen on the Star Wars: Droids cartoon show, the live-action series The Edison Twins, and early '80s prints of Nelvana's early animated TV specials (A Cosmic Christmas didn't feature the logo, nor did the Strawberry Shortcake specials or other co-productions with Those Characters from Cleveland). This was used in tandem with the next logo from 1985 until 1986.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (September 14, 1985-November 7, 2003)

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear II", "Neon Polar Bear"

Logo: On a black background, a blue square with a red outline and a white star in the center flies from the top right of the screen, gradually enlarging and turning counterclockwise to fit the screen as the star multiplies into a seven star semicircle outline. The text "NELVANA" appears below the semicircle in red. The star outline shines from left to right, and the pinnacle star sends a shower of light (which starts off neon yellow, but turns neon blue) down the center of the semicircle. "NELVANA" lights up in orange, and the shower of light unfolds to the left, turning into a neon blue polar bear looking up.

Variants:

There are filmed and videotaped versions.
The short version, which is more common, starts off with the stars shining and the "shower of light" animation. This plays in warp speed on Eek! the Cat before the compressed or split-screen credits. This is slowed down on some episodes of Babar, The Adventures of Tintin, and Beetlejuice.
A longer version was seen on some theatrical releases of the era, including Babar: The Movie and Care Bears: Adventure in Wonderland. After the logo forms, the polar bear stands on its hind legs for a second before assuming its normal position, then all seven stars disappear. Depending on the film, the background will either be the usual blue (as seen on Babar: The Movie), or black (as seen on Care Bears: Adventure in Wonderland).
The 1988 TV special Clifford the Big Red Dog has a rare gradient background variant with the logo rotating on screen from the center. Some episodes of Care Bears have this shortened.
Later episodes of T and T had the logo quickly rotating to the left to reveal the Qintex Entertainment logo (current prints as seen on the YTV Direct YouTube channel have this variant plastered by the 6th logo).
On Fievel's American Tails, a long version of the logo is shown on the top right corner along with the 1991 Amblin Television logo on the top left and the short 1991-2006 Universal Cartoon Studios logo on the bottom center.
On Family Dog, this logo was shown on the left alongside with the 1991 Amblin Television logo on the right (without the switch-off part).
On the German dub of the 1993 animated special The Incredible Crash Dummies, this logo was shown on the left alongside the Lamb & Company logo.
On some episodes of Blazing Dragons, this logo was shown on the left, alongside with the Ellipse Programme logo on the right.
On season 4 episodes of Eek! Stravaganza (episodes with Klutter), this logo is shown in split screen on the left alongside with the 1989-1998 Film Roman logo on the right.
The restored HD prints of The Adventures of Tintin seen on the series' foreign Blu-ray release feature a bizarre variant of the "slowed-down" short version; here, the image has been shrunk down to the center of the screen (presumably a side effect of not having the logo's original negatives or tape to restore from and the series' conversion to widescreen).

FX/SFX: The light effects and the polar bear moving.

Music/Sounds: An ascending whoosh and a dramatic synth theme, followed by a thunderclap and a humming noise as "NELVANA" lights up. For most of Nelvana's '90s shows, the end theme played over it, it was silent, or (rarely) the standard theme played.

Music/Sounds Variants:

The gradient background variant used a mystical twinkling sound with a thunderclap. Some specials, and shows distributed outside Canada and the U.S. used this variant, although the original broadcasts of My Pet Monster had this version's music playing over the standard logo.
On Care Bears: Adventure in Wonderland, some whooshing sounds with wind chimes and a dreamy synth theme plays.
On Babar: The Movie, a "WHOOSH" sound plays, followed by some haunting "chime" sounds, then a second "WHOOSH". But it is muted on the VHS release for some reason.

Availability: Uncommon. Plastering with the 2004 logo has made it not nearly as common, but it's still easy to find. The short version can still be seen on 1995-2002 episodes of Little Bear and early episodes of Franklin on Nick Jr., Eek! Stravaganza (whenever reran, usually on foreign Disney networks), VHS AND Netflix releases of The Magic School Bus, and on VHS and DVD releases of the Nelvana version of Care Bears. The theatrical version can be seen on the DVD release of Babar: The Movie (albeit silent for some reason). Also found on all episodes of Beetlejuice (including the Shout! Factory boxset), and the pilot episode of Donkey Kong Country called "I Spy With My Hairy Eye". Netflix's prints of The Adventures of Tintin retain this logo, as well as the 2006 DVD releases of said show; depending on the region, the Blu-ray release will either feature the normal "slowed-down" variant, or the shrunken-down version.

Editor's Note: This is favorite of many, especially ones that grew up with children's programming during this time.

Final Note: Most shows had this logo until 1997 (after being used in tandem with the 4th logo below) when they then switched to the next logo. However, even though the logo retired in 1996, Little Bear continued to use the logo until its end in 2002, and earlier episodes of Franklin used this logo from its debut in 1997, until sometime in 1999.

4th Logo (December 2, 1995-July 30, 2005)

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear III", "Space Polar Bear", "CGI Polar Bear"

Logo: On a space background, there is a flash of light and the Nelvana logo appears in CGI on the background looking similar to the 1st logo, with some exceptions: the seven star semicircle has a blue chrome outline, as does the polar bear and the "NELVANA" text. A multicolored comet flies from the right, and as it passes the pinnacle star and the 2nd star to the left in the semicircle, each star lights up.

Variants:

There is an extended version of this logo which has a more delayed zoom-out. It ends with the logo animating backwards, but without the animation of the comet. It can be found on Cardcaptors: The Movie.
An even shorter version of the logo starting from when the comet flies from the right exists. Sometimes this is played in slow/delayed motion.
Some episodes of Donkey Kong Country have a still shot of this logo.
Starting in 2002, the byline "Nelvana is a COrUs Entertainment Company" was added (with "COrUs" written in its corporate font), and the logo animation was shifted up from the zoom-out.
For international distribution, it's on a black BG and "Distributed By" and "INTERNATIONAL" (or, very rarely, "International") were chyroned in above and below the logo, respectively. A Corus Entertainment byline was added in 2002.
The URL "www.nelvana.com" was sometimes added below or above the logo, starting in 1997.
There is a theatrical variant. A five-pointed star flashes in the distance on a much cleaner-looking starfield and the Nelvana logo (which looks more metallic and the stars around the arch aren't as visible), which is turned on its side, flies toward the screen and flips upright. A variant on the 3rd logo's polar bear animation (with it standing on its' hind legs briefly) plays while it flips toward us. The logo sparkles a bit in the end. It was seen on two movies; 1997's Pippi Longstocking, and 1999's Babar: King of the Elephants.
An in-credit version has appeared on Tales From the Crypt on the final episode (and the only animated one), "The Third Pig". It also appears on the 1997 Pippi Longstocking series with the AB Svensk Filmindustri, TaurusFilm, and TFC Trickompany Filmproduktion GmbH logos.
On the Japanese dub of Donkey Kong Country, the bylineless version appears in-credit and animated in the custom ending theme.

FX/SFX: Excellent use of CGI on the starry background, blue chrome color scheme, and the comet flying.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of a show, the generic network theme, or silence. In 2002, the haunting theme from the theatrical variant of the previous logo was used. Sometimes, only the first "WHOOSH" was used, or the last "WHOOSH" would be cut out. This was mainly used on the extended variant of the logo, but the third variant was also used on the standard long version on a 2004 Nicktoons airing of Pelswick.

Availability: Uncommon, once again, due to plastering with the 2004 logo, but it's still easy to find. First seen on The NeverEnding Story: The Animated Adventures of Bastian Balthazar Bux. It can be seen on season 2 (2003-04) episodes of Cyberchase on PBS, Rolie Polie Olie, North American reruns of Max and Ruby on Nick Jr., post-1999 episodes of Franklin on Nick Jr., and international prints of seasons 1 to 4 episodes of The Fairly OddParents, among others. The first 4 shows can be found on VHS and DVD. Also found on their Canadian/American/U.K. dub of the anime Cardcaptor Sakura, known initially as Cardcaptors in those regions, as well as All New Tales from the Cryptkeeper. Beyblade G-Revolution kept this logo until its end in 2005.

Editor's Note: Another popular logo seen on kids programming of the time period.

5th Logo (2001-2004)

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear IV", "Still Polar Bear", "Polar Bear of Boredom"

Logo: On a white background, we see the seven star semicircle, polar bear, and "NELVANA" text as from the previous logo but with a dark blue outline. Underneath the "NELVANA" is the URL "www.nelvana.com", and underneath that is the byline "A CORUS™ Entertainment Company". Sometimes the byline will instead be stylized as "A CORUS Entertainment Company" in non-italics).

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None. In other cases, the end theme of a show or the generic network theme.

Availability: This was used as an alternate logo between 2001 and 2004. It appears on PBS reruns of season 1 (2002-03) episodes of Cyberchase. It also appeared on some episodes of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast on Nick Jr. and some international episodes of The Fairly OddParents. The version with normal font byline appeared on the GBA game Beyblade V-Force.

Editor's Note: None.

6th Logo (September 7, 2004- )

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear V", "Aurora Polar Bear"

Logo: On a black background, we see the text "NELVANA" with a byline underneath it. A white polar bear then swims onto the screen and then stops onto the text. It bumps a star onto the screen, which twinkles, and a white haze of light forms and dissipates behind the logo. The logo looks similar to the in-credit logo seen before 1985.

Bylines:

2004- : The byline reads "A CORUS™ ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY", all in capital letters, and in the same font used in the alternate 2003 logo.
Alternate Variant, 2004- : Because of parent company Corus Entertainment Inc.'s "growth" in it's company (hence the "Inc." for incorporated), the byline reads "A Corus™ Entertainment Inc. Company" (exactly like that).

Variants:

A more common variant begins with the star already on the screen and the polar bear bumping it.
Sometimes, no haze is shown for the standard logo.
A variant exists with the words "A NELVANA PRODUCTION" above the polar bear. No haze is shown.
On Grossology, there is a version in which the polar bear gets slimed. This variant was only seen on international and Qubo airings of said show, and no haze is shown.
There is a variation where "INTERNATIONAL", in a rounded rectangle, is sandwiched in between the company name and the byline. A superimposed version of this variant can be found on the credits for Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure.
A still version of the logo exists on at least the U.S. airings of Grossology.
There is an extremely rare still variant without the star, and it appears on current prints of the first episode of Committed.
Some reruns of Corduroy have the logo starting after the star is bumped.
There's a superimposed variant on Max and Ruby. No haze is shown.
On Handy Manny, it uses the "A NELVANA PRODUCTION" text over the logo, except the haze does appear as usual. The 2004 byline is also seen under the logo.
On My Friend Rabbit, the logo "stalls" a bit, where the polar bear does not bump the star exactly when first seen, after that, the animation is seen as usual. The 2004 byline is seen here, also.
Starting with season 5 episodes of Cyberchase, the logo starts when the polar bear walks forward right after jumping onto the logo.
The logo appeared on Beyblade G-Revolution, the game for GBA. The bear is placed to the left, and there's an "INTERNATIONAL" plate below. Another game, Bakugan: Rise of the Resistance, shows the logo in outlines.
Sometimes, the logo is bylineless.
Occasionally, the 2004 byline is in grey.
On Horrid Henry, the logo is in-credit. This only appears on CITV airings.
On the DVD Horrid Henry Gets Rich Quick, "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" is above the logo.
There is a strange filmed variant of the full logo that was spotted on a Polish 35mm print of Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure.

FX/SFX: Appears to be a combination of Flash animation and 2D computer graphics.

Music/Sounds: Usually, the end theme of a show or the generic network theme plays over, but sometimes this logo has its own music, a nice guitar theme with a child laughing towards the end.

Music/Sounds Variants:

Shows plastering the 1985 logo may use the dramatic synth theme or the mystical twinkling theme instead of the normal music. This appears on newer prints of T and T and My Pet Monster.
For the Grossology variant, the first three notes of the guitar theme is heard, but it's interrupted by the sound of slime splashing and dripping.
At least on one episode of Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, the logo is silent.

Availability: Very common on all current Nelvana shows, such as The Backyardigans and Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends on Nick Jr., Grossology when last seen on Hub Network (now Discovery Family), Babar and the Adventures of Badou and Handy Manny on Disney Junior and Wayside on DVD. It also appears tacked onto the end of some shows that had older Nelvana logos, such as Babar on Qubo, Bob and Margaret on Showtime Women, DVD releases of Tales from the Cryptkeeper, the now-discontinued Funimation DVD of WildC.A.T.S., and the Shout! Factory DVD releases of The Adventures of Tintin. Also, older Horrid Henry DVD's had this logo. The bylineless logo can be found on Being Ian and Class of the Titans. This logo also plasters the 3rd logo on The Magic School Bus: The Complete Series DVD box set, released in 2012 and on 2014 issued printed episodes of the 1986 Care Bears cartoon on YouTube. All the episodes in the box set have the logo plastered, except for "Ups and Downs", which retains the 3rd logo. It also appears at the end of recent prints of A Cosmic Christmas, after the Viacom "V of Doom" logo. Uploads of Nelvana shows on the "YTV Direct" (which originally began as "Nelvana Retro") and "Treehouse Direct" YouTube channels tend to have this logo plastered over the previous ones, sometimes with odd results (the first episode of T and T has the short version ending before the music of the 1985 logo does; all other episodes have the long version to sync with the music). Strangely, it appears on some DVDs of The Fairly OddParents (one example is the "Superhero Spectacle" DVD). It's currently used in tandem with the 8th logo.

Editor's Note: It's an okay logo, but it's considered annoying by some due to its omnipresence.

7th Logo (2004-2005)

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear VI", "Cheesy Polar Bear", "Space Polar Bear Wannabe"

Logo: On a starry background in which the stars move about, we see the polar bear from before with the words "NELVANA" also in the same font as before. A shooting star comes from near-lower left side of the screen and it goes by the polar bear, leaving a shiny star, which reveals itself to be the one in the previous logo. During all this, the byline "A CORUS™ ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY" is seen below.

Variant: There exists an extended version that animates just like the 4th logo's extended version, but cheaper looking and having the text move into place.

FX/SFX: The starry background, the shooting star, and the shiny star.

Music/Sounds: Same as the 4th logo. In some cases, it can be the end theme of the show.

Availability: Rare. This was recently discovered on a 2005 DVD release of Braceface, plastering the 4th logo, and it's currently unknown if this was on Nelvana's other DVD releases.

Editor's Note: None.

8th Logo (October 2016- )

Nicknames: "The Polar Bear VII", "New Polar Bear"

Logo: On a blue background, we see the polar bear in blue with a white outline and the new "nelvana" text in white being drawn out. The star is at the bottom of the bear, jumps up and spins, then lands. The polar bear bumps it, causing the colors to reverse.

Variants:

A shorter version exists.
A still version exists as well, with a Corus byline.
An in-credit opening version exists.

FX/SFX: The star jumping, spinning, the bump, and the invert, which are nicely done.

Music/Sounds: A dreamy synth tune or the end theme of the show.

Availability: Brand new. Debuted on their website, and will possibly appear on new episodes of Max & Ruby, Bubble Guppies (but now distributed by Jam Filled Entertainment since season 5) (Nick airings of the latter don't have that logo), and The ZhuZhus. It first appeared on Hotel Transylvania: The Series and may appear on newer TV shows by the company like Bravest Warriors, Mysticons, as well as Go Away Unicorn!! (Disney Channel airings don't have that logo), plus many more shows from the company. The full logo was first seen on Zhu's News - Pumped Up Zhus, which can be seen on YTV's official YouTube channel. It's currently used in tandem with the 6th logo.

Editor's Note: This is a memorable logo for those youngest people who grew up with Nelvana's newest and current programming since fall 2016 to present rather than the 6th and 7th logos shown above it, which is also a good, more common looking used logo as well.