Nippon Herald Films

Credits

Compiled by
Henrynguye5

Video captures courtesy of
LeIDBasher

Background

Nippon Herald Films was a film division of Japanese newspaper publisher The Nippon Herald.

1st Logo (1960-1990)

• 
• 
  Utamaro's World variant
• 
  10th Anniversary variant

Visuals: Over a black background, there is the text "Herald" in a majestic cursive font, enclosed on a circle made with three lines. The company's name in Japanese is placed below it.

Variants:

• A 10th Anniversary variant exists.
• On Utamaro's World, the logo is on a beige relief background.

Technique: A still painted image.

Audio: None or opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Unknown. ^[Examples?]

2nd Logo (1990-1997)

• 

Visuals: A gray background with a small red dot quickly fades in, as a backwards lowercase "h" is drawn in black. The text "HERALD" (all capital letters) then slowly rises out of the middle of the screen and rests below the dot. Then, the names in Japanese:

HERALD ACE INC.
NIPPON HERALD FILMS CO., LTD.

appear below in a gray color.

Trivia: Herald Ace, Inc. was an old incarnation of Asmik Ace's movie division.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A calm, peaceful little tune plays as the entire logo plays out.

Availability: Unknown. ^[Examples?]

3rd Logo (1996-2005 as a movie logo, 1997-2005 as a home video logo)

• 
  Prototype version
• 
  Widescreen version
• 
  Fullscreen version
• 
  Herald Videogram

Visuals: On a very dull sky background, there is a red planet Earth rotating and zooming out of the camera as the curved "h" from the previous logo slowly spins around to line up with the globe. Then, the "HERALD" text zooms out of the camera and lines up next to the curved "h". The text "日本ヘラルド映画株式会社" (translation: Japan Herald Film Corporation) is then wiped onto the screen below the logo.

Trivia: This logo was also used on Herald Videogram, though without any video indicator.

Variants:

• There is a prototype version seen on a special 40th anniversary reel showing Nippon Herald's productions and releases from 1959 to 1997. The logo begins with the red Earth already on-screen, and the animation is slightly faster.
• On the Azumi duology (and maybe also on later Nippon Herald movies), the logo is still.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Same as before, or none.

Audio Variants:

• On some DVDs with a described video track, a Japanese announcer says the company's name.
• Starting in 1998, the theme was remixed in stereo.

Availability: Also used on VHS and DVD titles from the company at the time up until they were folded into the Kadokawa corporation. A couple notable releases are True Lies DTS Edition and Kikansha Sensei.