Tatsunoko Production

Background

Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio and rights company founded in October 1962 by manga author Tatsuo Yoshida alongside his brothers Kenji and Ippei Kuri. The studio is best known for a number of works including Speed Racer, Honeybee Hutch, Time Bokan, The Littl' Bits, The Genie Family/Bob in a Bottle, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman among many others. Following his death in 1977, Kenji Yoshida took over the studio and later in 1987 by Kuri. In 2005, toy company Takara purchased a 88% stake in Tatsunoko, making the studio a subsidiary of Takara until it merged with Tomy a year later. In 2013, Horipro purchased 13.5% of the company's shares and renamed its Japanese name to TatsunokoPro (タツノコプロ). The following year, Nippon Television purchased 54.3% of Tatsunoko's shares from Tomy, making the studio a subsidiary of NTV. In 2019, Tatsunoko introduced the Bakken Record label meant for several productions.

"Tatsunoko" has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu no ko" ("Child of Tatsu", Tatsu being the nickname for founder Tatsuo Yoshida) and "Tatsuno" ("seahorse"), the seahorse became its logo.

1st Logo (1968?-September 25, 1973)

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• File:Tatsunoko Pro - Fuji TV (1969 - Judo Boy, Closing).jpg
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Visuals: There is the words "タツノコプロ" (with the first few words, "タツノコ" being larger and the last two words being smaller) in a cubic and italics font with the seahorse on the left and Tatsuo Yoshida's name (吉田竜夫) above the wordmark on a superimposed white text.

Variant: On The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee/Honeybee Hutch and the opening theme to Mokku of the Oak Tree, the wordmark and the symbol are colored.

Technique: Superimposed animation. Cel animation during its earliest appearances.

Audio: The opening or closing theme of the show.

Availability: Can be seen on Tatsunoko's works from that period, such as Judo Boy, The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee among others. This was last seen on Dementan Croaker, The Boy Frog, despite the opening theme song using the second logo.

2nd Logo (January 2, 1973-)

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Visuals: There is the 1973 Tatsunoko Production symbol, which consists of the word "タツノコプロ" in a cubic font with rounded edges on the outside of the letters and the seahorse symbol on the left on a superimposed white text.

Variants:

• From 1973 to mid-1974, the words "タツノコ" are bigger while Tatsuo Yoshida's name (吉田竜夫) appears at the top. This was seen in Dementan Croaker, The Boy Frog and early episodes of Neo-Human Casshern.
• On most shows, such as Superbook and Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato, the seahorse is removed.
• Beginning in 2016, the seahorse and wordmark were modernized. This was first seen in Time Bokan 24.

Technique: Superimposed animation.

Audio: The opening or closing theme of the show.

Availability: Can be seen on Tatsunoko's works beginning with Dementan Croaker, The Boy Frog despite said show using the previous wordmark on the closing credits.

3rd Logo (1990-1998)

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Visuals: On a blue background, there is a line of seahorses as they hop to the left. One of the seahorses turn left and changes its color to white before the eye in the Tatsunoko logo forms looking at the left and right before zooming out, revealing the synbol itself as it places itself on the right before fading to black.

Technique: Traditional cel animation.

Audio: Some hopping sounds, cartoon-like ding sounds and a warp-like note.

Availability: Seen on Japanese video releases of Tatsunoko's works from that time such as Tekkaman: The Space Knight.

4th Logo (1998?-2009)

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Visuals: On an underwater beach background, there is the Tatsunoko symbol in golden as it floats down. The seahorse later shines and swims while later dropping into the sand surface as it bounces. After that, the seahorse disappears before bubbles appear from the bottom of the screen and the 1973 Tatsunoko logo appears as it dashes from the right. The background then changes into black as the logo remains in its sea background before fading to black.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A light electronic-synth theme with shining sounds for the seahorse and a six-note light ding jingle.

Availability: Seen on Japanese video releases of Tasunoko's works from that time such as Generator Gawl.

5th Logo (2009?-2017)

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Visuals: On a starry sky, there is the Moon as it shines to reveal the seahorse symbol as it dances and skates around a lagoon with stars and light streaks before disappearing. After that, the sparks form the Tatsunoko Production logo before the background fades to navy blue.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A gentle electronic jingle with some xylophones notes.

Availability: Seen on Japanese video releases of Tatsunoko's works distributed by TAKI Corporation such as DVD releases of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.