Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan

Background
Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Inc. is a Japanese film studio and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, with the majority of shares held by Sony Pictures Entertainment. Besides distributing SPE films (as of 1992) in Japan, they have also produced anime films and a number of live-action productions. As of 2022, the live-action productions are usually distributed through SPE's Sony Pictures International Productions unit. Previously the productions would be distributed through Columbia Pictures.

1st Logo (December 20, 1997)
Nickname: "The Japanese Bars"

Logo: On a blue background, a striped parallelogram in white (a print version of the SPE bars which were introduced in 1991) is seen to the left. To the right of the bars is Japanese text "配給" (translating to "Distribution") with "Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc." below, all in white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Rurouni Kenshin: The Motion Picture.

2nd Logo (September 1, 2001-August 30, 2003)


Nickname: "The Japanese Bars II"

Logo: On a white background, the SPE bars in color (which is the 1991 Sony Pictures Entertainment logo, a blue striped parallelogram with an oblong white-orange-pink-purple glare within the bars) is seen. Below the Bars is "serif" in the Sony font, stacked.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on the original Japanese release of Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, and Tokyo Godfathers.

3rd Logo (January 27, 2007)
Nickname: "The Japanese Bars III"

Logo: Same as the Sony Pictures Home Entertainment logo, but no line fades in underneath and "SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN" in Sony's font closer to the bottom of the screen.

FX/SFX: Same as the SPHE logo, but with the modified text animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the Sony Pictures Home Entertainment logo.

Availability: Very rare. Spotted on the 2007 film 26 Years Diary.