Benesse Corporation

Background
Benesse Corporation (ベネッセコーポレーション, Benesse Kōporēshon) is a Japanese company which focuses on publishing educative materials, like the famous Kodomo Challenge and Shimajiro franchises. It was founded by Tetsuhiko Fukutake in 1955 as Fukutake Publishing Co., Ltd. (株式会社福武書店) and then, renamed to its current name in April 1995.

(April 1995-2000s)


Logo: Over a white background, a large, green stick figure of a person extending its arms to the left, in a "walking" pose, fades in from the left with the words "Benesse Corporation" in two lines at the top-right of the screen. Both zoom out as another stick figure in orange, with a plain pose emerges next to the green figure. Another blue stick figure bounces in next to the other two, with its arms and legs extended.

Variant: The logo is extended on home video releases.

Technique: The animation of the stick figures and the zooming.

Music/Sounds: A 4-note ascending string theme, with a group of people saying "Benesse". Availability: Rare. Was mostly seen on commercials by the company during the time. However, an extended version also appeared on home video releases of Shimajiro and Kodomo Challenge they've distributed.

Legacy: Young Japanese have considered this logo as unsettling, especially on home video releases where the signal of quality control would appear after this.