Daiei Film

Background
Daiei Film Co., Ltd. (大映映画株式会) was a Japanese film studio. Originally founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd. (大日本映画製作株式会社), it was originally formed from a merger of Shinko Kinema, Daito Eiga and the film production arm of Nikkatsu, as a product of Japanese government efforts to reorganize the film industry during World War II. In 1945, Dai Nippon Film was renamed to Daiei Film Co., Ltd., and in 1947, the relationship with Nikkatsu was dissolved.

It was a major studio during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. It went bankrupt in 1971; in 1974 it was bought by Tokuma Shoten; and in 2002 was sold to Kadokawa Shoten and renamed Kadokawa Daiei Motion Picture Co., Ltd., later Kadokawa Pictures.

(1942-194?)
Logo: We see a large emblem which consists of two circular outlines with a triangular cut on the bottom, as well as "映" on the top. Then, the company name zooms in from the center of the emblem, then the emblem fades out, leaving the company name.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie or none.

Availability: Found on early Daiei films.

1st Logo (194?-1961)
Logo: On a blank background, we see the Daiei logo: consists of two circular outlines with a triangular cut on the bottom, as well as "映" on the top. Below is "大映株式会社製作" (A Daiei Co., Ltd. Production).

Variants:


 * Background color may vary.
 * On DaieiScope films, the logo was in widescreen.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Uncommon, bordering to very rare. It's seen on early films from the company.

2nd Logo (April 1, 1958-August 3, 2002)
Logo: We see the logo and text from before above the clouds as the sun rises, illuminating everything. In newer films from the company, "製作" is cut from the name, rendering it as simply "Daiei Co., Ltd.".

Technique: 2D animation.

Variants:
 * The size of the emblem can be vary, mostly medium size on scope films and larger size on Academy ratio films, like Being Two Isn't Easy (1962).
 * A black and white version exists.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie or none.

Availability: Rare.
 * Can be seen on every film (excluding early ones) produced from the company, including the famous Rashomon, and Ju Dou. It is also seen on later films before the defunct production company's like Pulse and Akira Kurosawa's Dreams.
 * Example of the 1960's and early 1970's Nagata-era titles include Tokyo Onigiri Musume (1961), An Actor's Revenge (1963), Typhoon Reporter (Fūsoku shichijūgo-mai) (1963), The Black Trademark (Kuro no shōhyō) (1963), The Black Parker (Kuro no chūshajō) (1963), Shibire kurage (The Numbness) (1970), the Gamera film series, and the Zatoichi film series.
 * The Tokuma-era films that was distributed or produced by Daiei is scarce; it was seen on Kinkanshoku (1975), Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare (1976), and Gamera: Super Monster (1980).
 * It was seen on some current prints of several classic films that plastered the first logo, including Criterion Collection DVD prints of Rashomon (1950), The Loyal 47 Ronin (1958), Nuregami kempō (1958), Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion (1958), and Hebihime sama (1959).