The Summit Media Group

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

The Summit Media Group Inc. (not to be confused with Summit Entertainment) was a subsidiary set up by Leisure Concepts, Inc. in 1992 as a television distribution arm of 4Kids Productions. Perhaps its best-known show is the first season of the Pokémon anime, which it distributed for 4Kids. In 2000, Leisure Concepts merged 4Kids Productions and The Summit Media Group into "4Kids Entertainment".

1st Logo (September 18, 1993-December 30, 1995)


Visuals: On a beige-gradient background, the stacked black text "The Summit Media Group" is seen haphazardly arranged to the right of the screen. A {color|green}}, curved zig-zag line representing a mountain draws to the left of the text. Everything casts a light drop shadow.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: The closing theme of the show. The American Mega Man cartoon used a snippet of the end theme to Pick Your Brain.

Availability: It was seen on Pick Your Brain, WMAC Masters, and the American adaptations of Mega Man and Darkstalkers. It can be seen on VHS and DVD releases of the latter three.

2nd Logo (1996-June 6, 1999)


Visuals: A shot of a snowy mountain range is seen, with a time-lapse cloudy sky roaming above and a evergreen tree forest at the bottom of the screen. A ball of light then traces across one of the mountains, forming the same green line from before as "The Summit Media Group Inc." blurs in next to it. The whole thing slowly zooms in, pulling the mountain behind them with it, as the background changes to a blue-green gradient background, with a large ripple effect and 2 rectangles, bordering the top and bottom of the screen, sliding in from the right.

Variants:

  • On some shows, the logo does not fade to the abstract background, as well as having the area behind the line altered to remove the shade behind it. This appears on English-dubbed episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League and the US dub of Mr. Men and Little Miss.
    • On the latter show, the logo starts when the logo is fully formed
  • When Kids' WB! began airing Pokémon: Indigo League in 1999, this logo, along with the 4Kids Productions logo, was played in split-screen due to the block's own split-screen credits (other prints later use the 2nd 4Kids Entertainment logo instead). This is also seen on British airings on Sky One.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Either the closing theme of the show or silence.

Audio Variants:

  • On RoboCop: Alpha Commando, the 1996 Orion Pictures logo theme plays over this.
  • On season 2 of WMAC Masters, the alternate theme on the preceding 4Kids logo carries onto here, ending with a "whoosh" and a synth note.

Availability: Seen on early season 1 episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League. It is retained on Viz Video's VHS and DVD releases of these episodes of Indigo League, as well as all episodes of the show from the time on Disney XD on Demand. It was also seen on RoboCop: Alpha Commando, Van-Pires, the US dub of Mr. Men and Little Miss, and season 2 of WMAC Masters. It's unknown if this appeared on Tama & Friends.

Legacy: A well-remembered logo by those who grew up with Pokémon: Indigo League.

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