Tomy

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Tomy Company Ltd. is a Japanese company that specializes in licensed toys and other merchandise. Founded in 1924, it takes its name from the surname of its founder, Eiichiro Tomiyama. The company had a lengthy history since, mainly competing with Bandai and Takara. In 2005 it announced its plans to merge with Takara, forming Takara Tomy as a result; however, the Tomy branding is still used in overseas territories.



1st Logo (June 15, 1990-March 4, 1999)

Visuals: Over a white background, the logo starts with the red text "TOMY" in a bold, rounded font. The registered mark is shown next to the logo.

Variants:

  • Sometimes, the logo appears on the title screen of the game.
  • Some games do not feature the registered mark.
  • On NES games, the background is black.
  • On Game Boy games, the logo is in black.
  • On Accele Brid, the background is in a reddish tint.
  • On Wally wo Sagase! Ehon no Kuni no Daibouken (Japanese Where's Waldo game), Waldo and Wenda appear walking from the top to the bottom, and stop in the middle to reveal the Tomy logo, while signaling it. The logo then fades as the two proceed walking.
  • On Super Uno, a beam emerges from a city view and enlarges to the entire screen, as the letters of the logo meet into the center and place, in a slightly separated manner. The logo disappears as the screen is covered in Uno cards.
  • On Esparks, we first see two character sprites from the game fighting with their weapons, before the Tomy logo irises and flashes in.
  • On the Game Boy game Midori no Makibao, the letters flip in one-by-one.
  • On the Saturn game of Kaitou Saint Tail, the logo is superimposed in white on a still image from the anime. This is also homage to the sponsor tag seen in the actual series.
  • On the Game Boy titles Tokyo Disneyland: Fantasy Tour and Lodoss Tou Senki: Eiyuu Kishiden, the logo is smaller.
  • On Tomica-Plarail promotional VHS releases, the logo is superimposed on the top left corner. Starting in 1998, a onscreen notice on the bottom informing viewers to further distance from the TV screen. The notice was introduced in the wake of the "Pokémon Shock" incident in 1997.

Technique: Mostly none.

Audio: None, or the opening theme of the game in most instances.

Availability: Seen on most video games released in Japan only. It is also seen at the end of all Tomica-Plarail promotional VHS releases from 1996 to 2000.

2nd Logo (December 23, 1994-December 16, 1999)


Visuals: The logo starts with various red, white, blue and green lights passing through on the bottom of a black background. Four spheres fall and bounce, morphing into the letters of "TOMY" while the lights disappear. A glossy shine passes through the logo, before it turns into plain 2D.

Variants:

  • On Yuu Yuu Hakusho for the 3DO, the logo moves to the bottom and the 3DO logo appears on top of it.
  • On later games starting with NuPa: Numeric Paint Puzzle, it doesn't change to the plain logo.
  • On Indy 500, the background turns white when the logo is formed.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An arpeggiating synth theme.

Availability: Other games featuring this logo include Ninku, Kakugo no Susume, Pocket Kyoro-Chan, and Kyoro-chan no Purikura Daisakusen for the PlayStation.

3rd Logo (September 2-December 24, 1999)


Visuals: There is a "T" spinning over a black background with a red spiral emerging as it moves up. The spiral then flashes as particles come out, morphing it into 3D. A similar "T" zooms out into the text "TOMY Entertainment" as it writes, with the spiral zooming out into the "E".

Variant: A still logo appears in form of a banner in the GBC game Dancing Furby.

Technique: 3D CGI.

Audio: A synth note with a rising sound effect, and quick whooshes when the text types in.

Availability: Appeared on New Japan Pro Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 4 for the Dreamcast and Ramen Hashi for the PlayStation.

4th Logo (July 7, 2000-November 12, 2010)


Visuals: There is a bunch of rays emerging from a blue background, these move into the screen as green/red colors burst out of it and then they stretch out into the words "Dream Energy" in script, as a flash appears off-center, changing the background to white. The outline of the "TOMY" text in a different font then expands in, turning into the plain logo, with the colors turning into blue via a mosaic effect.

Variants:

  • There is a still version of the logo used in handheld games. Another version without the slogan is also used with it.
  • On North American versions of most video games from the company, The registered mark is shown next to the logo.
  • On most Japanese commercials until 2006, the "Dream Energy" script and the white background already appears and the "TOMY" text flash appears off-center.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: An ascending mallet at the beginning, with whooshes, following a higher pitched 4-note theme.

Audio Variants:

  • On most Japanese commercials until 2006, the 4-note theme was played in warp speed.
  • On the PlayStation 2 game Plarail: Yume ga Ippai! Plarail de Ikou!, the theme is in high pitch.

Availability: The earliest games featuring the logo include Zoids: Teikoku vs Kyouwakoku and Gung Ho Brigade for the PS1, and Fighting Fury for the PS2. This later appeared on games for the GameCube and Wii, including games from the Naruto and Zoids franchises. It is also seen on Tomica-Plarail promotional VHS and DVD releases from 2001-2005. The logo was used in Japan and rest of Asia until 2006, while other territories including North America and Europe will still continue to use this logo starting in 2006.

'Takara
Tomy'
Takara Tomy