TMS Entertainment, Ltd. (Japan)

Background
TMS was founded in 1964 by Yutaka Fujioka as Tokyo Movie. In 1976, the original company went bankrupt and was revived a year later, becoming Tokyo Movie Shinsha. The company was very prominent in the 1980's, becoming one of Japan's largest animation studios. In 1992, the company was purchased by Kyokuichi, with the merged company becoming TMS-Kyokuichi. In 1999, the name became TMS Entertainment, Ltd., dropping the Tokyo Movie Shinsha moniker it had been using since 1977. In 2005, the company was acquired by Sega Sammy.

1st Logo
(1978-1983)

Logo: On the blue background, at the center, there was a small TV tube with the letters "tms" (In an abstract cursive font) on it. Below the tube, there are white words: "TOKYO MOVIE SHINSHA CO., LTD."

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. This was seen on older prints of the Toho/Frontier dub of Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo, which are inferior. Updated prints of that film deleted this logo, but it may survive via tape trading.

Scare Factor: None.

2nd Logo
(1983-1990s)

Logo: On a black background, we see a stylized "TMS" in blue and red, with "TOKYO MOVIE SHINSHA CO., LTD." below in white. After a few seconds, the words sparkle out, and the stylized "TMS" turns 3D, moving toward the viewer while leaving residue behind, with the residue following shortly afterwards (likely it's going backwards).

Variant: On some films, like The Castle of Cagliostro, the logo is still.

FX/SFX: The sparkles and the moving TMS. Nice effects for its time.

Music/Sounds: Usually silent, but some films, like Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy, use a 4-note Charter Video-like synth that repeats throughout the logo, chimes for the sparkles, and loud whooshes for the movement of "TMS".

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on Streamline or AnimEigo dubs of TMS properties. This is subject to plastering on 90s VHS releases and on current HD prints, but is preserved on the DVD of Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (which uses the original uncut version rather than the 1992 Hemdale re-release).

Scare Factor: Low to medium if there is music. The theme becomes progressively dramatic, but it's cool. None to low for silent versions.

3rd Logo
(1984-1988)

Logo: On a blue background, we see a silver TMS in a bold font. Then, it turns onto its side and morphs into a cursive TMS (with the S and T connected by a rounded rectangle).The word "ENTERTAINMENT" appears below, and the logo shines.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The letters "morphing" and the logo shining.

Music/Sounds: Silence or the end theme of the show.

Availability: Scarce. Seen on TV shows like The Mighty Orbots (before the MGM/UA "Diamond Jubilee" TV logo), Visionaries (before the Sunbow logo), and Bionic Six (before the MCA TV logo). This is preserved on the Media Blasters release of Galaxy High.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

4th Logo
(1999-2009)

Logo: On a sky background, three dolphins move toward the screen with a bubbly rainbow following close behind. Then "TMS" in the current font appears, with "ENTERTAINMENT, LTD." below.

Variant: On some shows (e.g., Sonic X), the logo is still and set on a black background.

FX/SFX: The entire animation.

Music/Sounds: Sparkling sounds, a dolphin noise, bubbling noises, and a dolphin chirping.

Availability: Common. Seen on newer and older TMS properties. The still version appears at the end of television productions (mainly Sonic X, which is kept on the U.S 4Kids dubbed version). It plasters older logos such as on the Japanese Blu-Ray of Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland and Geneon DVDs of the original Lupin III series. The animated version can be found at the end of episodes of the uncut French dub of Sonic X, sometimes followed by the Buena Vista International Television logo.

Scare Factor: None; it's actually a cute logo.

5th Logo
(2007- )

COMING SOON