Logo descriptions and captures by kidinbed

Background: Nikkatsu is one of the "big five" Japanese film studios (the others are Kadokawa Daiei, Shochiku, Toho and Toei). Nikkatsu was formed by 4 film companies merging in 1912. It was later bought by the game company Namco in 1996, but with the merger of Namco and Bandai in 2005, it was sold off to Index Holdings. Nikkatsu gained fame in the 1960s when they produced big-budget films about yakuza, and they gained even more fame in Japan when they released adult films such as the Roman Porn series of films. Today Nikkatsu doesn't just release adult film anymore; they release films from all sorts of genres.

1st Logo
(1912?-late 60's)
Nicknames: "The Giant NK", "NK of Boredom", "日活", "日活株式会社"

Logo: Just a giant circular NK (Nikkatsu's emblem) and the kanji "日活株式会社", which mean "Nikkatsu Company, Limited".

FX/Cheesy Factor: None. They could at least add some animation.

Music: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: I guess it's almost extinct. Seen on yakuza films of the time period, as well as Nikkatsu's first films.

Scare Factor: Minimal; the kanji might surprise someone unfamiliar with Japanese.

2nd Logo
(Late 60's-Late '70s?)

Nicknames: "NK with Spikes", "NK Star"

Logo: On a background with different colored moving spikes, we see the Nikkatsu "NK" and the kanji 日活株式会社, which mean "Nikkatsu Company, Limited".

FX: The different colored moving spikes. Pretty good animation but...

Cheesy Factor: This logo is like a direct ripoff of fellow Japanese film company Toho's logo.

Availability: Among other things, it's available on the Roman Porn films.

Scare Factor: Same as the first logo.

3rd Logo
(Late 70's?-)

Nickname: "Abstract N", "Golden N", "Nikkatsu in Hiragana", "Rippling N"

Logo: On a blue gradient background, we see many gold lines. They come together to form the outline of a circle with an abstract "N". The rest of the gold lines go to the abstract N, and cause a flash, transforming the abstract N into gold. The hiragana "にっかつ" which mean "Nikkatsu" appear, and the logo shines, then the gold N ripples a bit.

FX: Everything, which is in good quality CGI for the time period.

Music: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on some of Nikkatsu's recent films, including the Shuto Kosoku Trial series.

Scare Factor: Minimal; the flash and hiragana may surprise some, but this is a cool logo.