VAP Video (Japan)

Background
VAP Video is the video division of VAP, Inc. The company assists in the publishing of several anime and music releases.

1st Logo (January 24, 1981-December 31, 1990)
Nicknames: "Tristreaks", "Silver VAP", "UAP", "VAP RGB"

Logo: On a space background with rotating stars that flash between red and blue, 3 colored lines (red, green, and blue) shoot in one-by-one, shining in a yellow color. A 4-pointed star flashes in the distance and brings forth "vap" in a fancy silver font (which makes the logo look more like "uap"), spinning up in a arc before dropping down in the middle of the screen. The logo starts to shine as "VIDEO" in gold Avant Garde Bold, rotates in one by one, which also shines. After a bit, a white star-shaped flash emerges from the middle of the screen and engulfs the background.

Variants:
 * An early logo was used from 1981-1985, where on a cornflower blue background, the logo wipes in via 2 segmented halves wiping in from both sides. The "vap" text is the same, but is colored red/green/blue in that order and is surrounded by a green upside-down triangle border. Below it is the black text "VIDEO CASSETTE TAPE". Everything has a white glow to it. The logo then fades out, followed by the background.
 * A short version has the logo starting to spin.

FX/SFX: The lines drawing in, the logo spinning in, "VIDEO" rotating in, and the star engulfing the background, all done on what appears to be Scanimate.

Music/Sounds: 3 laser sounds are heard when the lasers are shot as a sparkling chime starts to play. Another chime plays when the star flashes and a whoosh is heard when the logo spins in, before ending with a clang. A synth chime plays when "VIDEO" spins in and a final chime plays when the star engulfs the background. The early variant is either silent or has a upbeat pop tune.

Availability: Ultra rare. It's actually harder to find than most VAP titles; but your best bet is non-anime releases, such as Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All and He-Man & She-Ra. It also appears on Hi-Speed Jecy. Later releases, such as the Tenchi Muyo 3rd OVA series, use the 2nd VAP Video logo. It is not seen on the Funimation release except for the current VAP logo.

Editor's Note: It's a bit cheap for the late 80's/early 90's, but it's still a nice logo.

2nd Logo (January 1, 1991-March 27, 2005)
Nicknames: "God's Hands", "Silver VAP II", "UAP II", "VAP RGB II"

Logo: On a space background, three colored streaks (red, green, and blue) fly by and crash into each other, resulting in a bright yellow light. When the light dies down, a pair of grey hands appear on a blue background. The light transforms into a spinning CG rendition of the VAP Video logo from before, and the hands fade away. The VAP Video logo then spins around and zooms into the camera. It then backs up and stops spinning. Finally, a light shines on the logo.

Variants:
 * A short version also exists with only the logo shining.
 * In its debut year, after it fades out, it fades to a 10th anniversary logo on a black background. It consists of a white oval outline with "10th anniversary" stacked up in a sans serif font, along with the VAP logo on the bottom.
 * A extremely rare variant has the logo freeze after the yellow light takes up most of the screen, leaving a blue "VAP" logo to zoom in with a few copies behind it. The end of the theme is used here.

FX/SFX: The three streaks clashing into each other, and then the hands releasing the VAP Video flipping into place. All CGI.

Music/Sounds: A synth-choir rise, followed by a dreamy synth tune. The short version has no music whatsoever.

Availability: Seen on later releases before being phased out for the normal VAP logo. The short animated variant is especially rare, and it can be seen on the A.D. Vision release of Gunsmith Cats. The "Blue VAP" variant is possibly only seen on Ie Naki Ko - Suzu no Sentaku for the Bandai Playdia.

Editor's Note: This CGI take on the first logo is well-done and improves upon its predecessor.