Kirin Entertainment

Background

Kirin Entertainment was a subsidiary of retailer Digital Stuff, Inc. created by Jason Chen in 1994 and based in Fremont, California. Kirin initially published titles for the 3DO, notably Plumbers Don't Wear Ties, but would move on to the PC late in its life. The company closed in 1998/early-1999 after failing to sell the PlayStation title Incubust to a publisher; it was supposedly acquired by Tecmo, but remains unreleased.

1st Logo (September 30, 1994)

Logo: On a black background, we see a white swirl. The swirl "unwinds" to reveal the Kirin Entertainment logo (a bunch of white planks with screws in them that form the letters that spell "KIRIN", and the word "ENTERTAINMENT" (with part of the A, all of the I, and part of the second N covered up by the tip of the R in "KIRIN"). After about six seconds, the Kirin Entertainment logo "winds" back up again into another white swirl.

FX/SFX: The "unwinding" and "winding".

Music/Sounds: An electronic drumbeat combined with odd, psychedelic synth drones, followed by a deep voice saying the company name and then unintelligibly chanting "Kirin" twice.

Availability: Only seen on the infamous Plumbers Don't Wear Ties for the 3DO.

Editor's Note: A rather infamous logo for its strangeness and the even stranger game that comes after.

2nd Logo (1995)

Logo: On a black background, we see the "KIRIN" text from before, this time in marble green and lacking screws and the word "ENTERTAINMENT", below an abstract griffin, all revealed from the left. It then immediately fades to the Game Guild logo.

FX/SFX: The reveal.

Music/Sounds: An ascending synth drone, which is part of the opening theme.

Availability: Seen on the 3DO port of The Perfect General.

Editor's Note: Not too bad this time. It certainly looks better than its precursor.

3rd Logo (1998)

Logo: On a black background we see the "KIRIN ENTERTAINMENT" logotype in a similar fashion to the first logo, while we see the griffin from the second logo, looking like it's carved out of ice.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Esoteria: Techno-Assassin of the Future for the PC.

Editor's Note: Essentially a hybrid between the two previous logos.