Organizers opt for harmony in new Tokyo 2020 Olympic logo

expresses a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan.

This is where the meaning of the above phrase can be translated as “dull” and “boring” – two things which Japan and its sophistication have never been. What a disappointing choice.

Seems to me like it echoes the higher-ups shoe-horning in the old styles and old ways of thinking, instead of committing the "sin" of acknowledging that lots of people have different ideas now. "Everything and everyone in Japan is quiet and homogenous and simple because that's totally what we are. Yeah. Definitely." -- This committee via their choice.

Can't wait until someone points out Tokolo's connection to Dentsu or some other J-power broker.

I haven't really followed this but my wife likes the conspiracy theories and says the netizens had already predicted this one would be selected because the designer had the most connections or something.

Yeah, why didn't they use the candidate city one. It is lovely. Ooooh, forgot this is Japan gotta use more money. More than is available is the best plan.

I think because the candidate city one was made by an amateur, the powers can't make money off of it with all their dodgy connections. That is the only logical explanation. That means they were always going to choose one made from a professional designer to begin with.

"refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan" just what I was thinking watching salatmen urinate on the street last night..

Just what Japan needs is more harmony.

Just saw on NHK a spokeperson commenting that the simple design reflects the simple quiet nature of Japanese people. And I'm sure the designer had that in mind.

Just doing their job trying to support the decision. NHK News at 9PM last night took a "people on the street" quick survey asking them to choose from the 4 finalists which "they" would prefer to be selected, the winning selection was the over whelming non-favorite, getting slam dunked by the more colorful and eye catching designs.

Only 3 or 4 people chose the "winning" design.

Not surprising that after the fact everyone gets on board and supports the winner.

I like it. A logo does not have to beat the old stereotypes again and again. The design is as cool as it gets.

I would prefer the ones with colour :/

The circular logo reminds me a little bit of the piece of cloth wrapped around a hyottoko mask...

http://blog-imgs-58.fc2.com/9/c/u/9cuepoo/20131031203149aaf.jpg

http://www.hyugawave-archive.jp/blog/hyottoko/files/2013/08/P1000151.jpg

Not as bad as the first one, but still not good enough. It has nothing to do with Japan or Olympic Games. The paralymics one resembles a Croissant.

"It features three varieties of indigo blue rectangular shapes to represent different countries, cultures and ways of thinking."

So, according to the designer everyone is a blue square.

I remember when Sano stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire, and a bunch of logos were proposed and voted on unofficially online. Some of those were very beautiful, especially the logo that 'one', which was the one of the folding fan made of cherry blossom pedals. But the organisers said nothing chosen by the public would win, so they made up their 'special committee' to choose this one. Now, how much did it cost in total to select this, when a much better one could have been chosen for free?

Good for adjusting the contrast in your monitor, I suppose....

The colourless logos blend perfectly with the two grey gentlemen holding them aloft.

I think I'm going to become a logo designer in Japan. Create some boring, mono-color POS...then wax poetic about it,sit back, and watch all that sweet cash pour in. Cha-ching!

Next time ask a class of 5-year-olds to give design ideas. They'll likely be more inspirational that this yawn-inspiring logo.

All right - I want to know: How much did it cost to get that selection rubber-stamped?

I get the same image for free if I rub my eyes too hard.

Guess they did not consult anyone but themselves because that logo looks a lot like a black funeral wreath to me...not sending the joy message or happiness for the woldwide competition.

What a mess. Just looking at this and trying to comprehend what the hell it is meant to represent is enough to give me a headache.

I was really looking forward to seeing what they came up, but my anticipation was shattered by this god awful, non imaginative "jimi" logo. Lacks imagination. I don't believe that he took a long time to come up with that. Who wants a monochrome logo like that? They need one that is colourful and more festive like the Olympics is supposed to be. Congratulations to the committee for voting in the worst olympic logo that I have ever seen. Very disappointed.

It's alright but maybe a big red ball in the white space of each logo would make it more Japan-ish.

his mind was blank designing that too...

Here's a list of past Olympic logos - they didn't change Tokyo's yet though: https://colorlib.com/wp/all-olympic-logos-1924-2016/

It looks a bit like some of those optical illusions you see in which the straight lines appear curved, or vice-versa.

I think the lack of colour is intended to reflect the monochromal, concrete monotony of Tokyo and the rectangular shapes represent the cuboid buildings of no architectural merit found throughout the city. Quite an appropriate choice really.

daito - agree the Paris 24 logo is about as apt and sharp as they come. Clever.

Just saw on NHK a spokeperson commenting that the simple design reflects the simple quiet nature of Japanese people. And I'm sure the designer had that in mind.

All a messy process from start to finish.

Yeah, why didn't they use the candidate city one. It is lovely

They should have tried is the key word. Too late now, sadly. Sometimes there are things better right in front of one's face and there is no need to go searching for "new"

The candidate city 'Sakua' logo is really great. I would like it to be the winner. However, previous Olympics had different logos for the candidate city and the actually game. Keeping the logo and just adding the key word on it may kinda gives a false impression that Japan is lack of creativity.

Sano's Belgian ripoff logo was much better. Any chance of reinstating that one?

This logo is so ugly that nobody will ever claim copyright infringement. Oh well, at least they save money on color ink. I was pulling for Selection B first, and Selection D second.

Looks like a top view of a tenga and a d+ size bra.

A logo designed by a committee. It'll match the wallpaper and piped muzak.

This logo is bad in many ways in my opinion. The uniformity in color and shapes just gives a feel of rigidity and complexity, and a lack of variety (which in a logo that represents openness to cultures of the world is bad). Then, the cultural refrences with the indigo, checkered pattern are pretty geo-centric, as they are not commonly known outside Japan. After that, there's perfectly centered logo for olympics, and off-balance one for the paralympics, which again conveys the wrong message.... (i'm sure that's unintended however).

expresses a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan.

Oh, so the culture of Japan can be represented in sapphire blue oblique shapes. I can dig that, but I dunno about the rest of the refined elegance and sophistication come into it. I guess we shouldn't mention Mitsubishi or Takata when talking about this refined elegance and sophistication and that's just to point out a few from this month.

They should try to evolve it into a new logo for the Tokyo Olympic.

They should have tried is the key word. Too late now, sadly. Sometimes there are things better right in front of one's face and there is no need to go searching for "new". Unless all they wanted to do was spend the money........

Boy they are just showing again that they have so much bad taste. They just managed to choose the ugliest design among the four designs which were considered. This is so ugly and completely fails to represent what it claims to do.

As a quick comparison, Paris unveiled a few weeks ago its logo as a city candidate for 2024, it looks so much better.

http://gamesbids.com/eng/featured/paris-2024-revelling-with-new-eiffel-tower-look-logo-and-four-major-sponsorships/

I am not a fan of Olympics as they are more a giant business machine than anything else, but at least Japan could have made sure to get the logo design right.

I am really looking forward to the monochrome Olympics. By the way, how's the new stadium coming along?

Hmm, they could have at least made it towards a shape of the Tokyo leaf or something. A circle is unoriginal

Yeah, why didn't they use the candidate city one. It is lovely. Ooooh, forgot this is Japan gotta use more money. More than is available is the best plan.

They will all come

I mean no disrespect but I really think an Olympic logo should not be a monotonous one. The Sakura Logo (the candidate city one) is really great. They should try to evolve it into a new logo for the Tokyo Olympic. I google and find all other alternate logos are colourful, too. Maybe they are afraid of allegations of plagiarism so they think this is a safe pick.

I mean no disrespect but I really think an Olympic logo should not be a monotonous one. The Sakura Logo (the candidate city one) is really great. They should try to evolve it into a new logo for the Tokyo Olympic. I google and find all other old and new alternate logos are colourful, too. Maybe they are afraid of allegations of plagiarism again so they pick a safe one.

Didn't like any of the designs to begin with ... and the winner was at what I considered the bottom of what choices there were. Oh well ... on with the ongoing building to the Games ...

stickman, welcome to Japantoday!

does anyone really care about the logo or remember logos from previous olympics? ? it's meant to sell merchandise and make each olympics unique for the host country, and that's all. inspire emotion? are you kidding me?

The first thing that comes to mind - followed by a shudder - taxpayer money.

The winning logo, by Japanese designer Asao Tokolo, is titled Harmonized Checkered Emblem. It features three varieties of indigo blue rectangular shapes to represent different countries, cultures and ways of thinking.

?? So according to the Japanese Olympic Committee there are only 3 different countries, cultures, and ways of thinking in an Olympics represented by 222 nations.! Kind of sums up the Japanese attitude to the rest of the world.

The design itself is kind of ok but lacks vibrancy in its (non) colour and the explanation for the design is nonsense.

Stargate SG-Japan

let the whinging begin. Its fine. why must people complain so much? its a logo. lighten up.

IMO this design doesn't inspire any particular emotion at all, at least nothing more than a 'meh'.

Exactly what I thought when I saw it. meh.

Jeez, they went for the monotonous one, blegh.

And why 2 logos? Just use one logo.

At least it is the most distinctive among the remaining candidates. Seems OK to me and much better than the original one. Also much better than the truly terrible London 2012 logo.

bland monochrome/colorblind design meh, opps sorry forgot this is Japan

Not my favorite of the 4 designs, disappointed.

Why does the Paralympic logo look like a bib for food? I seriously hope that wasn't the intention here...

I guess it's alright. I certainly like it better than the previous one, copied or not, but I tend to prefer the bright and colorful over the simple and serene. IMO this design doesn't inspire any particular emotion at all, at least nothing more than a 'meh'.