Logo design for Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms by Yoshino Koyoka (published by Azuki). The story revolves around a teenage boy who discovers that he is host to a self-aware robotic arm called a Mecha-Ude (pronounced "MEK-ah-OO-day"). This title was interesting in that it would be very difficult to "translate" the visual style of the original logo, so I aimed to keep the spirit of that design by keeping the hand hidden in the letterforms.
Notes I submitted with the first round of logos
In addition to staying the same general shape and area of the original logo, I needed to find ways to clarify the title. As the title is essentially another language, I had to make sure that it was readable and unmistakable for other English words. While the Japanese logo uses only straight lines, I decided to introduce curves to keep the letters "U," "C," and "D" immediately legible.
Several different alternatives I explored in search of the best design solution. Some design sketches are visible in the background.
I especially wanted to keep the hand hidden in the "D" and "E," so I shied away from the designs that lacked this feature. The result is a custom-designed mark built from scratch.
Animation of the final logo's journey from sketch to finished product.
