Kansai Telecasting Corporation, commonly known as Kansai TV or by its nickname Kantele, is a Japanese commercial broadcaster based in Osaka serving the Kansai region. The station’s visual identity has been built around the number 8, its analog broadcast channel, for more than half a century.
Design and History
In July 1964, Kansai Telecasting adopted a new corporate name, emblem and company flag featuring a stylized “8” mark, designed by graphic designer Yoshio Hayakawa. The mark was based on the station’s analog channel number 8 and was used on the company seal and flag. This “8 mark” remained the broadcaster’s primary symbol for over 50 years, appearing in on-air graphics and station identification until the 2015 rebrand. During the digital broadcasting era, the 1964 mark was displayed alongside the station’s mascot character Hachiemon, rendered with a light blue border and white numeral.[1]
On March 30, 2015, Kansai Telecasting introduced a new visual identity. The station unified its nickname as “Kantele” and adopted a new logo featuring the “8” mark alongside the wordmark “Kantele” in silver gothic lettering. The rebrand was part of a broader brand concept, “Koegoe” (Surpass), announced alongside a new corporate song written by singer-songwriter Makihara Noriyuki. The refreshed logo was intended to signal a new direction for the station as it sought to move past a period of declining ratings.[2][3]
Following the 2015 change, the older “Kansai TV” logo continued to be used as the company’s official corporate mark, while the “8 Kantele” logo was adopted for broadcasting and promotional purposes. The station’s rooftop tower sign was also updated from the old “8 KTV” logo to the new “8 Kantele” version in 2016.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 1964 “8 mark” directly references the station’s analog broadcast channel, channel 8, which remains the station’s remote control key ID in the digital era. The 2015 logo retains the “8” motif while pairing it with the “Kantele” wordmark in silver gothic lettering. The station’s official brand concept, introduced with the 2015 rebrand, is “Koegoe” (Surpass), reflecting an ambition to move beyond its existing limits.[5][2]
Typography and Design
The 2015 “Kantele” wordmark uses a silver gothic (sans-serif) typeface as its base. The pink “8” symbol in the new logo was designed to convey a sense of motion, representing the station’s forward momentum under the new brand identity.[6]
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