V-Varen Nagasaki is a Japanese professional football club based in Nagasaki Prefecture, competing in the J2 League. The club unveiled a completely new emblem in November 2024, ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2025, replacing the identity it had used since its founding in 2005.
Design and History
The current V-Varen Nagasaki emblem was announced on November 10, 2024, after the club’s final league match of the season. It was the culmination of the “20th Anniversary XX Project,” launched in January 2024, which included more than six months of deliberation involving club officials, staff and players. The final design was selected from four candidate designs through a fan vote held in September 2024, which drew 16,355 total votes. The winning design was revealed at a ceremony following the season finale against Ehime FC. The new emblem officially came into use on January 1, 2025. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The club explained that the redesign was prompted by changes in the club’s environment, including media shifts, expanding merchandising and the move to a new home stadium, as well as the ambition to compete in J1 and beyond. The project aimed to rebuild the V-Varen brand to adapt to the times. [5]
The previous emblem, used from the club’s founding in 2005, was based on the mandarin duck, the prefectural bird of Nagasaki. The new design retains the mandarin duck motif, which the club says had been loved for many years, while reinterpreting it in a new form. [1] [6]
Alongside the new emblem, the club also changed its official English name spelling. Previously written with a middle dot as “V・VAREN NAGASAKI,” the club adopted the hyphenated form “V-VAREN NAGASAKI” as the official romanized notation, explaining that the middle dot could be misinterpreted as a word separator in Western typography. [1] [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to the club’s official description, the new emblem’s concept is “carrying Nagasaki’s pride on our chest, soaring toward the world.” The silhouette of wings spread in powerful flight inherits the image of the mandarin duck that had been used for many years, expressing the club’s ambition to aim for the top and challenge the world. [1]
The design integrates three documented motifs: the letter “V,” described as the symbol of club identity; the letter “N,” representing pride in Nagasaki; and the origami crane (orizuru), a symbol of peace. The club’s official explanation states these elements are fused into a single mark. [1] [3]
The winning design was one of two finalists presented to fans in September 2024. The selected concept was described as combining the “V,” the “N,” the long-loved mandarin duck and the peace crane into a sharp, solid design expressing powerful flight toward the summit. [2]
Typography and Design
The club’s official brand guidelines describe the logotype as simple and modern, with an upright bearing and passion, expressing the club’s determination to navigate the open sea from Nagasaki toward the world. [1]
The official club colors were also updated with the new identity. The club defines two primary colors with specific specifications:
- V-VAREN BLUE: Pantone 661C, CMYK C100 M85 Y0 K0, RGB R0 G56 B147, hex #003893. The club describes this as a powerful blue inspired by Nagasaki’s rich sea, symbolizing infinite possibility and the club’s resolve to challenge the world. [1]
- V-VAREN ORANGE: Pantone 166C, CMYK C0 M75 Y100 K0, RGB R234 G96 B0, hex #EA6000. The club describes this as an orange shining like a rising sun, representing the passion and energy of everyone who loves the club, and the courage to face the challenge of victory. [1]
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