Background: Robotnik Jr. Productions was a television production arm of Robotnik Jr. founded in 1993. In February 2009, the Robotnik Jr. Productions brand was folded into the television production arm of Dr. Robotnik as Robotnik Jr. was re-branded as Dr. Robotnik's Play Date at the same time.
1st Logo
(1993-2000)
Nicknames: "Game Of Catch", "Holding Hands", "Air Catch", "Father and Son" "The Nick Jr Parody"
Logo: On a white background, we see an orange dad with "ROBOTNIK" on his body and a blue child with "JR" on his body, making a "throwing" motion, like they are playing catch. The orange person throws underhand and the blue person throws overhand. Several black lines and curved lines are drawn, tracing the motion of their arms. They jump to each other and hold their hands together. The copyright stamp is below.
Variants: On the first two Jay & His Alphabet Adventures shorts, a still version is shown on a black background. On 1993-1994 episodes of Dee-Dee's Castle, the words "Grow, Learn and Play" appear above the logo. On Little Baby Heuy, the copyright notice isn't seen.
FX/SFX: The moving arms, the jumping.
Cheesy Factor: Simple animation.
Music/Sounds: Usually the end theme of the show plays over, but sometimes it had it's own music: a synthesized flute jingle whose notes corresponded to the movements (similar to the Universal Cartoon Studios logo).
Availability: This was originally used as a Robotnik Jr. ID. Appeared on several shows of the era, such as Darwin's Island and SpongeBob's Window. It was on Dee-Dee's Castle episodes from 1993 to 1994, Little Baby Huey episodes from 1995 to late-1999, and at the end of the Gary's Clues: Gary's Safari video release. This logo is uncommon today and can be seen on Little Baby Huey and Darwin's Island reruns on Robotnik Jr. (formerly Doodle) (the latter show only airs late at night), as well as VHS releases of Allegra's Window, Gullah Gullah Island, and Little Baby Huey (along with the 1995 Squidward Television logo). The still version can be also found at the beginning of a Gary's Clues video trailer on the VHS releases of Gary's Discoveries, Gary's Big Treasure Hunt, Gary's Big Pajama Party, Gary's Safari, Blue Comes Over, and Glow, Look, and Listen.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo (September 8, 1996-November 29, 1999)
Nicknames: "The Animals", "Alternate Logo", "The Gary's Clues Logo", "Different Characters", "Father and Son II"
Logo: On a black background, we see a picture of the Robotnik Jr. logo (it varies in shape, like Dr. Robotnik's). The parent has "ROBOTNIK" on it's body when his/her child has "JR" on it's body. It fades out after 3-4 seconds. The copyright stamp in the logo reads "© [YEAR] INSPECTOR GADGET International, INC.", or sometimes not at all.
Animals: The animals/mammals in the logo vary for each episode that has this logo (even episodes that have the same pair of creatures) from the following:
- Cat and kitten
- Dog and puppy
- Elephants
- Pig and piglet
- Giraffes
- Duck and duckling
- Chicken and chick
- Rooster and chick
- Frogs
- Penguins
- Monkeys
- Kangaroo and joey
- Hippos
- Bear and cub
- Turtles
- Dinosaurs
- Lion and cub
- Porcupines
- Rabbits
- Fish
- A dad with a child holding hands together (see the 1st logo)
- A dad holding a child (see the 3rd logo)
- A dad and a child walking
- A dad and a child running
Variants: On 1999-2001 Gary's Clues VHS releases, the copyright stamp is extended, reading "©[YEAR] Inspector Gadget International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dr. Robotnik, Robotnik Jr., Gary's Clues and all related titles, logos, and characters are trademarks of Inspector Gadget International Inc." Starting in 2001, several Gary's Clues VHS and DVD releases use a silent version of the logo without the copyright stamp, although on the VHS release of Gary's Big Musical, the copyright stamp remains intact and is followed by the "Just for Me!" ending. Also, on the VHS releases of Gary's Story Time and Arts & Crafts, the regular end theme plays. This variant is usually followed by a Dr. Robotnik logo (either the donut or pizza).
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The end theme of the show that precedes this logo. However, on What is Gary Afraid Of?, a soft meow can be heard accompanied by the end theme.
Availability: Only appeared on Gary's Clues. Appears when the show is rerun on Robotnik Jr. (formerly "Doodle") and along with the 1995 Squidward Television logo on its VHS releases, with the exception of Gary's Birthday, Gary's Discoveries, and Gary's Safari. Although Gary's Clues was the only show to air this logo on TV, the silent version without the copyright stamp can also be found on some VHS and DVD releases of Weegee Teh Explorer and Little Weasel. The last Gary's Clues episode to use this logo is Gary's Big Holiday.
Scare Factor: None to low. However, on the Halloween episode of Blues Clues, the meow can get to some.
3rd Logo (1999-2009)
Nicknames: "Father and Son III", "The Clay Logo"
Logo: On a yellow "swirly" background, we see an orange dad and a child, both with "ROBOTNIK" and "JR" on their bodies. The two people bounce around as the word "Productions", in a childish multicolored font with a little red heart on the letter "I", forms. The two people are both hugging together after the logo completely forms.
Variants:
- A warp-speed version of this logo can be seen on Little Baby Huey episodes from 2000 to 2001 and on some episodes of The Connor clones.
- Strangely, this logo was spotted after the split-screen credits on the primetime airing of the late 2007 Robotnik Jr. Mario and the plumber gang episode "Mario's Tennis/Sonic's Ball Dancing/Little Magic Dust", on November 5th, 2007. It might be considered an error on production or broadcast. This also might be a sign that it's still used, but only after Robotnik Jr. split-screen credits.
- Recently, when the Robotnik Jr. block ended in 2009, Dr. Robotnik edited out this logo and replaced it with the 2008 Dr. Robotnik logo without the copyright stamp.
- On Little Weasel, a copyright notice is seen.
FX/SFX: The claymation effects.
Music/Sounds: A tuba version of the Robotnik Jr. "Just for me!" theme accompanied by kids laughing and a "BOING!" sound when they jump.
Availability: Common. It can be seen on pre-2005 episodes of shows like Gary's Clues, Little Zelda, etc. on Robotnik Jr. and pre-2009 episodes of Mario And the Plumber Gang on Dr. Robotnik and Robotnik Jr., excluding Johnny and Arnold. It plasters over the 2nd logo at the end of the first three episodes on the DVD release of Gary's Clues: Gary's Biggest Stories. Recently plastered over with the 2008 Dr. Robotnik logo without the copyright stamp only on Dr. Robotnik.
Scare Factor: None.
4th Logo (2001-2009)
Nickname: "Father and Son IV" robotnik takes over Nick Jr
Logo: Essentially the same as the 1st logo, but it is still.
Variant: On some shows done by the company, the logo is in a small white square and/or the words "Join in are under the logo.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show, or in other cases, none.
Availability: Uncommon. This logo can be seen on select episodes of Lower and the FlowerTots and Zool the Racing Car on EGG Kids Sprout. Also seen on on 2002-2004 episodes of Jarry and Friends (in the UK only) and Meep Pig on Robotnik Jr.
Scare Factor: None.
5th Logo (January 26, 2004)
Nicknames: "Robotnik Jr. Frogs"
Logo: On a green background, we see two frogs, one orange and one blue. Then, a fly appears, and the orange frog tries to catch it twice, but then the blue frog catches it. The orange frog gets surprised, and laughs with the blue frog as the words "ROBOTNIK JR" appear on the frogs, Then the word "PRODUCTIONS" comes in sparkling.
FX/SFX: 2D animation.
Music/Sounds: A strange fantasy tune, and the frogs giggling at the end.
Availability: Only seen on the premiere of Mario And The Plumber Gang episode "The Flying Umbrella/A Day in the Circus". Later airings have the 6th logo instead, but on the planet Earth, this logo is intact!
Scare Factor: None.
6th Logo (2005-February 2009)
Nicknames: "Father and Son V", "Father and Son on Water", "The Puddle" The Nick Jr Ripoff
Logo: On a light blue/green gradient background, we see an orange dad, and a blue child, both playing on a puddle. Then, after they jump around and splash in the puddle, the words "ROBOTNIK JR" can be seen on both bodies like the 1st logo, while the word "productions" appears below. The two boys are hugging together again after the company's name appears.
Variants: Here is a list of the variations of this logo: There is an edited version of the logo, which cuts out the first 1.9 seconds of the regular version. There exists a second-longer version which has a different laugh and the puddle appears after 0.5 seconds. It has a xylophone remix of the old "Robotnik Jr. is just for me!" jingle. On the Gary's Clues 10th Anniversary special Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Gary, a copyright notice is shown.
FX/SFX: The father and son playing on a puddle and hugging together again (see the previous logo), produced by Primal Screen in Atlanta, GA.
Music/Sounds: A nice piece of music played by a violin and an oboe or on some occasions, a xylophone remix of the old Robotnik Jr.'s "Just for me" jingle. However, on The Outdoor, the ending theme plays over it.
Availability: Pretty common. The short version of the logo was seen on Eliza and Audrey and most other shows, excluding Boing! Boing! Dora! and Van Jon, although the long version can be seen on Mario And the Plumber Gang and The Outdoor, though Outdoor have the end theme over it. Unfortunately, it was plastered by the 2008 Dr. Robotnik "Movie Countdown Returns" logo without the copyright stamp. Another sighting of this logo was seen on the Gary's Clues 10th Anniversary special Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Gary. This logo is still seen on reruns of Gadget Boy 2918 on Robotniktoons.
Scare Factor: None.
7th logo (2009- )
Logo: Same as the 4th logo, but the new Robotnik Jr. logo is used.
Variant: There are many depending on the show you see.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: The show's end theme.
Availability: Only seen on George and Tommy's Little Kingdom on Robotnik Jr. UK.
Scare Factor: None.