When you see a Subaru, the first thing you notice is that star cluster logo. But those aren’t just random stars; they mean something very specific. The word ‘Subaru’ is actually the Japanese name for a real star group! We’ll explain the cool story behind the six stars and track the few simple ways the Subaru logo has changed over the years.
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The Mythical Connection Of Subaru Logo Design
The Subaru emblem features a cluster of six stars in the Taurus constellation. The Japanese name of the Subaru symbol is ‘mutsuraboshi’, which means six stars.
Have you ever wondered why there are exactly six stars on the logo and what they represent?
The ancient Greeks named the six-star cluster ‘Pleiades’. According to Greek mythology, the stars personify the seven daughters of the Titan god Atlas and the Oceanid nymph Pleione.
The seven daughters in the Pleiades are:
Alcyone—Being the largest star and having the central position, she is often considered to be the main star of the constellation. Her name means ‘queen who wards off evil’.
Asterope—The literal translation of the name is ‘lightning’. It is a double star in the constellation.
Merope—The least shiny star in the constellation. According to Greek mythology, she was the only Pleiad who married a mortal.
Maia—The eldest daughter of Atlas and Pleione was the most beautiful among her sisters. The shy goddess lived in a cave in Mount Kyllene in Arkadia. She was a lover of Zeus and gave birth to his son Hermes.
Electra—The name means ‘bright’ or ‘shining’ and aptly so because she is the third brightest star in the constellation. She was the mother of Dardanus, the founder of Troy.
Taygeta—Another double star in the Pleiades constellation. According to Greek myth, Zeus defiled her while she was unconscious. She was later transformed into a doe.
Celaeno—The name means ‘darkness’ or ‘blackness’, which is quite appropriate because the star is difficult to spot with the naked eye. She was one of the wives of the sea god Poseidon.
The History Behind Subaru Logo Design
If you are wondering about the meaning of Subaru logo, you will be glad to know that there is an interesting story behind that iconic emblem.
The parent company of Subaru is Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Five different companies created this conglomerate in 1953, and they later merged with the FHI.
You might already be thinking why the Subaru logo features only six stars while the constellation it is designed after has seven.
In the Pleiades constellation, two stars are located so close to each other that they look like one big star. Subaru used that ploy to represent the parent company and its subsidiaries.
The largest star in the Subaru logo is for Fuji Heavy Industries, while the five smaller ones symbolize the five companies merged with FHI. The badge’s blue background embodies the colors of the Pleiades stars.
The Subaru star constellation indicates the brand’s global unity. The logo has been around since 1958 without going through major changes.
An oval shape surrounds the six stars Subaru emblem. It fits better in dynamic design frameworks than square shapes.
Due to its functionality, many automotive brands, including Toyota, Land Rover, Maserati, Ford, and more, use this shape in their emblem.
The logo features blue and silver colors, which appear to be the most fitting choices. The silver stars shine in the background of blue, representing the night sky. The biggest star is the brightest, just like it is in the Pleiades constellation.
Subaru Logo Evolution
Unlike the badges of other automotive companies, Subaru has not brought many changes to its logo. The designers changed the placement of the stars and background color a couple of times.
The earlier versions had more resemblance to the actual cluster by featuring interconnected stars. The designers tried with golden stars, some minimal revisions of the silver oval, and red and speckled backgrounds.
The designers later changed the actual logo design too by re-positioning the stars and connecting them with one another.
The biggest star went to the upper left side and the other five stars are aligned across the middle and bottom right corner. The current Subaru logo has a comparatively lighter blue background with gradient shades and flatter edges of the oval shape.
So this thing is demonic!