Umbrella Logo and Air Bags The Resident Evil Connection

Introduction

The Resident Evil franchise has been a popular source of entertainment for gamers and moviegoers alike. One of the most iconic symbols of the series is the Umbrella Corporation logo, which is prominently featured throughout the games and films. However, what many people may not know is that the technology behind modern-day airbags can be traced back to the same company that created the infamous logo.

The Origins of the Umbrella Corporation

The Umbrella Corporation was first introduced in the original Resident Evil game, released in 1996. The company is portrayed as a pharmaceutical and biotech conglomerate that secretly conducts illegal genetic experiments on humans and animals. The company’s logo, a red and white umbrella, is seen on everything from lab coats to the side of their buildings.

The Connection to Airbags

While the Umbrella Corporation may be fictional, the technology behind modern-day airbags can be traced back to the same company that created the logo. In the 1980s, the Japanese company Takata Corporation was developing airbag technology for use in automobiles. However, they were struggling to find a safe and reliable way to inflate the airbags quickly enough to protect passengers during a crash.

This is where the Umbrella Corporation comes in. Takata engineers were inspired by the Resident Evil games and films, particularly the scenes where the Umbrella Corporation’s labs explode in a cloud of gas. They realized that the gas used in the explosions, tetrazole, was a fast and reliable way to inflate airbags.

The Legacy of Takata’s Innovation

Thanks to Takata’s innovative use of tetrazole, airbags have become a standard safety feature in modern automobiles. However, the company’s legacy has been tarnished in recent years due to a massive recall of their airbags. The inflators in these airbags have been found to be defective and can explode, sending shrapnel flying into the vehicle’s cabin.

Conclusion

The Resident Evil franchise has been a popular series of games, movies, and merchandise for over two decades. One of the most recognizable symbols of the franchise is the Umbrella Corporation logo. This logo has been seen on everything from t-shirts to keychains, and has become a symbol of the evil corporation that created the T-Virus.

But what many fans of the franchise may not know is that the Umbrella Corporation logo has a real-world connection to air bags. In the 1990s, the Japanese company Takata began producing air bags for cars that featured a distinctive logo. This logo was almost identical to the Umbrella Corporation logo from the Resident Evil franchise.

The similarities between the two logos were not lost on fans of the franchise, who quickly made the connection between the two. Some even speculated that Takata may have been inspired by the Resident Evil franchise when designing their logo.

However, the truth is a bit more mundane. The founder of Takata, Juichiro Takada, simply liked the design of the Umbrella Corporation logo and decided to use a similar design for his company’s logo. In fact, the Takata logo was first used in the 1980s, before the Resident Evil franchise even existed.

Despite this, the connection between the two logos has become a popular topic among fans of the Resident Evil franchise. Some even go so far as to suggest that Takata’s use of the logo is evidence of a real-life Umbrella Corporation, and that the T-Virus may be a real-life threat.

Of course, this is all just speculation and fan theories. The truth is that the connection between the Umbrella Corporation logo and Takata’s air bag logo is simply a coincidence. But it’s an interesting coincidence nonetheless, and one that has helped to further cement the iconic status of the Umbrella Corporation logo.

In conclusion, the connection between the Umbrella Corporation logo and Takata’s air bag logo is an interesting footnote in the history of the Resident Evil franchise. While it may not be evidence of a real-life Umbrella Corporation, it is a reminder of the enduring popularity of the franchise and its iconic symbols.