ANA's blue livery traces its roots to a 1982 redesign

All Nippon Airways flies a standard livery built around two shades of blue, both tied closely to the Japanese carrier's identity. The scheme dates to 1982, when ANA marked its 30th anniversary with a redesign.

That work kept a lighter shade from the airline's previous appearance, known as Mohican Blue, and added a darker one the carrier called Triton Blue. The darker color takes its name from Triton, the sea god of Greek mythology associated with calming storms. ANA linked the name to the idea of safe flight, giving a corporate color a direct aviation reference.

The current fleet still wears the two-shade design. Special liveries have appeared on ANA aircraft over the years, but the standard colors remain in service.

The source notes that painting an airliner is not simple. Designers must work around critical flight components, and the added weight of paint is a factor. A repaint can cost an average airliner upwards of $200,000, enough to support a separate aircraft repainting industry.