I want to give Jun and Jinpei surnames. Since they were raised in orphanages, and their surnames were unknown, I figure they'd have been given the Japanese equivalents of Smith or Jones. Common surnames.

Since there's no canon on their surnames, go for it! I ahd one fic where I was looking for all kinds of Japanese names (forst and last) including a last name for Jun. I just looked at 'most common names' lists. http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa051403a.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames#Japan

I chased a few links, also. 'Jun' was under male names (and I did come across a male scientist with that given name in either Scientific American or Discover). No 'Jinpei', but I did find 'Jinsei' and 'Junpei.' 'Kentaro' was defined as 'Big boy.' (Not THAT meaning of big, you hentai-heads.) We can presume that most of the given names are for real. The surnames, for all we know, might be rather like some of the more -- distinctive -- surnames that were once common in Western fiction. Jun and Jinpei Sakamoto. Do NOT piss them off, if you want your prized possessions to maintain structural integrity (or simply to remain in your possession). Those two have been known to cause the energetic disassembly of numerous items.

When i looked at it, I found that Jun was a unisex name. Apparently, the word Jun means 'obedient'.

Hi all!

No 'Jinpei', but I did find 'Jinsei' and 'Junpei.'

Jinpei was the name of the Grandfather of Gatchaman series Planner and Chief Writer Jinzo Toriumi.

Apparently, the word Jun means 'obedient'.

Actually, Jun's name has no direct meaning in Japanese, except as a possible spelling for the name "June." Don't forget, the meaning of a name in Japanese is based on the way it is spelled. If a name is written in kanji, as the names for Ken, Jinpei, Ryu, and Nambu are, then you can look up their meaning. If they are spelled in katakana, as the names for Joe, Jun, and Katse are, then they are generally words or names taken from a foreign language being spelled in a Japanese character set. James

So, what does 'Jinpei' mean? I wrote a fic in which Jun gave him the name because of the way he babbled and behaved. Soundwise, it suited him.

Hi all! Literally, the two kanji that make up Jinpei's name can mean either "Exceedingly level" or "Exceedingly peaceful." "Jinpei" is not technically a word, and this just comes from the possible meanings of the two kanji by themselves when using the "Jin" and "Hei" pronounciations of them (The "H" in "Hei" becomes a "P" when following the "N" in "Jin"). Normally they would be modified and further defined by a second appropriate kanji that would be paired with them. James

Originally posted by tatsunokofan If a name is written in kanji, as the names for Ken, Jinpei, Ryu, and Nambu are, then you can look up their meaning. If they are spelled in katakana, as the names for Joe, Jun, and Katse are, then they are generally words or names taken from a foreign language being spelled in a Japanese character set. James

Can you also tell us what the names Ken, Ryu and Nambu mean?

If he's going to that, how about Dr. Nambu's full name. Nambu is a surname, and there is a physicist with that surname in Japan. I don't recall his first name.

Hi all! Okay, the kanji used for Ken's name means "Health." The kanji used for his surname, Washio, means "Eagle tail" (Washi = eagle, O = Tail). The kanji for Ryu's name means "Dragon." The kanji for his last name, Nakanishi, means "Within the West" (Naka = Within/inside, Nishi = West). The kanji for Nambu means "Southern part," or more colloquially, "The South" (Nan = South, Fu = Part, with the second "N" in "Nan" being pronounced as an "M" because of the "F" that starts the next kanji. The "F" in that kanji changes to a "B" because of the "N" that preceeds it. And yes, before anyone asks, it would technically be allowable to call Jinpei "Jimpei" for those same reasons). The kanji for Nambu's given name is a little trickier, because it all depends on which version of it you wish to use. You see, during the first series, they had three different spellings for it, all three being pronounced Kozaburo. One of them breaks down to "Thoughtful Third Son," another is "Filial Third Son," and the third is "Cultivating Third Son" (Ko = Thought/Filial/Cultivate, Sabu = Three, Ro = A counter for sons). For Gatchaman II, Tatsunoko apparently decided upon the third spelling as his given name, so it might be considered the "most correct" form, but the other two were used in the first series at one point or another. While we're at it, Joe's surname, Asakura, means "Frivilous warehouse" (Asa = frivilous, kura = warehouse). As a point of trivia, a couple of pieces of very early Gatchaman merchandise did give Joe a kanji for his given name. It never appeared in the show, and is not considered canon in any way, shape, or form. But, for those who would want to know, the kanji they used means "Lock." Kentaro Washio's given name means "Healthy Burly Son" (Ken = Health, Ta = Burly/Big, Ro = Counter for sons). Washio is still "Eagle Tail," just as with Ken. So, there you have it. I hope you weren't expecting any great revelations or hidden meanings associated with the characters from this. It makes for interesting trivia, but that's about all it's good for. James

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter I want to give Jun and Jinpei surnames. Since they were raised in orphanages, and their surnames were unknown, I figure they'd have been given the Japanese equivalents of Smith or Jones. Common surnames.

Hmm, I wonder how that works, legally. If an infant or child too young to know his or her surname is found, abandoned (parents unknown), and ends up a ward of whatever child welfare entity takes care of such matters in whatever country the child is found in, then who assigns the child a surname, and how do they choose one? It makes sense, really, that someone (probably some kind of social services caseworker), would assign the child a surname (and, if necessary, a first name too). From what is known about Jinpei's origins, it seems highly likely that he was assigned a name, and it's certainly possible in Jun's case too. I've always assumed that, in the show, Jun and Jinpei have surnames, but that they were never mentioned simply because it wasn't necessary (whereas in the cases of Ken, Joe and Ryu, we were shown their fathers -in flashbacks in Joe's case- and they played some roles in their backstories) but I've often wondered if it were the case that Jun and Jinpei were "adopted" in some legal fashion by Dr. Nambu, in which case they might have then proceeded to use his surname. Many possibilities!

I just lost (I think) a reply by hitting a key. Just like when the cat walks on the keyboard, I don't know which one I hit. I didn't expect very many surprises with naming. 'Mukashiski' (in the sub and dub) is a play on the Japanese 'mukashi', which means 'archaic'. If the team had 'meaningful' names, I figured they would not be worse than some names that have come down the fictional pike in the West. 'Washio' is no worse than a Western superhero being surnamed 'Eagle'. Given the three different ways to render 'Kozaburo', there must be three different diminutives. I bet none of them are 'Koza'. But the only ones I have using it are Eileen Washio, and Kentaro (who is from Hontwarl, despite the Japanese name). 'Giorgio' is pronounced 'Joji', but we shouldn't be too snarky about it. Some Italian and Spanish names are hard for Western non-Latins to pronounce properly. I don't know the legalities for naming those whose names are unknown, either. It probably differs from country to country. The children need names of some sort, and the ones given can always be changed if their proper names are discovered. (I'd hate to think that Jun and Jinpei weren't granted surnames because Jun is female and Jinpei's a child. Now that we know that being raised by Dr. Nambu is not necessarily canon, we don't even have that possibility to fall back on.) 'Frivolous warehouse.' I'd have an attitude, too.

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter 'Frivolous warehouse.' I'd have an attitude, too.

Yeah! But Joe's uncanon, kanji name, "Lock," does suit him better, as it connotes someone who's more closed off from others, who doesn't let anyone in. I wonder if we should be assuming now that Dr. "Third son" Nambu has two older brothers, and if so, who and where they are!

That's Joe's given name, not his last name. Lock Frivolous Warehouse. Hmm. Nambu having brothers. That would be interesting. Are they still alive, or does he have sad memories of funerals? I just found out that 'Taro' and 'Jiro' mean First Son and Second Son. So the boys in 'Little Gatchamans' are unimaginatively named. Although some parents have no imaginations. Ask anyone named 'John Smith' or 'James Jones'. So much interesting stuff, and all I wanted were a few surnames to look at. The Internet is great.

Hi all!

'Giorgio' is pronounced 'Joji', but we shouldn't be too snarky about it. Some Italian and Spanish names are hard for Western non-Latins to pronounce properly.

Tatsunoko has tended to go with the less Italian-sounding "George" for Joe's given name. Their company-run fan club even had a line of "Ken and George" merchandise back in the early 1980s, featuring keychains, pendants, and even a T-shirt. James

Originally posted by UnpublishedWriter I just found out that 'Taro' and 'Jiro' mean First Son and Second Son. So the boys in 'Little Gatchamans' are unimaginatively named. Although some parents have no imaginations. Ask anyone named 'John Smith' or 'James Jones'.

That's a neat fact! Somehow it sounded a lot cooler when the ancient Romans did it -Octavian, Quintus, Septimus etc. Granted, if my parents had followed this tradition, I'd be named "Secunda"

Originally posted by lborgia88 That's a neat fact! Somehow it sounded a lot cooler when the ancient Romans did it -Octavian, Quintus, Septimus etc. Granted, if my parents had followed this tradition, I'd be named "Secunda"

You have me here, LB!

I'm enjoying reading this tread and the names and meanings. I have always had a thing about a name meaning something. My eldest daughters first two names put together means- "White lillly." And her sister is name meaning- "Warrior Rose." LB the romans had a way of making a name complicated at times!

My first name is a feminization of a male name that, in its origin language, means "manly"! So, my name means "manly" -except it's female. Katse, really, ought to have my name!

Originally posted by lborgia88 My first name is a feminization of a male name that, in its origin language, means "manly"!

And my son has the male version of that name. Does that mean that at 6 years old, he's manly? Or since it's the opposite of your name, that he's girly?

I think it means that you are so prescient, you named your son after me even before you knew me -amazing!

Originally posted by lborgia88 I think it means that you are so prescient, you named your son after me even before you knew me -amazing!