Why is Suzaku's name in katakana?

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

I was looking at the japanese site (http://www.geass.jp/world_03.html) and saw that Suzaku's name is in katakana, even though all the rest of the japanese (and chinese) character's have kanji names. (Well, except for Kallen, but she's a half.)

Is it because he's an "Honorary Britannian"? Or is he a half also? XD

Well, his family is in kanji, but still... it's weird that his given name isn't. :|

...and looking at Kallen's wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallen_Stadtfeld), I finally find out why I was confused about it being Karen or Kallen. It's both? Then again, it puts her given name in katakana even it's "Kōzuki Karen". So how is it known if it's Karen or Kallen when it's in katakana either way?

I'm confused. XD

Gasp! My first time using a tag!

Comments

[qwertumz.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that it's supposed to be 'Kozuki Kallen,' and Wiki noted that wrong. Notice how there isn't a citation.

However, if it is right, I'm guessing that 'Kallen' is a Britannian name, while 'Karen' is just more easily pronounceable when it comes to the Japanese.

Argh, confusing. It's like Light/Raito all over again. D:

[apapazukamori.livejournal.com]

Notice how there isn't a citation.

Not always indicative of incorrect information. Just lazy Wiki-ers. XD

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

I still hate that they made the official pronunciation "Light". I mean, I got used to it after watching the dub, but I just don't get it. XD Light/Raito has the weirdest "japanese" name evar. ...but yeah, it is like that, eh? XD

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Wait, I mean spelling, not pronunciation, which is probably not even spelled right. Gah, I always notice these mistakes right after I post. XD

[apapazukamori.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if there's a specific reason behind Suzaku's first name being in katakana as opposed to kanji, but it's not uncommon for that to happen in anime/manga. Weiss Kreuz comes to mind, where all four of the main characters are Japanese, but their first names were written in katakana. (Though if I remember correctly, Ken and Ran did have kanji associated with their first names. Not sure about Omi or Yohji.) Sometimes in Japanese katakana is used for "native" words in order to emphasize them.

As for Karen/Kallen, it's just dependent on whether you use the "r" or "l" romanization. Though I believe the "official" romanized spelling is "Kallen"?

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

To my knowledge, some Japanese just name their children with names in katakana as this is easier to read and write. Not entirely sure though.

As for Kallen, Japanese names can be romanized different ways. Kallen is written as カレン. The カ is simply read as "ka", while the ン is simply read as "n". レ on the other other hand, could be written with an "re" or "le" Until we had official confirmation in merchandise with the name romanized, カレン was read as both Karen and Kalen/Kallen. Simply put, officially her name is Kallen, but it could be read as Karen.

[apapazukamori.livejournal.com]

To my knowledge, some Japanese just name their children with names in katakana as this is easier to read and write. Not entirely sure though.

I did not know this! Interesting. Though in Suzaku's case, would Genbu have done that, considering the kid ran around in hakama in his free time? His family struck me as somewhat traditional... (*wonders if Suzaku has relatives named Seiryuu and Byakko*)

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Byakko is his mom or his pet cat. Seiryuu is is long lost evil twin. ...kidding of course, but that would be cool. XD

[darksong17.livejournal.com]

No clue on Suzaku but I could have sworn Kallen Stadtfeld was her Britannian name while Karen Kozuki was her Japanese name.

[darksong17.livejournal.com]

It says right in the article:

Her birth name is Karen Kōzuki (紅月カレン, Kōzuki Karen)

Kallen is a Britannian-Eleven girl, who believes herself to be a Japanese person at heart and prefers to be known by her birth name.

[jean-kun.livejournal.com]

This kind of thing happens all the time with Naruto characters too XDDD

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Well, I've only seen Naruto chracters with katakana names, but I never did look closly to see if any had non-katakana names. XD I just sort of went "eh it's not japan so that's why". Hmm, I'll have to look up Naruto names later. XD

[lisa-patrikevna.livejournal.com]

It's "Kallen". At least that's what OST 2 booklet says.



full version of the scan (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/Lisa_Patrikeevna/CD43-1.jpg)

IIRC, "Karen" was gg's choise.

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Ah, I watch the gg subs, so that's why I thought Karen. XD Thanks for the official proof for "Kallen".

[miasmacloud.livejournal.com]

Genbu (Suzaku's dad) and Naoto (Kallen's brother) also have Katakana names.
Ougi, Toudou, Tamaki, etc don't.

Naoto and Kallen's probably have something to do with their father being Britannian.
Suzaku and Genbu might be because of the origins of their names (Chinese myth), though the characters used for the Chinese names are Kanji as well. Suzaku and Genbu are Japanese readings of 朱雀 and 玄武.

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, both of your reasons are correct from what I see and from what chickee1 said. Thanks.

[chickee1.livejournal.com]

Some kids just don't have kanji names. I have Several students without kanji names, as well as friends from high school. Especially if it is a new name it is written in hiragana or katakana. For example the names Izuki and Izumi tend to be given to children without a kanji spelling.

Then you get the poor kids who have kanji names but the parents have put weird ones together and nobody knows how to say it.

[chickee1.livejournal.com]

Just heard from an official Japanese person! There were four god's who protected China/Japan. (Places like Kyoto and Beijing) and one of them was called Suzaku. Since the kanji is extremely hard and isn't usually read liike that, he's given a katakana name. (So he fits in the poor kid gets a hard to read name catergory).

[x-reggg.livejournal.com]

well 朱雀 (suzaku) doesn't seem that bad to write for a chinese person, it does seem harder than the typical japanese name :P

and it stops me from thinking of fushigi yuuigi when i see his name

[sephysarkon.livejournal.com]

and it stops me from thinking of fushigi yuuigi when i see his name

Hahaha, ditto here.

~the seph

[nelotizapu.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks! I new about Suzaku (and his father, Genbu) being named after the gods (as they're also referred to in Fushigi Yuugi and Yuu Yuu Hakusho), but now I understand the reasoning, and that reason also explains why his dad's name is in katakana as well! :)

[megami-tsuki.livejournal.com]

The Japanese use Katakana for Japanese words when they want it to stick out. It's like the Japanese equivelent of putting something in Bold or Italics

Like in Host Club
Hatori Bisco writes the chracter Haruhi's name in Katakana even tho there's a nice Kanji for it just for just to have a contrast with the other chracters.