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

[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! :)