I took the liberty of doing some rudimentary analysis of Hitomi and Takuya's names to see if they might shed some light on these two characters - and I think they do. I should point out, before I get any further along, that I DO NOT speak, read or write Japanese. My analysis has been accomplished via a few Japanese-to-English translation websites and two Japanese-to-English print dictionaries. That is all. This is by no means a definitive translation of the name and I fully admit that there is likely some kind of deeper meaning (or some way in which the combination of the words used changes the meaning) of Japanese names than what you can pick up by looking at a dictionary. Also, it must be remembered that I am only looking at the way the word sounds... I don't read Japanese calligraphy, so I am relying on the "romanji" or western spelling of these names. Regardless, I think there is something to be gained in interpreting the characters in Supaidaman by looking at the rudimentary analysis. Like many Japanese names (I happen to have one myself... my middle name, which ironically does not fit the pattern that I am about to mention) all four (each man's first and last name... or last and first, it's never really clear with the Japanese) names are made up of two distinct characters or "words" - I think that each one, whether intentionally or not, really relates to the role that the character plays in the story.
Let's start with Takuya. Taku translates a couple of ways... I am assuming that there is more than one symbol or character in Japanese calligraphy which is pronounced "taku" (it might also have something to do with the fact that Japanese and Chinese characters are both fairly common in Japan because of the high degree to which Chinese language and culture influenced Japan in the middle ages). "Taku" means a few things. It can mean husband, but I don't think that's what it means in this case because the other two meanings (specifically one of the other two, but they are somewhat related) fit better with the suffix "ya." Taku can mean both to boil food (as in to boil rice) or to burn. I think that to boil rice makes more sense, since the suffix “ya” suggests either a store, or a dealer of something… i.e. Takuya is a boiled rice seller… perhaps a restaurateur or something along those lines. Now, I have spun this around in my head for a few days, trying to come up with some kind of way in which this relates to the character… but I can’t. It seems like it’s probably just a name with no significance to the story whatsoever. Maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree?
Well, maybe not. Clearly I am getting a bit to into this, but I’m enjoying my self. I had a hunch that Takuya’s second name (incidentally I have no way of knowing which is his given vs. surname. I know that traditionally the Japanese use the reverse order to that which we use in the west, but I believe that some have begun to use the western order instead. I am also never sure whether people are switching the order when translating for a western audience – ie subtitles) so I won’t even hazard a guess. Suffice it to say that we have a first and a second name to discuss… the second being Yamashiro. This is an interesting name. Again, as with most names, it is made up of two separate words and isn’t a word in and of itself. Yama has two very interesting meanings that might just relate to the character. First is Mountain or Hill. On it’s own, this doesn’t imply anything about our hero. The second meaning of Yama is climax, as in the climax of a story. I think there is clearly a logical connection between the two meanings, so I am fairly confident that they are the same character (though I have no way of knowing for sure) – and that there are two ways of interpreting it. Shiro refers to a fortress or castle. A-HA! Finally, something that I can massage into sounding relevant to the story! What better name for a hero than “Hill Fort with a hint of Excitement." This even gives "Takuya" a bit of relevance too! The very proletarian first name adds a sense of “everyman” making him someone to whom we can better relate.
Therefore – Takuya Yamashiro is literally “Boiled Rice Seller Mountain Castle” or in a more contextual sense, “Everyman Exciting Defender atop the Mountain.” Now this makes sense. This fits his character.
Now that we’ve beaten that name to death, let’s take a look at my favourite character in this charade, Hitomi Sakuma. The Interpol, Mr. Moto, Nick Fury-Lite dude. Hito is a prefix that can refer to either “one” as in “a single object” or it can refer to a thing’s disposition or nature. Mi is the body or a person’s self. Saku has three meanings in the dictionary and they all seem to be different words/characters because they are all very different meanings. They are; 1) to rend, split or tear, 2) to devise or scheme (which is the one that I like best for fitting into the story) and 3) to bloom (as in a flower). Ma means “space” or “area.”
If you put the first name’s parts together in such a way as to fit it into the story, you could come up with only two really good options, as I see it. Option one is something akin to “Guy,” “Man,” or something like Clue’s “Mr. Body.” Alternatively Option two is more like “Self-Disposed,” “Selfish,” “Self-Natured…” Something like that. Putting the parts of the second name together you could get “torn space” (as in a tear in the space-time continuum), “Scheming Place” (as in devising devilish plans in your office) or “Bloom-Place” (as in a garden).
This leaves us with a lot of options to consider in interpreting this name… and it ain’t easy. My gut is telling me that “Guy Gardener” feels like the most accurate interpretation, though I have no way of proving this. However; if Hitomi really is Mr. Moto – JP Marquand’s character from 30 years earlier – perhaps “Guy Rend-Space” fits. Unfortunately, because I have no way of proving any of this, I am forced to ignore my gut instinct & my childish Star Trek fantasies and go with what fits best with the story… And that interpretation is “Self-Centered Scheming-Place.” Hitomi Sakuma is a bureaucrat who’s got his own agenda and is willing to do anything to achieve it. Sure he’s a “good guy,” but there’s no way he has anything but his own best interests at heart. He hasn’t risen to the top of the Interpol Intelligence Department by being a virtuous nice-guy. He’s where he is today because of guile and self interest.
This has been in no way scientific. Japanese language experts are probably cringing. But it has really helped me take a closer look at what motivates our heroes. Supaidaman is what he is... Everyman Save-the-day. He's one-dimensional. He can't help himself. The guy to really watch in this story, however, is Hitomi. What's he really up to? And what will he pull next? When and if I watch episode 1, I will be keeping a much closer eye on him.
No comments:
Post a Comment