Japanese names of characters from “Another”

Image by: Another novel ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten

What is the story?

Do you really know all of your classmates? Is there someone that shouldn’t be there? You will surely find out if you join Yomiyama North Middle School’s cursed Class 3-3. In 1972, the students of class 3-3 suffered from the loss of Misaki. He was very popular so his absence devastated everyone to a point where they started pretending that he was still there. The students walked home with him, kept his desk in the classroom, and even brought it to the graduation ceremony. It was just like he was alive, and maybe he was, for he was mysteriously in the graduation photo. Every year from that day on, class 3-3 would be short of one desk…

Later on in the year 1998, a boy named Kouichi joins class 3-3 and befriends a strange girl named Mei Misaki. However, it seemed like nobody else besides Kouichi could see her in class. Koichi starts to wonder if Mei Misaki actually exists.

Image by: Another anime cover ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

What is the Japanese title of Another?

The Japanese title is called ‘Another’(アナザー) and it is written in English and Katakana.

Image by: Another novel ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten

What are the meanings behind the characters’ names?

In Japanese culture, names have significant meanings that are supposed to represent you as a person. Names can be expressed in hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Let’s find out the meanings of some students’ names from the cursed class 3-3.

Koichi Sakakibara (榊原 恒一, Sakakibara Kōichi)

Image by: AnotherEp 4 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

Koichi is a transfer student at the Yomiyama North Middle School class. Without knowing that Mei was the one that was being ignored he activates the curse which kills the students and teachers one by one. ‘Sakaki’(榊) is a type of tree often used at a religious festival, ‘Bara’(原) is a field, ‘Ko’(恒) means constant, and ‘Ichi’(一) is one. This is a common name for boys and there are many other ways to write Koichi.

Mei Misaki (見崎 鳴, Misaki Mei)

Image by: AnotherEp 1 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

A mysterious girl with an eye of a doll hidden behind an eye patch. She sacrifices herself for the class by being ‘the one that doesn’t exist’ (Japanese, いないもの Inai mono) to prevent the curse. ‘Mi’(見) means to see, ‘Saki’(崎) is a cape, and ‘Mei’(鳴) means to cry. But of course, there are many happier ways to write Mei.

Naoya Teshigawara (勅使河原 直哉, Teshigawara Naoya)

Image by: AnotherEp 8 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

Naoya is a cheerful friendly member of class 3-3. While the other classmates were reluctant, Naoya was the only one who tried to warn Koichi about the curse. ‘Te’(勅) means a command from the royals, ‘Shi’(使) is to use, ‘Gawa’(河) is a river, ‘Ra’(原) is a field, and ‘Nao’(直) means direct. ‘Ya’(哉) is what you call a sound at the end of a sentence which has no meaning itself but is used to complete sentences. However, it is more commonly used in names, especially at the end of boys’ names. Interested in this name? Here are more kanji for the name Naoya.

Yuya Mochizuki (望月 優矢, Mochizuki Yūya)

Image by: AnotherEp 1 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

‘Mochi’(望) means to hope, ‘Zuki’(月) is the moon, ‘Yu’(優) means kind, and ‘Ya’(矢) is an arrow. Like his name, Yuya is a kindhearted boy who took care of Koichi. This is a common Japanese name and there are more ways to write Yuya.

Izumi Akazawa (赤沢 泉美, Akazawa Izumi)

Image by: AnotherEp 8 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

Izumi, the leader of the Countermeasures at Yomiyama Middle School’s class 3-3. She tries to protect the class from the curse with all her power however sometimes she can be harsh on others. ‘Aka’(赤) is red, ‘Sawa’(沢) is a swamp, ‘Izu’(泉) is a lake, and ‘Mi’(美) means beauty. Interested in this name? Here are more kanji for the name Izumi.

Reiko Mikami (三神 怜子, Mikami Reiko）

Image by: AnotherEp 1 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Another production committee/ Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp

Reiko is the assistant teacher of class 3-3. She is an alumna of the school and has also experienced the curse before. ‘Mi’(三) is three, ‘Kami’(神) is god, ‘Rei’(怜) means smart. ‘Ko’(子) means a child and is a very common ending for a girl’s name. Interested in this name? Here are more kanji for the name Reiko.

Interesting lines and phrases – Learning Japanese!

Here are some interesting phrases from Another that will help you along with your Japanese studies!

Image by: Another comic 1 Ep 1 ©Yukito Ayatsuji/ Hiro Kiyokawa

EN/ ‘You should be careful. It might have already started’
JP/「気をつけたKiwotsuketa  方がいいHouga ii 。もうMou  始まってるHajimatteru  かもしれないKamoshirenai 」

‘Kiwotsukete’ is a common phrase you hear when someone is telling you to be careful. ‘Shita houga ii’ means it is better to do. ‘Mou’ means already, ‘Hajimatteiru’ means it has started. When you are not sure about something you put ‘kamoshirenai’ at the end which means ‘Might’ or ‘Maybe’.