Japanese names of characters from “Toriko”

Contents

What is the story?
What is the Japanese title of Toriko?
What are the meanings behind the characters’ names?
Interesting lines and phrases – Learning Japanese!

What is the story?

Toriko is a manga series written and illustrated by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro. In the gourmet age, people’s interest is all in food. Restaurants would employ gourmet hunters to chase uncommon creatures and high-quality ingredients. Komatsu, the head chef of the luxurious Hotel Gourmet looks for gourmet hunter Toriko’s assistance to catch an incredibly perilous crocodile called the ‘Galala Gator’ to comply with a customer’s desire for a dish. Propelled by Toriko’s capacity and desire, Komatsu decides to go with Toriko on his hazardous yet exciting adventure to taste all the rarest foods around the world!

Image by: Toriko comic 1 © Mitsutoshi Shimaukuro ／Shueisha Inc,

What is the Japanese title of Toriko?

The Japanese title is the same as the English title, the only difference is in Japanese it is written in katakana as ‘トリコ’. Both titles are the name of Toriko, who is the main character of this series. He is an extremely muscular man with blue hair and an incredible appetite. His physical strength helps him catch big and deadly creatures, such as the ‘Galala Gator’ which in Japanese is ‘ガララワニ, Garara Wani’ and the ‘Puffer Whale, フグ鯨’(Fugu Kujira).

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 names of characters in the gourmet world!

Toriko (トリコ, Toriko)

Image by: Toriko comic 1 EP 1 © Mitsutoshi Shimaukuro ／Shueisha Inc,

Toriko is an extremely powerful gourmet hunter who is looking for special ingredients to complete his full course of life. His name is written in Katakana as ‘トリコ’ so it is hard to tell the exact meaning here, however the word ‘Toriko’(虜) also means captive or charmed.

Komatsu (小松, Komatsu)

Image by: Toriko comic 1 Ep 1 © Mitsutoshi Shimaukuro ／Shueisha Inc,

Talented and hard-working Komatsu is a highly skilled chef who later becomes Toriko’s food hunt partner. ‘Ko’ (小) means small and ‘Matsu’(松) is a pine. He is small and weak unlike his passion for cooking! ‘Komatsu’ is his family name, however, if it were to be the first name it would be suitable for girls. A Japanese name can be written in different kanji to give them other meanings. Here are more ways to write Komatsu.

Ichiryu (一龍, Ichiryū)

Image by: Toriko comic 20 Ep 172 © Mitsutoshi Shimaukuro ／Shueisha Inc,

Ichiryu, the leader of the IGO (International Gourmet Organization) and Toriko’s master. ‘Ichi’(一) is one and ‘Ryu’(龍) is a dragon. Toriko calls him ‘Oyaji’(親父) which means an old man or a casual way to call a father. ‘Oya’(親) is a parent and ‘Ji’(父) is a father.

Midora (三虎, Midora)

Image by: Toriko comic 20 Ep 172 © Mitsutoshi Shimaukuro ／Shueisha Inc,

Midora is the powerful leader of the rival organization ‘Bishokukai'(美食会), in English the Gourmet Corps. Midora seeks Komatsu’s talent and tries to take him away from Toriko. Mi’(三) is three and ‘Dora’(虎) is a tiger.

Interesting lines and phrases – Learning Japanese!

Here are some useful phrases from Toriko which will help you along with your Japanese studies!

EN/ ‘Keep in mind’
JP/「頭にAtamani 入れておいてねIrete oitene 」

The direct translation of this phrase is ‘Put it in your head’. When people tell you this it will probably be for an important reason, so make sure you really ‘Put it in your head’!

EN/’ I refuse!’
JP/「断る！Kotowaru!」

If there is something that you don’t want to do, make sure to refuse it strongly by saying ‘Kotowaru!’ However, if you are speaking to your senior or boss it would be best not to say that. Instead say it politely, ‘Okotowari shimasu!’(お断りします！)

EN/ ‘Melted cheese lake, Chocolate flowers, Sandpit filled with rice, Wine waterfall’
JP/「とろける Torokeruチーズの Chīzu no泉Izumi, チョコレートのChokorēto no 咲く花Saku hana, お米のOkokme no 砂場にSunaba ni, ワインのWain no 滝Taki 」

Imagine if all these things were real, sadly, they are not. However, we do have beautiful lakes (泉), flowers (花), sandpits (砂場), and waterfalls (滝). We also have cheese (チーズ), chocolate (チョコレート), rice (お米), and wine (ワイン), which in Japanese are all written in katakana because they are English words.

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