Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. This week’s lesson will focus on some names from our latest JUMP START series, Demon Prince Poro’s Diaries. We have even more JUMP START series coming in the following weeks, so make sure to fill out the survey and make your voice heard!

KUROKAMI (黒神)

KUROKAMI is Poro’s family name, and it means “black god.” What a perfect name for a demon prince! We’ve looked into Shonen Jump series names during previous lessons, and it’s always illuminating. Picking the right name for your main character can be pretty important for a series, and Demon Prince Poro’s Diaries really nails it! KUROKAMI sounds intimidating, but then Poro is such a cute word. The name perfectly expresses the inner conflict this main character has.

TENCHI (天地)

TENCHI is the name of the high school Poro transfers into in the human world, and it means “heaven and earth,” or basically “the universe.” Pretty good name for a school a demon prince attends.

YUTA HITOYOSHI (人吉優太)

YUTA is a classmate who quickly befriends Poro and shows him around town. What a nice guy! And guess what? The characters in his name and the way they are pronounced gives his personality away. HITOYOSHI can convey something like “treats people well.” And the YU in YUTA can mean “kindhearted.” Then again, YUTA’s one of the toughest guys in town, so maybe there’s another side to him that’s not so nice?

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