Last names

[Geodude]

Anyone else find it ironic that the last two main movie characters--Kid Summers and Jack(ie) Walker--were given last names, but the main characters' Japanese last names have never been revealed?

 

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

Would it be out of the realm of possibility that Satoshi's surname is Tajiri? Or would that be too much?

 

[QuietDragon]

Hah, that's what I would expect if they ever give him a last name. xD

 

[Murgatroyd]

My theory is that this is a culture where not everyone even has a last name.

 

[michan]

Well, in eastern asia (China, Japan, 'the Koreas', etc.) they say the sirname before the first names. If we take Usagi in Sailor Moon as an example, she is referred to Tsukino Usagi in the anime. It seems like Pocket Monsters is one of its kind when it comes to names. Usagi says something like 'Watashi Usagi, Tsukino Usagi desu', but if we take Masato he only says 'boku Masato, desu' (or something like that).

 

[Argy]

The fact that Satoshi always introduces himself as "Satoshi of Masara Town" leads me to believe Murgatroyd's theory is correct.

 

[Cybersai]

What if there are two or more Satoshi's? How do they distinguish themselves?

There were already two Masato's and two Hiroshi's in the anime, as well as two Haruka's even, (the first one was a filler girl from Johto who had an Arcanine), so how would the legal system work?

 

[Habunake]

Legal System?

What Legal System?

 

[Cybersai]

You mean those Officer Jennies don't actually arrest people and press charges? SHOCKER.

 

[Geodude]

What if there are two or more Satoshi's? How do they distinguish themselves?

By their hometowns, as just mentioned, unless of course they're both from the same hometown. Unlikely in Satoshi's case, though, since Pallet seems to be pretty tiny.

 

[The Big Al]

You mean those Officer Jennies don't actually arrest people and press charges? SHOCKER.

Considering the same two criminals attack Satoshi everyday of the week.

 

[Zhen Lin]

There are family names. Some characters we only know by their family names - Drs. Uchikido, Utsugi, Odamaki and Nanakamado for instance. Sakaki is possibly also one of them.

 

[FabuVinny]

Considering the same two criminals attack Satoshi everyday of the week.

And Ash has blasted them off on the rare occasions that Jenny actually attempts to arrest them.

 

[Lil Brother]

The fact that Kid and Jack are both English names (or... words...) may have something do with it.

...just pointing it out.

 

[The Big Al]

I've heard surnames are relatively new in Japanese culture (I don't exactly know how relative, I guessing Meiji era). Before only people who belonged to houses had House Names.

 

[Murgatroyd]

What if there are two or more Satoshi's? How do they distinguish themselves?

Let's compare this to a parallel situation in our world: What if there are two or more John Q. Smiths? How do they distinguish themselves?

 

[The Big Al]

Considering how unusual my name is, there are a whole lot of people with the same name.

 

[Geodude]

Contradictory statement FTW.

 

[The Big Al]

My last name sounds like it should be a lot less common than it is. To maintain my hidden identity, I'm not at liberty to provide said name though.

 

[Geodude]

Oh ok...I think I get it...I thought you were one of those endless people I keep seeing online who inexplicably forget to negate their statements (by adding n't, etc).