Pokemon! Part 2.

Jun 24, 2010 01:46



Yeah, people have done these before. Whatever. I'm doing this *mostly* without looking at Pokemon fan-driven sites, and using my own years of studying Japanese (as well as what I know about Pokemon and what I can gather from their English names) to not only make an easily-referensable list of both Japanese and English names but also provide non Japanese-speakers a chance to learn why "Pikachu" does not mean "squeaking mouse." "Pika" (the mountain rat...which is American) is pronounced "Pike-ah," by the way.

63. Casey.........Abra
64. Yungera.......Kadabra
65. Houdin........Alakazam
66. Wanriki.......Machop
67. Goriki........Machoke
68. Kairiki.......Machamp
69. Madatsubomi...Bellsprout
70. Utsudon.......Weepinbel
71. Utsubotto.....Victreebel
72. Menokurage....Tentacool
73. Dokukurage....Tentacruel
74. Ishitsubute...Geodude
75. Golem.........Graveler
76. Goronya.......Golem

63-76 Notes: After scouring the internet looking for clues as to why Abra would be named Casey, all I can come up with is that it's the romanization of keshi, which means "erase" or "disappear." According to Bulbapedia (which I'm fairly sure is correct), Kadabra is named Yungera after Uri Gellar (the guy who bends spoons). "But wait!" you say. "Wouldn't it be Yurigera? Where did that rogue N come from?" In katakana, the N character and the ri character look very similar, hence Yungera. Alakazam is almost certainly named after Houdini, but I'll be safe and say that it *could* be Eugene Robert-Houdin. Wanriki is a word corruption that refers to strength. Goriki means "herculean strength," and Kairiki means "Superhuman strenght." Mada tsubomi means "still a sprout." The Utsu of Utsudon means "depression," though Bulbapedia maintains that the name is a corruption of utsubokazura, "pitcher plant." I disagree. They say the same for Victreebel (which I'm much more likely to agree with.) A kurage is a jellyfish; as for the meno prefix...Not entirely sure. I'm tempted to say it means "Jellyfish-like," as in, not a fully developed jellyfish, or "proto-jellyfish." Bulbapedia says it may be a combination of menokatake, enemy, and jellyfish. Doku means poison ("Poison Jellyfish"). An ishi is a rock, and a tsubute is a throwing stone. Golem is rather self-explanatory (though confusing). Gorogoro is the explanation word of something rolling.
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