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What do you like better? The Japanese names or the English names?

What's better? Japanese or English?

  • Japanese

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • English

    Votes: 13 68.4%
  • Other Language

    Votes: 1 5.3%
  • Neither

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    19

johnr754

I am JOHN, heck yeah!
78
Posts
14
Years
  • All. Which means Pokemon games, manga, anime, anything else. Personally, I prefer the Japanese names. Since Satoshi sounds better than Ash, and Hikari sounds better than Dawn....yeah.....And Geechisu over Ghetsis. What is better?
     
    Last edited:
    50,218
    Posts
    13
    Years
  • I voted English as I am from an English-speaking country (Australia) plus I find some Japanese names (especially those of Pokemon and human characters) hard to pronounce.

    So yeah, I follow the English versions.
     

    psyanic

    pop a wheelie on a zeitgeist
    1,284
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Age 27
    • USA
    • Seen Apr 10, 2023
    I just can't remember all the Japanese names, so I'll get all confused if someone refers to a pokemon in Japanese.

    However, for characters, I kind of like the Japanese names. Like Haruka instead of May.
     

    shengar

    ♥ Mikan Enthusiast ♥
    667
    Posts
    13
    Years
    • Seen Jun 25, 2013
    I prefer English name for Pokemons.
    Use Japanese name for characters that native to Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh since those region are based off Japan except for clear foreigner like Lt. Surge and Fantina.
    And I also use English name for Unnova characters. The same exception applies for Unnova people that looks too Japanese for me like Hachiku and Adeku(Caitlin somehow ended up being foreigner in Sinnoh, not the other way around)

    So, yes I memorized 2 different names at once.
     

    Shining Raichu

    Expect me like you expect Jesus.
    8,959
    Posts
    13
    Years
  • I wouldn't know about 'better', but being from an English-speaking country I certainly find the English names more relatable to me. The Japanese names are incredibly hard to remember for me because I don't know the Japanese language or how the Pokemon names relate to the Pokemon. For instance, I know that Charmander was named thus because char = fire, mander = salamander. I wouldn't know that about the Japanese names.
     
    6,306
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • I like the Japanese names, but I'll go with the English names. I like Sotashi better than Ash, but besides that I prefer English names.
     

    PlatinumDude

    Nyeh?
    12,964
    Posts
    13
    Years
  • I like the English names better because I mainly play the games and watch the show in English. However, when Pokemon of a new generation is revealed, I use their Japanese names until their English names are revealed.
     

    Mr Cat Dog

    Frasier says it best
    11,344
    Posts
    20
    Years
  • I've never found an attraction to the Japanese names the way certain fans do. I guess it's because I don't really follow news of new games that thoroughly, so don't get attached to the Japanese names for months before the English ones are eventually released. A little bit of confirmation bias is there, apparently.
     

    Raizhu

    the end
    328
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Seen Feb 19, 2012
    I like and use both. I generally prefer the English names, however.
     

    Sydian

    fake your death.
    33,379
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • Everyone knows the French names are better than the rest. Pyrax > Volcarona > Ulgamoth
     

    MuffinPaula

    「PONPON!? ??
    235
    Posts
    14
    Years
  • I'm more attracted to Japanese more but some English names are good like Misty, Dawn, .etc... I really like the Japanese names more though. They fit more..
     

    Elite Overlord LeSabre™

    On that 'Non stop road'
    9,927
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • I never bothered to even learn the Japanese names, so I suppose it would be the English names by default. They're the names that appear in the US version games, and since I don't have the cash to import the Japanese versions (and can't read Japanese anyway), English it is!
     

    Zeffy

    g'day
    6,402
    Posts
    15
    Years
    • Seen Feb 7, 2024
    Being a person who understands and can speak English, it is only appropriate for me to choose English over other languages. It would be very inappropriate for me to choose Japanese because I don't understand Japanese, nor do I have the interest to learn it in order to decipher Pokemon name references in Japanese, except for the few occasional Japanese words that pops up in day to day conversations.

    But really, saying that language x is better than language y is like saying people who speak language y should just speak language x because language x is better. If you live in a country which natively speaks Japanese it would not be awkward to prefer Japanese over other dialects. Same goes for the other native languages and their speakers.
     

    Ho-Oh

    used Sacred Fire!
    35,992
    Posts
    18
    Years
    • Seen Jul 1, 2023
    I prefer the Japanese names for Unova. Black and White have pretty much taught me that... Shikijika > Deerling, Hihidaruma > Darmanitan, etc. :x

    Anything else, I prefer the English names, even though they're pun based, they make sense, sooo yeah (plus I wasn't paying attention when every other generation was first released).
     
    50
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • The english names are much much easier to remember so I chose the english names but I'm used to the Japanese names since I watch Pokemon with subs :)
     

    Pokemon Trainer Touko

    春野サクラ ♥
    1,712
    Posts
    13
    Years
  • Personally I prefer Japanese names over English names 'cause they're easier for me to remember and such. :x They sound better too imo xD; Like Touko > Hilda, Arti > Burgh, Mijumaru > Oshawott, Tabunne > Audino, Tsutarjaa > Snivy etc etc >w<;
     

    Snivy063

    Banned
    2,424
    Posts
    12
    Years
    • Age 29
    • Seen Jul 16, 2012
    Some Japanese names are pretty cute, but I am having a hard time remembering them, so I'd go with English names since it's pretty easy to familiarize them. ^^
     
    13,600
    Posts
    15
    Years
    • they/them
    • Seen Dec 11, 2023
    The Fifth Generation was the first generation in which I actually learned some of the Japanese names before the English names. So by default, I'm not saying that I like the English names more, but I so much prefer using them when talking about a Pokemon. When it comes to liking one more than the other, it varies between each Pokemon, and whether or not I even know their Japanese name.
     
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