Christ, Colin, I REALLY wish you'd posted this yesterday. I was up all night wondering and worrying about just this subject.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I take it this is the name of a ship that turned up in an episode of Enterprise that hasn't aired here yet...
Anyway, why is it that the women in Japanese animation always seem to look more Caucassian than Oriental?
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
The eyes. They take after the Caucasians in comix American GIs station in Japan after WW2 passed out to kids. Other than "Akira" & maybe 1 or 2 others, round eyes have become a staple in anime & manga. It's also a symbol of Japanese cultural mentality, just like the variant hair colors of the characters.
Posted by Harry (Member # 265) on :
The S.S. Urusei Yatsura is one of the "Up the Long Ladder" ships.
On that same note, Velikan means giant or ogre in Slovenian.
Posted by USS Vanguard (Member # 130) on :
There are many anime references in TNG. Akira being the most obvious. The SS Tombiki is another anime reference i belive.
Posted by David Templar (Member # 580) on :
Ah, one of Takahashi Rumiko's works.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Kei and Yuri also get a fair few mentions (from Dirty Pair).
The Shuttle Craft Hawking is named after Steven Hawking! He's a clever chap in a wheelchair!
Posted by David Templar (Member # 580) on :
Ew, I'd hope they wouldn't name ships after a series like Dirty Pair.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
SS Tomobiki RT-2203 Launched in 2119 under the command of Peter Lauritson on a deep space exploration mission in the Ficus sector. Listed on a LCARS in-joke. "Up the Long Ladder" - TNG. Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Actually - even though those ships are in-joke names, what is wrong with them being legit. ships - I could imagine some shipyard company full of Engineers who are all probably obsessed with Japanese Anime! It'd be like Trek Fans writing in and naming the First space shuttle Enterprise... or look at the JPL space probes... Deep Space 1, 2, 3 etc.
Put yourself in the time period, sending ships of into space, you'd probably (if you're around name some of your ships the James T. Kirk or the Uhura or the Picard!
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I doubt the Starfleet big-wigs would let them. Not to mention that knowledge of "ancient" Earth TV shows and movies seems to be a very limited commodity in the future.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
But of course, these aren't starfleet ships. Independent, commercial and civil ships often have offbeat, and even bizarre names even in this day and age.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Well, I was talking about examples like the Akira...
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
Where does that name come from, anyway? Did Otomo just pick the name out of thin air, is it a noun of some sort, or was it an established Japanese proper name? If the latter, how was it established? Any historic figures, sites or events of that name?
The name might have "credibility" beyond the comic-book connection, allowing it to be used by a solemn and officious organization like Starfleet. Much like USS Livingston probably isn't named after a fish or a 20th century TV non-celebrity.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
"Akira" is a fairly widespread Japanese given name; I think it's been used a lot as a family name as well. (Masao, I await Caesar's judgement)The guy who runs the Japanese restaurant in Springfield is named "Akira," too. Remember when Homer brought him the box of Mr. Sparkle? And he was voiced by George Takei, too!
If I name a ship USS Kusanagi (& I have), who's to know it's named after Major Motoko Kusanagi from "Ghost In The Shell" or Jun Kusanagi the WAY-fucking-hawt nude model. It could be named after Lamar Kusanagi, the guy who tried to sell Harlem to Japan in the mid-2180s.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
Wasn't Akira the name of of of Cletus' children?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Just "Kira."
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Cletus? As in, the slack-jawed yokel?
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
as in some folk'll never lose a toe, but then again some folk'll.
as in some folk'll never eat a skunk, but then again some folk'll
as in Cletus the slack jawed yokel
Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :
That's 'Cleetus'...
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
beg to differ, spaceboy
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Cletus the slack-jawed yokel had a kid named "Kira"? How odd...
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
Your arguing over the spelling of the name of a fictional cartoon character who is most likely illiterate....
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Kira is a real name. It was second choice for my niece, thought up by people who had never seen DS9. They eventually went with Katie, because my parents already get mine and my brothers names wrong, and to have a "Kira" and "Kieran" in the family would likely make their heads explode.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
And what's your brother's name, then? Leon?
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
One of his (Cletus') sons was also named Q-Bert! LOL!