Ask John: Why Do Many Anime Have Seemingly Arbitrary Titles?

Question:
When I’m in search of a new anime series to view/buy, I often find it difficult to judge appropriate titles because their names often seem somewhat obscure/irrelevent to the content of the show. Sometimes, the names are only a vague reference at best. Titles like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Fate/Stay Night, X, Bleach, Full Metal Panic, Mai HiME, .Hack// and Appleseed allude to very little about the content/premise of each show. Is there a reason why so many anime seem to possess titles that reveal next to nothing about the shows plot/content?

Answer:
The way manga and anime series are named may actually reflect, and be influenced by, Japanese culture and particularly Japan’s anime and manga culture. I think that some of the examples you’ve provided reflect the Japanese comic industry’s tendency to perceive manga and anime as literature and art. I also suspect that the selection of titles for manga and anime may be influenced by the Japanese distribution method for manga and anime.

Particularly titles like “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” (which was probably intended to be “Neo Genesis,” meaning “New Beginning”), “Appleseed,” and “Fate/stay night” are very literary titles. They don’t so much suggest the content of the show as create an atmosphere or supply thematic subtext for the show. “New Beginning Evangelion” suggests a story about rebirth and the foundation of a new age. Likewise, “Appleseed” intentionally invokes the legend of Johnny Appleseed and the nurturing of new life. The title “Fate/stay night” doesn’t attempt to suggest the content of the series. The title evokes a sensuous, languid, and mysterious atmosphere that’s characteristic of the show. Likewise “Full Metal Panic” prepares the viewer for the show’s combination of robots and manic comedy. “My Hime,” which literally means, “My Princess,” fits the show’s theme of exclusive young women. Unlike titles such as “Science Ninja Team Gatchaman,” which reveal exactly what the show is about, many anime titles are as much or more a part of the show than merely an introduction and designation for a show.

Besides having creative or thematic titles that are an artistic extension of the story because of anime’s emphasis on artistic and literary characteristics, manga and anime may often also employ obscure or seemingly unspecific titles because their common availability precludes the necessity for descriptive titles. For example, the title “Bleach” doesn’t give readers of viewers any sense that the story is a supernatural adventure. But because Bleach is published in a major magazine distributed nationwide, and broadcast on free Japanese television, consumers will be exposed to it, and can investigate and discover it easily without needing a coercive or tempting title. In that respect, an anime or manga’s title doesn’t need to draw in consumers because consumers will be exposed to the story anyway, and are likely to enjoy or not enjoy a story regardless of its title.