Suggested japanese name

As *Dragons of Azuma*isn't a manga but a manga-style comic there are many **suggested japanese names** for characters, locations and others. These names are the author's choice of representing some of the names in japanese writing system and many of them doesn't represent the same writing as japanese word with the same meaning.

## Characters from the West

The characters that were born in western part of the Dragons of Azuma world are named after real-life musicans so their names are just presented in japanese writing system.

* Cropper (クロッパー) - his name is a reference to a guitarist Steve Cropper.
* Booker (ブッカー) - his name is a reference to an organist Booker T. Jones.
* Onion Town (オニオンタウン) - this name may come from Booker's and Cropper's (the musicians) 1962 hit single "Green Onions".

## Characters from Kudamono

Characters from the Kudamono Empire (クダモノの帝国; *kudamono no teikoku*)are named after japanese names of fruits but all of the names are writed in katakana as they are used here as fictional characters and locations names. Kudamono (果物)means fruit.

* Aoki Momo (あおき・モモ) - momo (桃)means 'peach' in japanese. Aoki is a actual japanese last name which can be translated as 'green tree' (although 青 *ao* is more often used for 'blue' rather than 'gree').
* Nashi (ナシ) - in japanese nashi (梨) means pear (most comonly used for japanese pear trees).
* Aoki Anzu (あおき・アンズ) - anzu (杏) means apricot.

## Characters from Honyūrui

The names of characters that come from the Honyūrui Empire (ホニュウルイの帝国; *honyūrui no teikoku*) are named after mammals. All of the names are writed in katakana as they are used here as fictional characters and locations names. Honyūrui (哺乳類) means mammal.

* Inu (イヌ) - japanese inu (犬）means dog.
* Rakuda (ラクダ) - rakuda (駱駝) means camel.
* Buta (ブタ) - buta (豚) in japanese means pig.
* Ōshima Neko (おおしま・ネコ) - in japanese neko (猫) means cat. His last name comes from 大島 and means 'big island' in japanese.
* Nikukyū Village (ニクキュウ村; *nikukyū mura*) - in japanese nikukyū (肉球) is a word for a animal paw.
* Amagawa Kuma (あまがわ・クマ) - japanese kuma (熊) means bear. Amagawa (天川) can be translated as 'heavenly river'.
* Zō - in japanese zō (象) means elephant.
* Ushi - ushi (牛) is the japanese word for bull or cattle.

## Characters from Yasai

Character from Yasai Empire (ヤサイの帝国; *yasai no teikoku*) are named after vegetables. The name Yasai (野菜) means 'vegetable' in japanese.

* Daikon - in japanese daikon (大根) means radish.
* Shōga - japanese shōga (生姜) means ginger.

## "Birds Empire"

Though, the fourth empire wasn't mentioned yet in the series, some characters are named after birds, suggesting that they are from a 'birds empire'.

* Yamakaze Taka - japanese taka 鷹 means hawk. Yamakaze (山風) can be translated as 'mountain wind'.
* Tsubame - in japanese tsubame (燕) means swallow.

## References

1. ↑ The japanese writing system consists Hirigana, Katakana and Kanji symbols. For more information on this subject, visit Wikipedia.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://dragonsofazuma.thecomicseries.com/blogarchive/21764
3. ↑ As Steve Cropper is a member of the *Booker T. & the M.G.'s* his brothers name is a clear reference to the bands leader.
4. ↑ In japanese the names are writed in the opposite order than in western countries (laste name + given name).
5. ↑ As Anzu is Momo's brother their last names are the same.
6. ↑ http://dragonsofazuma.thecomicseries.com/comics/141