Pronunciation Guide

All the character and place names in Ai no Kusabi are written in Katakana. Katakana is a phonetic script, meaning that it communicates exactly how a word should be pronounced. For this reason, to those who can read Japanese, there is no doubt as to how the names and terms should be pronounced, like how there might be in English.

However, Japanese phonetic system is quite different from English and French for example, so most of the times the name needs to be adapted to fit the Japanese system, sometimes making it hard for the reader to know how to romanize it (meaning to transcribe Katakana into the Latin alphabet). This is why we often get inconsistencies in translations, because different translators might have different takes on the romanization of same words.

A typical example of this would be the English surname Smith. Since Japanese doesn’t have the “th” sound, it is usually replaced by the Japanese “su” sound, and so we get スミス (Sumisu, read as Soo-mee-soo). But if you only have the Katakana, and you know that it’s pronounced Sumisu, you might not necessarily know that the writer meant it to be romanized as Smith, so you might romanize it as Soomis for example.

To summarise, **there is absolutely no doubt how any of the names and terms are pronounced in Japanese**, because Katakana communicates that unequivocally. However, transcribing Katakana into Latin could be a matter of interpretation. Below I will attempt to describe the original, Japanese reading. Obviously, the exact phonetic reading will not be the same, but I will try to convey it in a way English speakers might have the easiest time understanding.

Note: Japanese doesn’t distinguish between the “L” and “R” sound. By default, they are all what we would distinguish as “R”. But when transcribing names, it is up to the translator’s discretion to evaluate which letter to use. For example: ルーク, Rūku would probably make more sense as Luke than Ruke or Rook.

## Character Names

**Riki** (*リキ, Riki*) - more or less, like the english Ricky but with a japanese, rolling R. “i” and “k” are both short (so not Riiki, or Rikki).

**Iason Mink** (*イアソン・ミンク, Iason Minku*) - Ee-ah-son. Not Eye-ason and definitely not Jason. The closest might be Yason, but in japanese, “i” and “a” are two separate sounds, thus Ee-ah-son. As for the surname, pronouncing it Mink is fine.

**Guy** (*ガイ, Gai*) - there has been some misinformation within the fandom about how his name should be pronounced. From the Katakana it is quite clear that it should be pronounced like the english name/word Guy (not the french one). So Gah-ee, or, well, Guy. Not Ghee.

**Katze** (*カッツェ, Kattse*) - pretty much like the German word katze. Kah-tse.

**Raoul Am** (*ラウール・アム, Rauru Amu*) - pretty much like the spanish name Raoul – Rah-ool. His surname has been also transcribed as Hamm, but the H is silent. It should be pronounced Ah-m.

**Kirie** (*キリエ, Kirie*) - Kee-ree-eh. Important to note here is that the final “e” is pronounced. His name is not exactly the same as Riki just inverted, it has 3 syllables, while Riki’s has 2. Both “i”s are short (like in Riki) but watch not to pronounce it as just Kiry – it is Kiri**é** (like fiance**é**)

**Jupiter** (*ユピテル, Yupiteru*) - the katakana differs from how we would pronounce Jupiter in english, and is rather Yupiter. This is the same spelling used for the god Jupiter, while the planet has its own name in Japanese (and if its english name were to be transcribed, it would be ジュピター, Jupitā). So technically, it should be Yoo-pee-ter.

**Sid** (*シド, Shido*) - Japanese language doesn’t have the “see” sound, instead, it is pronounced as “she”. This is why even though the katakana has his name as Shid (basically), it is equally as valid to assume the idea was for his name to be the english Sid.

**Mimea** (*ミメア, Mimea*) - Mee-meh-ah, or Mee-mé-ah. Watch not to pronounce it as Mee-mee-ah, the second syllable is meh, or mé. "Mi" and "me" are two distinct sounds in japanese.

**Orphe Zavi** (*オルフェ・ザビ, Orufe Zabi*) - Orpheh, or Orphé, not Orphy. As for his surname, japanese doesn’t *normally* use the “vee” sound (like in TV), and this sound is usually replaced by “bee”. So technically, his surname is Zah-bee. “Z” like in zebra.

**Aisha Rosen** (*アイシャ・ローゼン, Aisha Rōzen*) - Ah-ee-sha Roh-zen. Eye-sha also works, as long as it’s not Ey-sha. In the surname, the “o” is long, so “oh” and the “z” is like zebra.

**Gideon Lagat** (*ギデオン·ラガト, Gideon Ragato*) - Ghee-deh-on Rah-gah-t. The G is like in “get” not “gist” and Lagat is technically Ragat since japanese doesn’t distinguish between “L” and “R”.

**Silbert/Gilbert Domina** (*シルベール/ジルベール・ドミナ, Shirubēru/Jirubēru Domina*) - check here for the explanation on the confusion surrounding his name. For Silbert it's Shee-roo-beh-roo. Japanese doesn’t have the “see” sound, instead “she” is used, hence **Si**lbert, but it could also be Shilbert. However, the “T” is silent, meaning that we can assume the translator meant it to be pronounced in a more french way. As for Gilbert, same as for Silbert except the "g" is pronounced as in "Giuseppe", not "get". Thankfully, the surname is fairly straightforward Doh-mee-nah.

**Haynes Salas** (*ハイネス・サラス, Hainesu Sarasu*) - High-ness Sah-rah-s. His name is pronounced pretty much the same as the title Highness.

**Hubert Boma** (*ユベール・ボマ, Yubēru Boma*) - we can assume that Hubert here was meant as the transcription of the French name, rather than english, because both “H” and “T” are silent – Yoo-behr Boh-mah.

**Tomass** (*トーマ, Tōma*) - his name is Toh-mah, with a long “o”. Tomass was an interesting choice from the translator. It seems again it is meant to be pronounced in a more french way, but the long “o” doesn’t really fit with that idea.

**Manon Sol Kuger** ( *マノン・ソール・クーガ, Manon Sōru Kūga*) - Mah-non Soul Koo-gher. The “g” in Kuger is like in “give”, not “gist”. In japanese, the “er” sound is often transcribed in a more “british” way where “r” is silent. So technically it’s Koo-gah, but we can assume the intention was Koo-gher.

**Zico** (*ジーコ, Jīko*) - japanese doesn’t have the “zee” sound, so both “zee” and “jee/gee” sound the same. Technically, his name is Jee-koh, but in english it could be pronounced Zee-koh.

**Stein** (*スティン, Sutin*) - it has also been translated as Steen, which is more in line with how it should be pronounced. It’s Steen, or Stien, not Stein, Stain or Steyn.

**Luther** (*ルーサ, Rūsa*) - if we keep in mind that in japanese R=L and “th” is often replaced by “s”, Roo-sah could be Luther. It has also been translated as Lusa.

**Aire** (*アイレ, Aire*) - Ah-ee-reh, or Eye-reh, not Ey-reh or Ey-ree.

**Buczka** (*ブチカ, Buchika*) - Boo-chi-ka, the “cz” part is like “cc” in cappuccino.

Following characters have names that are fairly uncontroversial and are standard Katakana transcriptions for some common, English names. I will describe the japanese pronunciation, but we can assume the author meant for it to be pronounced the english way.

**Norris** (*ノリス, Norisu*) - No-ree-su

**Luke** (*ルーク, Rūku*) - Roo-ku

**Daryl** (*ダリル, Dariru*) - Dah-ree-ru

**Cal** (*キャル, Kyaru*) - Kya-ru

**Alec** (*アレク, Areku*) - Ah-reh-ku

**Thor** (*トール, Tōru*) - it should be Tor, rather than Thor.

**Judd Kuger** (*ジァド・クーガ , Jado Kūga*) - Ja-doh. Check Manon for surname.

**Maxi** (*マキシ, Makishi*) - Mah-kee-shee

**Miguel** (*ミゲル, Migeru*) - Mee-geh-ru

**Marcus Jayd** (*マーカス·ジェイド, Mākasu Jeido*) - Mah-kah-su Jeh-ee-do

**Simon** (*サイモン, Saimon*) - Sah-ee-mon

**Vince** (*ヴィンス, Vinsu*) - Vin-su

**Zach** (*ザック, Zakku*) - Zah-ku, “Z” as in zebra

## Place Names

**Ceres** (*ケレス, Keresu*) - Keh-res. C like in “cake” not “city”. Both “e”s are short, so not Key-res, or Keh-reys.

**Midas** (*ミダス, Midasu*) - Mee-das. Not My-das or Mey-das.

**Tanagura** (*タナグラ, Tanagura*) - this one seems pretty uncontroversial Tah-nah-goo-rah. G as in “give” not “gist”.

**Amoi** (*アモイ, Amoi*) - Ah-moy or Ah-moh-ee.

**Eos** (*エオス. Eos*) - Eh-oh-s, not Ee-oh-s, “E” like in “Every”.

**Lhassa** (*ラッサ, Rassa*) - Ra-ssa

**Flare** (*フレア, Furea*) - another example of the “british” reading of a word that ends with “R” - Fleh-ah, but it’s fine to pronounce it the way we would the english word Flare.

**Mistral Park** (*ミストラル・パーク、  Misutoraru Pāku*) - This is fairly straightforward, Mee-stral, like the wind, and Park is just the japanese spelling of the english word.

**Ainis** (*アイニス, Ainisu*) - Eye-nees, not Ey-nees.

**Diedo** (*ディード, Dīdo*) - Dee-doh, not Dye-doh, or Dee-ey-doh.

**Janus** (*ヤヌス, Yanusu*) - the “J” is pronounced as “Y” – Yanus.

**Herbay** (*ハーベイ, Hābei*) - also translated as Harvey. Technically it should be Hah-bay (bay as in Tokyo Bay). This is another case where the Hā part assumes a silent “R”, and in japanese “V” sound is often spelled as “B”, But the maps of Midas have Herbay on them.

**Sasan** (*ササン, Sasan*) - Sah-san.

**Apatia** (*アパティア, Apatia*) - Ah-pah-tee-ah.

**Dana Burn** (*ダナ・バーン, Dana Bān*) - Dah-nah Bahn, also translated as Dana Bahn. The latter part of the name assumes a silent "R" in the "burn" spelling.

**Moga** (*モガ, Moga*) - Moh-gah, G as in “give” not “gist”

**Genova** (*ジェノバ, Jenoba*) - like the Italian city of the same name, “G” as in “Luigi” not “give”

**Chalaza** (*カラザ, Karaza*) - Kah-rah-zah - “Ch” here is read as “K” and “Z” is like zebra

**Laocoon** (*ラオコーン, Raokōn*) - Rah-oh-kon or Lah-oh-kon, not Lah-oh-coon.

**Minos** (*ミノス, Minosu*) - Mee-nos, not My-nos.

**Prage** (*プラージュ, Purāju*) - Prah-j, "j" like in "juice", not like the city Prague.

**Rosas** (*ルーサス, Rūsasu*) Roo-sass, not Rose-as. It was also translated as Lucas. They refer to the same place.

## Other Terminology

**Zein** (*ゼイン, Zein*) - Zeh-in ("e" like in Zen), not Zah-in.

**Megisto** (*メジスト, Mejisuto*) - Meh-gee-sto, "g" like "gist", not "give".

**Lanaya Hugo** (*ラナヤ・ウーゴ, Ranaya Ūgo*) - Rah-nah-yah Oo-go. The "H" is silent.

**Muir** (*ムール, Mūru*) - like the word Moor, not Moo-eer.