Origin of names

[Fleur de Lys]

That's really interesting, though they actually have confirmed in an interview that his name comes from Kaitou. They just romanized it, like with Piros, which came from the name Hiroshi.

Really ? That's too really interesting. I would be really glad if you could give me a link to this interview or an excerpt of it.

In fact, there is a great difference between Piros and Kite : in all the official japanese websites (hack.channel "Legend of Twilight", CC2 characters' pages) the pi-ro-shi kana (ぴろし) are romanized in PIROSHI.
Piros, for what i could understand about it, is an invention of the american translators. Just maybe because they thought Piros is more "sexy" than Piroshi for US people.
I've to point that i don't speak japanese (that's important). But, for what i could know about romanization of japanese names, piroshi never could been romanized in piros. Pirosu could, but piroshi no.
And, if the american translators of Bandai America (at that time) did not invent Piros, i guess that a lot of fans should have known that Piroshi is the nickname for Hiroshi Matsuyama. First by deduction (Piroshi is as fool as the "crazy director" Hiroshi Matsuyama), second, because of the little sketchs at the end of the Legend of Twilight manga. At the end of the second volume, there is one done by "CyberConnect 2 (Piroshi Matsuyama)". And, at the end of the third volume, there is the infamous GU sketch, also made by "CyberConnect 2 (Piroshi Matsuyama)". In the following page (of the LoT n°3) Rei Izumi made a little photo-report of her visit to CC2, and there is a pic of Hiroshi Matsuyama, with this words : "They've got an office for the president" and just under, in small print : "Good job, president Piroshi".
And now, Hiroshi Matsuyama is doing joke-advertising in .hackey, as Piroshi-shi (Mister Piroshi).

But so, what i said is that in japaneses sites Piros is really romanized Piroshi, but Kite is romanized... KITE (by the Japaneses themselves, so).
That's why i always thought that kaito was only the "japanization" of Kite (as burakkurozu is the japanization for BlackRose).


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

Really ? That's too really interesting. I would be really glad if you could give me a link to this interview or an excerpt of it.

I think there was a Japanese magazine that did a web interview where it was mentioned, but I can't find it. It is, however, stated explicitly in the pamphlet I talk about here:
http://www.dothackers.net/forums/viewto ... sc&start=0

In fact, there is a great difference between Piros and Kite : in all the official japanese websites (hack.channel "Legend of Twilight", CC2 characters' pages) the pi-ro-shi kana (ぴろし) are romanized in PIROSHI.
Piros, for what i could understand about it, is an invention of the american translators. Just maybe because they thought Piros is more "sexy" than Piroshi for US people.

Matsuyama himself spells it "Piros" (he's the one writing this column, I asked him in person)
http://www.cyberconnect2.jp/hack/piroshi8.html#71

The other spelling can be attributed to the people handling the name not knowing the preferred spelling. It's not like they write in English all the time, the romanized spelling is a trivial sidenote that's easy to forget. For example, Kite was written "Kight" on some official merchandise in Japan:

(check the image url and you'll see it comes from the official site)

I've to point that i don't speak japanese (that's important). But, for what i could know about romanization of japanese names, piroshi never could been romanized in piros. Pirosu could, but piroshi no.

Actually, it can. Just like u, i can be devoiced after an unvoiced consonant. Also, "shi" is an allophone in Japanese, taking the spot where "si" would be expected. I can't think of any words of the top of my head but it has been used for an ending "s" sound, particularly in words from languages that aren't English. "Piros" is similar enough to "Piroshi" to be a "cool" romanization of it.

And, if the american translators of Bandai America (at that time) did not invent Piros, i guess that a lot of fans should have known that Piroshi is the nickname for Hiroshi Matsuyama. First by deduction (Piroshi is as fool as the "crazy director" Hiroshi Matsuyama), second, because of the little sketchs at the end of the Legend of Twilight manga. At the end of the second volume, there is one done by "CyberConnect 2 (Piroshi Matsuyama)". And, at the end of the third volume, there is the infamous GU sketch, also made by "CyberConnect 2 (Piroshi Matsuyama)". In the following page (of the LoT n°3) Rei Izumi made a little photo-report of her visit to CC2, and there is a pic of Hiroshi Matsuyama, with this words : "They've got an office for the president" and just under, in small print : "Good job, president Piroshi".
And now, Hiroshi Matsuyama is doing joke-advertising in .hackey, as Piroshi-shi (Mister Piroshi).

And it's written this way in the original, or just the translations? I've never seen him romanize his name except in the column linked above, and Tokyopop is infamous for translation screwups as it is.

But so, what i said is that in japaneses sites Piros is really romanized Piroshi, but Kite is romanized... KITE (by the Japaneses themselves, so).
That's why i always thought that kaito was only the "japanization" of Kite (as burakkurozu is the japanization for BlackRose).


Fleur de Lys.

Nope, Kite is reverse-formed from "kaitou", since it sounded like the English word.

[Fleur de Lys]

I think there was a Japanese magazine that did a web interview where it was mentioned, but I can't find it. It is, however, stated explicitly in the pamphlet I talk about here:
http://www.dothackers.net/forums/viewto ... sc&start=0

Thanks for you link, i've learn so much in this topic.

In fact, it's true that the origin "kaitou" seems a little bit better than "kite" for the heroe of such a game. It's not that a kite is so awful (that's what i attempted to explain with the far-east symbolism of the kite, and the military "side' of rokkaku-kite), but a kite is still an object (or a bird).
But, so, i still wonder if Kite didn't give them the idea of all i call "the spirit of the blow", which is based on the Aura's meaning in greek and latin (breeze), with also Zephyr (Zefie) son of Eos, but also a west wind, Mistral, which is a french wind (and a poet also), even Lycoris could be link to it (but that's not sure at all) and Hoerwick, when you know who was Anton Hoerwick during WWII (and your topic learns me that they are knowing some stuff about WWII), but that's still really unsure.

But, so, i did all a long article about the interesting (englishs) meanings of kite : astrology, geometric form, birdprey, and then the rokkaku-kite, in my website (in french), and i even find a funny kite-shaped AIDA (i think it's Helen, and it's on CC2-GU official). Now, i wonder if i've to let it, or replace it by two or three lines : "coming from Kaitou, which means...".
I think i well let it. That's still interesting for french people to know all the meaning of Kite in english (first, they thought that kite is only the flying object, but initially, a kite is a bird).
For the fun, i also find that the main species of the bird kite is the Red Kite, and that there is a sub-species called the Caped Verde Kite (Green Cap Kite). So Red Kite / Green Kite... Just for fun.

the romanized spelling is a trivial sidenote that's easy to forget. For example, Kite was written "Kight" on some official merchandise in Japan

Yes, i've seen this "problem" when i made researchs about the original japanese names, and it's obvious that Japaneses don't do romanization each day, and so, when they do one, they just try to do what they think suits the best.
That's maybe the cause of the "Moruti problem". Some write "Moruti", some other "Moluti", and others "Molti", but fewer write it "Molty", and more fewer are saying, "but stop it ! It's Multi, do you understand ? Mul-ti !".
For what i read, in japanese, it's "morutei". When i ask wwjdic for it, it answer "moruto > malt" and "tei > tea". So, Maltea ?

there is one done by "CyberConnect 2 (Piroshi Matsuyama)"...

And it's written this way in the original, or just the translations? I've never seen him romanize his name except in the column linked above, and Tokyopop is infamous for translation screwups as it is.

I didn't read the original japanese version, i guess i should, and i'm thinking to buy it (just to see the differences with the US and the french version). For example, in the french first volume, there is in "hexagone presentation page", near Ouka, theses little words, very interesting : "Lou comme Loup (Ôka comme Ôkami (le loup))", which means "Lou as Loup (Ouka as Oukami : the wolf)". Lou is a kind of nickname, that could be a first name in french, and could be seen as a short form of "Loup" who means "wolf". Maybe, that was impossible to say in english (Wol, a good given name for a girl ?^^), and then, they forget it. Or, it's an invention of the french translators. Who knows ? Not me, that's sure.

So, to come back to Piroshi romanization in LoT, i think that in japanese version they write it "ぴろし". And so, there is no problem of romanization.
When the translators of Tokyopop see it, they probably just translated it roughly in "Piroshi". Why should they invent it ? And, by doing it, they just let us know that they didn't know about the Piros of the games.

In the french version (i've only the first volume), they write "Hiroshi" instead of the "Piroshi" of the US book (that's at the end, the congratulations messages).
I guess that the french translators thought that ぴろし was a mistake for ひろし. It's so close... They were knowing Hiroshi Matsuyama, the message was "CC2 Piroshi", so they did it...

Now, about the message in the Q&A, what matter is the date. I guess that the first game was yet released in USA when the US fan sent his question. And so, Hiroshi was knowing that Piroshi had been changed in "Piros", and he maybe just tried to "localize" his answer.

But, so, i don't see this question as a "canon" or "non-canon" one . I was just pointing the fact that if American translators had let Piroshi in... Piroshi, that would had been easier for fan to make a link between Piroshi and Hiroshi. That's all.

Have a nice day, or/and a nice evening, and thanks for all,


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

Well, I bet "Kaitou"->"Kite" happened before the story of .hack was written, and before Kite even had his current character design. It was possibly the name of the girl thief in the sketch. "Aura" is a reference to light, not wind, isn't it? Her symbolism is usually light, and that's what Harald calls her.

It's just "Moruti", which is how you'd go about writing "Morti". Given the death-ness, I'd say that's it, or something containing "mort".

[mirageofdeceit]

sora is sky in japanese, just look at the way he moves, its sky

[Umbra]

O.o Didn't you say you knew everything?

It already says in this very thread that Sora's name comes from Sora Kawai, a disciple to the famous Japanese poet known as Matsuo Basho.

[Fleur de Lys]

sora is sky in japanese, just look at the way he moves, its sky

Yes, sky is said sora in japanese.
But, the personnal name Sora is written with kanji (楚艮) that could mean "joyous whip", and are based on Kawai Sora (河合曾良), a disciple of Matsuo Basho who wrote a biography of this major haiku poet (haiku are a very specific japanese poetry, for those who would like to know).

That's what "funny" with japanese proper names : there is on a side the pronounciation, and on another side the writing. So, you could have a name pronounced sora (and then you could link it to sky) but written with kanji pronounced one "so" and the other "ra", and the both meaning... That depends, there are so much combinations...^^

As Shinsou Wotan noted it, Haseo is an old fashioned way to write the name Basho (and it's more close than you think : Haseo is wrote "ha-se-wo" in japanese, and Basho is in fact "ba-si-yo").
And, for those who care about it, the katakana writing of Haseo is not there to note a foreigner name, but a "monk originated" one. As you probably know, katakana writing was invented in buddhist monasteries. And, Basho is the name that the great poet took when he retired, at the end of his life, as a buddhist monk in the "banana's hermitage" (Basho is made with two kanji meaning "banana" each one).

As Sora had been mixed with Skeith, i'm hardly sure that the link between Sora and Haseo/Basho is not a coincidence.

"Aura" is a reference to light, not wind, isn't it? Her symbolism is usually light, and that's what Harald calls her.

Nowadays, aura could be a reference to light, because of all the "new age" stuff about it (the aura of a person that you could, maybe, see in darkness, etc.).

But, etymologically, Aura has nothing to do with light (except if you could find, why not ?, a sanskrit "aura" meaning "light").
I've read, twice, in a french newspaper, that aura was an italian term that means "the very moment when appears the day". But i've searched for it, and never found a true reference for this signification.
In LoT, WB Yeats call Aura the "Goddess of Dawn", and that's a reference to Aurora, and also of the membership of the true Yeats in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. But, in mythology, Aura is neither a name of a Goddess of the Dawn, nor a nickname for it.
In mythology, in fact, Aura is a nymph of the Breeze, and mother of Iacchos, who had is part in the mysteries of Eleusis.
In greek, and thereafter in latin, aura means "wind, blow". That's why, in latin, the aura gained a sense close to "spiritus". Initially, spiritus is only the "breath". But, the breath was seen by the Ancients (and sometimes it's still nowadays seen) as an equivalent to animus (the soul). That's why spiritus finally mean "spirit"^^. And so for aura, which, in italian, could mean either breeze or... spirit.
And the present "new age" (or "mystical") meaning of the "lightning" aura comes also from here. Aura is, like spiritus, an "emanation". So, in christian iconography, the aura of the saints was represented by a lightning "crown". That was more "graphic" for the people of the times (icones were seen as a way to "teach" analphabet people) and a reference to the Light of Jesus and Christianism.
But, if we still search in etymology, we could linked aura to aurum (the gold, in latin). Aura is the plural of this neutral latin word. And aurea means "golden".

What i've seen and understood about all the meanings and symbolism in The World makes me think that the creators of .Hack know all of these senses, and play with them.

It's just "Moruti", which is how you'd go about writing "Morti". Given the death-ness, I'd say that's it, or something containing "mort".

I'm French, but i'd never thought that Moruti could had the french word for death in it.
But, if it's Morti, maybe it comes from occitan, as Mistral comes from Frederic Mistral. However, the anime is non-canon, so is "moruti" (or morutei) a name created by the .hack team ?


Fleur de Lys.

[Virk]

The name "Tsukasa" comes from the character for the "Ji" (司) in "Shouji".

^ From the .Hack Wiki.

Because   An Shouji is Tsukasa's RL name.

[Kuukai]

Nowadays, aura could be a reference to light, because of all the "new age" stuff about it (the aura of a person that you could, maybe, see in darkness, etc.).

But, etymologically, Aura has nothing to do with light (except if you could find, why not ?, a sanskrit "aura" meaning "light").
I've read, twice, in a french newspaper, that aura was an italian term that means "the very moment when appears the day". But i've searched for it, and never found a true reference for this signification.
In LoT, WB Yeats call Aura the "Goddess of Dawn", and that's a reference to Aurora, and also of the membership of the true Yeats in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. But, in mythology, Aura is neither a name of a Goddess of the Dawn, nor a nickname for it.
In mythology, in fact, Aura is a nymph of the Breeze, and mother of Iacchos, who had is part in the mysteries of Eleusis.
In greek, and thereafter in latin, aura means "wind, blow". That's why, in latin, the aura gained a sense close to "spiritus". Initially, spiritus is only the "breath". But, the breath was seen by the Ancients (and sometimes it's still nowadays seen) as an equivalent to animus (the soul). That's why spiritus finally mean "spirit"^^. And so for aura, which, in italian, could mean either breeze or... spirit.
And the present "new age" (or "mystical") meaning of the "lightning" aura comes also from here. Aura is, like spiritus, an "emanation". So, in christian iconography, the aura of the saints was represented by a lightning "crown". That was more "graphic" for the people of the times (icones were seen as a way to "teach" analphabet people) and a reference to the Light of Jesus and Christianism.
But, if we still search in etymology, we could linked aura to aurum (the gold, in latin). Aura is the plural of this neutral latin word. And aurea means "golden".

What i've seen and understood about all the meanings and symbolism in The World makes me think that the creators of .Hack know all of these senses, and play with them.

Yeah, makes sense, though the "dawn" meaning definitely seems to be the most prevalent. Just look at Lycoris's name, being the Greek word for "twilight".

I'm French, but i'd never thought that Moruti could had the french word for death in it.
But, if it's Morti, maybe it comes from occitan, as Mistral comes from Frederic Mistral. However, the anime is non-canon, so is "moruti" (or morutei) a name created by the .hack team ?

Yeah it's not necessarily very thought out, like the other names, but you seem to be confusing モルティ with モルテイ. The former is romanized "Moruti", and the latter is romanized "Morutei". When a small イ is added after テ, it makes it into "ti", it doesn't add another mora. That, combined with the deathness, is why I can't see it not having that morpheme in it, even if it's not otherwise a validly constructed word...

[Fleur de Lys]

Yeah, makes sense, though the "dawn" meaning definitely seems to be the most prevalent. Just look at Lycoris's name, being the Greek word for "twilight".

About Lycoris, i've seen that Lycoris is said to mean "twilight" in ancient greek. I've searched a lot on the web to find if that could be approve by "hellenist" sources. The ancient greek dictionnary on the Perseus Tufts website doesn't say a word about it. The only words for "twilight" are lycophos, and lukê. Maybe, lukê could be the radical for a lukoris that means "twilight", but truely, that's really unsure. So, as i like a lot etymology, i would like to know where the first one who says that Lycoris means "twilight" found his definition, and how it means twilight (Lukê-oris ?).
For the moment, the only one Lycoris i know is a proper name in Cornelius Gallus poetry, a pseudonym for Cytheris, a woman he loved. Cytheris is an other name of Aphrodite (Venus), and Cornelius Gallus was the first governor of roman egypt.
What is interesting to note is this Lycoris is "Lukôris", in ancient greek. And... Lukô is a form for lukaina (lycaina), which means "female wolf", and this lukô was a name for... the Moon.

For the meaning "dawn" of Aura in .hack, yes it's prevalent. But, when you see the, now famous, "i shall return to the wind", i think it's a little bit interesting to know that Aura means "wind" in greek.^^

Thanks for your clarification about the japanese writings of Moruti.
So, if it's Morti, that could be italian, and that would mean "deaths" (plural).
But, i don't care a lot about Moruti/Morti.
I think that the creators of .hack worked a lot about the significations of the names of the major characters, and play with some of the senses, in a exoteric/esoteric way. But, as the anime is "non-canon" (funny, this religious word for anime and manga...), i guess Moruti does not belong to these works they worked a lot on it.


Fleur de Lys.

[Fleur de Lys]

So, now it's clearly know that Piros is in fact the nickname for Hiroshi (Matsuyama), and that explains why Piros is in the Q&A of the CC2 .hack's website.

But, do you know why Natsume, too, appears in these Q&A ?

The answer could be found there :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuyama%2C_Ehime

Enjoy,


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

Please don't double post, just edit your post instead.

I think you're digging too deep, I've been to Matsuyama during a Natsume Souseki festival thing and I never thought there was any connection, aside from both Piroshi and Matsuyama being in the Southwest... Natsume isn't going to have her face on money anytime soon...

[Fleur de Lys]

Please don't double post, just edit your post instead.

Excuse-me, but in my view, that's not double post.
There are two days between the posts, and if did like this, that's because it happens too many time that someone else posted when i was editing. Then, what happens if the new posts is a long one ? All the people who have yet read mine won't see that there is an edit.

I think you're digging too deep, I've been to Matsuyama during a Natsume Souseki festival thing and I never thought there was any connection, aside from both Piroshi and Matsuyama being in the Southwest... Natsume isn't going to have her face on money anytime soon...

Excuse-me, but i don't understand your reply. That's a not a relation with the true city of Matsuyama, that's only a word play.

That's a relation between the name of a game developper, Matsuyama, and someone (Natsume) who wrote a book who is said to took place in a town also named Matsuyama.
Botchan is said to be as famous in Japan as Tom Sawyer does in USA.
So, is it so strange that Hiroshi Matsuyama (or even Kazunori Itô) could make a cross-reference to this famous writer by the way of one his characters ?

And then, if i'm wrong, could you explain to me why Natsume is in the Q&A of the CC2's websites ?

Thanks,


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

It's not like the edit button can only be used once. If someone posts while you're editing, you can un-edit and branch the new part into a new post or something. Since this is a sticky you shouldn't need to worry about your edit being lost to the ages...

It's just a name (not even spelled the same way). Saying Piroshi and Natsume are related through Botchan is like saying Bill and Ted are related through the U.S. Presidency. The reason Natsume shares the column is because she's a popular mascot for the series, and also so that Piroshi has someone with which to form a comedic duo, to make the column more interesting.

[Fleur de Lys]

It's not like the edit button can only be used once. If someone posts while you're editing, you can un-edit and branch the new part into a new post or something. Since this is a sticky you shouldn't need to worry about your edit being lost to the ages...

Ok, i would act like this, now. I apologize.

It's just a name (not even spelled the same way). Saying Piroshi and Natsume are related through Botchan is like saying Bill and Ted are related through the U.S. Presidency. The reason Natsume shares the column is because she's a popular mascot for the series, and also so that Piroshi has someone with which to form a comedic duo, to make the column more interesting.

Ok, so i think i now understand you first reply.

There is a big misunderstanding : I had never said that Piroshi and Natsume are related through Botchan.

I only said that Natsume is a "shadow" pseudonym for Matsuyama.
Natsume Sôseki is a writer who made a very popular novel taking place in the town of Matsuyama.
So, i think that the name of Natsume of .hack is related to Natsume Sôseki. I know that one are a surname, and the other a given female name. But, here are just a common "game" in literature, movies, art in general, and then video games.

Then, in the Q&A, you have one character related to Hiroshi : it's Piroshi.
And the other related to Matsuyama : it's Natsume.
And the both are related to the whole name of Hiroshi Matsuyama.
I don't see this as totally illogical, even if you could still think that's only a "pleasant" speculation.


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

Like I said before, I'm pretty sure there's no intended relation here. I understood what you meant when you said it, but it's too umm, Google-y a conclusion. Having known this information before you even mentioned it (I met Hiroshi Matsuyama within weeks of going to a Natsume Souseki festival in Matsuyama, so the common name crossed my mind years ago), I can tell you this doesn't seem like it was remotely intentional...

[Fleur de Lys]

Hum... I now see why you're so sure that's not intentionnal.
And i think that we could both be right (yes, that's possible^^).

I've to explain : in fact, when i first view this reference, i didn't think that was one from Hiroshi Matsuyama.
Yes, when you've heard a little bit about him, that's not his kind of humor. Matsuyama is a clown. His humor is a direct one. So, when he makes a reference to himself, it's an obvious one (Piroshi being so close to Hiroshi in japanese), and it's a mocking one. And then, now, Hiroshi plays as "Piroshi" in the CC2's advertising about .hack (we have a last exemple in hackey 07).

So, this kind of reference, a little bit sophisticated, and hidden, that's not the Matsuyama's style. I agree.

That's why i think it was more the style of Kazunori Ito.

Indeed, i'd a clue to think that i'm right, a graphic clue. Look :


I'm sure you're wondering where i'm going to dig now...
So, look at the dark blue strip. Below, there are three dark blue triangles. In my point of view, they could a graphic equivalent to the kanji Yama.

Then, now, i'm pretty sure that you're now totally convinced i'm digging toward the center of Earth.
But so, let me finish with my theory : in my point of view, this clue is not here for us, but for Hiroshi Matsuyama (who was graphic director). I see this as a "joke" from Ito, with the complicity of Sadamoto. The kind of joke you could do inside a project, waiting when the one jocked will see the reference...
And so, when i saw Natsume in the Q&A, i'd thought "Oh, Hiroshi Matsuyama now knows".

So, now, let talk about something else.
The stars' system of .hack.
That's now well known that you've one in GU.
But, there was one too in project .hack.

I think that everybody know that Albireo is a star's name (and every reader of AI Buster does).

But, reading all this topic, i was wondering if everybody, too, know that Subaru, in japanese, is the name of the Pleiads (a constellation).
And the Subaru society is also named because of the Pleiads (its logo is the constellation).

And, what i'm sure very few people know, is that Ginkan (translated here in "Silver Knight") is a rare name for... the Milky Way.

And that Hokuto, the "partner" of Albireo in AI Buster, is also a constellation name : this of the Big Dipper.
(my source is the Great Dictionnary of Buddhism, in the wwwjdic, for Ginkan it's only edict, in the same dictionnary)


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

Matsuyama isn't just a "clown", a huge amount of the serious part of .hack was based on his ideas...

If Natsume was supposed to be a counterpart to Piroshi, and Kazunori Ito had a part in it, don't you'd think they'd at least interact in the games? They're treated as stand alone characters, though, which kinda makes any "connection" vague. I somehow doubt Natsume's name was contrived solely for the purpose of her teaming up with Piroshi in a section of the secondary website (that's right, all the games direct you to the channel one). Think of the other characters they could have teamed Piroshi up with, and it's obvious that Natsume was a great choice...

Also, according to analysis, that's the wave pattern for "thunder". Though that doesn't rule out it originally being mountains, there's no reason to think it's any more meaningful than any of the other patterns on characters...

I was aware of the meanings of all those names, and as this thread shows there are lots of such references in .hack, all I'm saying is that Natsume is probably not a reference to the writer, any more than Yowkow is a reference to Hikaru Genji since the second character in her name is "Hikaru" and she ends up in a  hospital, which is 病院 in Japanese, the second character of which, 院, was a used as a nickname to refer to Genji in the Tale of Genji. Humans love to see connections and find patterns, but I'm sure neither this nor the Natsume thing were intentional.

[Fleur de Lys]

Matsuyama isn't just a "clown", a huge amount of the serious part of .hack was based on his ideas...

Sorry, i didn't intend to hurt you or Matsuyama. I know his key role in .hack.
In fact, when i spoke of "clown", i was speaking about his humor.
If i could quote myself : "He is a clown. His humor is a direct one."
This was to qualify his kind of humor, and in my point of view, as myself i'm sometimes a "clown", that was a huge compliment. That's what makes Hiroshi Matsuyama "special". Something that makes him "shining", if i could express like that.

If Natsume was supposed to be a counterpart to Piroshi, and Kazunori Ito had a part in it, don't you'd think they'd at least interact in the games?

To be honest with you : no, surely no. In the case of a "joke" from Ito to Matsuyama, the less Natsume and Piroshi interact, the better it is. Why ? To prevent Matsuyama to find the reference too quickly.

I somehow doubt Natsume's name was contrived solely for the purpose of her teaming up with Piroshi in a section of the secondary website (that's right, all the games direct you to the channel one).

I neither say that. My theory (it's still a theory) only implies a kind of game.

Think of the other characters they could have teamed Piroshi up with, and it's obvious that Natsume was a great choice...

Let me think... Hum, Mistral !

So, that's one point for you. But, if the both had been influenced by Botchan personnality ? For sure they well match, as they both have something common with Botchan^^.
I've read Botchan, and i could say that's something who had to think about it !
(I'm teasing you. In fact, they could have been influenced by Botchan, but without having a real relation, in name, with Botchan and Natsume... Botchan is so popular, that it could explains some influences of this character in the personnality of others characters)

I was aware of the meanings of all those names, and as this thread shows there are lots of such references in .hack, all I'm saying is that Natsume is probably not a reference to the writer.

I note. As you know so much about .hack, you're probably closer to this truth than me, for sure. But, as it's the kind of connection i like alot, i'll still believe in it. In fact, that Natsume comes or not from Natsume Sôseki has absolutly no importance in the whole of .hack.

For the other names, that's not you i intended to learn something to.
I've use the "search", and then find all the meanings. But, that's scattered among all the forum (in General and in GU). As i didn't find them in the stickies on the names meanings or origin, i thought that had never been said in the forum.

And for the "story" of Yowkow and Hikaru Genji, let me tell you that here, that's too complex and too weird for me. That's not the kind of relations in which i could believed.


Fleur de Lys.

[Kuukai]

To be honest with you : no, surely no. In the case of a "joke" from Ito to Matsuyama, the less Natsume and Piroshi interact, the better it is. Why ? To prevent Matsuyama to find the reference too quickly.

Matsuyama is the one writing the column, though, I don't see how the pair of characters in it could be chosen behind his back.

I neither say that. My theory (it's still a theory) only implies a kind of game.

What do you mean?

Let me think... Hum, Mistral !

Ok, so that's a 50-50 chance of it being Natsume, that's no enough to make anyone think there was really a reason. Characters like Marlo, Kite, etc., can be ruled out, so what I meant was that there choice wasn't very broad.

I note. As you know so much about .hack, you're probably closer to this truth than me, for sure. But, as it's the kind of connection i like alot, i'll still believe in it. In fact, that Natsume comes or not from Natsume Sôseki has absolutly no importance in the whole of .hack.

Go ahead then, I didn't realize you were actually a fan of the book, I thought you were trying to prove a connection. One interesting thing I learned when I checked the kanji for Natsume, however, is that it wouldn't be unusual for her to be a member of Moon Tree (her name can mean "Jujube Tree"), though due to the way her name is written and the time she re-enters the series, I doubt it...