History Main / AlternateCharacterReading

*** The case of Iriomote is a strange example or a ''cross-language'' AlternativeCharacterReading, as the kanji used to write Iriomote (which would be pronunced as Nishihyou under ''on-yomi'') is the ''kun-yomi'' for ''West Island''... through Okinawan.

* The ''{{Spiral}}'' manga plays with this and GratuitousEnglish, but only with characters who actually grew up in England, so it makes sense for them to speak English to each other. Eyes once calls Kanone "brother", using the Japanese kanji with furigana of the English pronunciation; and in the sequel ''Spiral Alive'', Kanone says "Are you ready ?" in English print with furigana giving the pronunciation, but not translating the meaning.
* The main character of ''TheDayOfRevolution'' goes from [[GenderBender Kei to Megumi]] by reading his name differently. This is one of the clues his old buddies use to figure it out.
* Two major characters of the ''{{Area 88}}'' TV series, Kazama Shin and Shinjo Makoto, have names written identically in kanji. They comment on this when they first meet.
* Cases 2-1 and 3-5 in the AceAttorney used this as a plot device, the former because the criminal didn't know the kanji combination for the defendant's surname and the latter because an eight-year old misinterpreted Kanji written instructions. These were changed to Spelling problems in the English version.
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in Air Gear: two characters are both named [[spoiler:Sora Takeuchi]], but one is written using the kanji for "sky" while the other is written using the kanji for "space".
* Played with in ''DragonBall'' when the [[CombatCommentator Tenkaichi Budokai announcer]] mispronounced Son Goku's name as "Mago Gosora" the first time he reads it. At the next tournament, he misreads Chaozu's name as "Gyoza".
* {{xxxHolic}} - Watanuki's name is based on an alternate reading of April 1.
* All of the Ushiromiya family's given names in UminekoNoNakuKoroNi (not counting the spouses) have Western names written in Kanji. For example, 戦人 is Battler (Batorā) rather than a Japanese reading such as Sento.
* In ''SpiritedAway'', Yubaba changes Chihiro's name to "Sen" by taking its first kanji character which means "thousand" and changing it from the archaic pronunciation "chi" to the canonical pronunciation "sen" (which is of Chinese origin), thus emphasizing its numerical meaning.

* One strip from ''AzumangaDaioh'' has a quick joke about Kagura misreading "Iriomote" as "Nishihyou".

<<|UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}|>>

* xxxHolic - Watanuki's name is based on an alternate reason of April 1.

* All of the Ushiromiya family's given names in UminekoNoNakuKoroNi (not counting the spouses) have Western names written in Kanji. For example, 戦人　is Battler (Batorā) rather than a Japanese reading such as Sento.

* In ''GetBackers'', [[EmotionlessGirl The Professor]] mentions "time," foreshadowing the last arc, "Get Back the Lost Time". It was written with the kanji "engraved," with the "time" reading over it, meaning time that is engraved or fate. The English translation went with "time".

* Played with in ''DragonBall'' when the [[CombatAnnouncer Tenkaichi Budokai announcer]] mispronounced Son Goku's name as "Mago Gosora" the first time he reads it. At the next tournament, he misreads Chaozu's name as "Gyoza".

To make things simple for the audience, the result of this is: kanji is taken for the meaning value only, as usual, and two parallel sets of rules were developed for the pronunciation: the ''on'yomi'' that plots to the Chinese pronunciation of ''the kanji'', and the kun'yomi that plots to the indigenous Japanese pronunciation for ''the same idea''. Moreover, Japanese dropped the tonal aspect from the (in)famously homophonous ChineseLanguage.

** The kanji for moon actually has lots of interesting name readings, such as ''Aporo'' (Apollo), ''Arute'' (Artemis), ''Runa'' (Luna), and ''Mūn'' (not even creative there, that's just Moon).

** The kanji for moon actually has lots of interesting name readings, such as ''Aporo'' (Apollo), ''Arute'' (Artemis), and ''Runa'' (Luna), and ''Mūn'' (not even creative there, that's just Moon).

* ''DeathNote:'' The main character is called Light, in English, but the kanji is ''Tsuki'', which means moon. ''Raito'' written with "moon" is actually a real name outside of the series, but it's rare, and feminine at that. But why the hell not, you get a MeaningfulName out of the deal, since the kanji for tsuki has [[FourIsDeath four strokes]] and LightIsNotGood.

* In the original Japanese version of ''ShinMegamiTensei: DevilSurvivor'', Atsuro calls Yuzu "Sodeko" (sleeve-girl) based on an alternate reading of the kanji in her name. Since the joke was nigh-impossible to translate, in English Atsuro [[{{Woolseyism}} called her "Yoohoo" instead]].

* ''DeathNote:'' The main character is called Light, in English, but the kanji is ''Tsuki'', which means moon. ''Raito'' written with "moon" is actually a real name outside of the series, but it's rare, and admittedly, names that could have meant light, ''Akari'' and ''Hikari'', sound a bit feminine. And besides, you get a MeaningfulName, since the kanji for tsuki has [[FourIsDeath four strokes]] and LightIsNotGood.

* Cases 2-1 and 3-5 in the AceAttorney used this as a plot device, the former because the criminal wasn't aware of the defendant's name and the latter because eight-year old misinterpreted Kanji written instructions. These were changed to Spelling problems in the English version.

* A central plot element in ''HaibaneRenmei'', coinciding with MeaningfulName.

* In {{HaibaneRenmei}}, this turns out to be an important concept for the Haibane, each of whom has an AlternateCharacterReading that reveals their name's true meaning. Rakka's name goes from 'falling' to 'involved nut' (she closed herself off like a nut, but then grew roots and became involved) and Reki's goes from 'small pebble' to 'one who was run over and torn asunder'.

** In ''Moonlight Sonata'', [[spoiler:Seiji Asai [[WholesomeCrossdresser lived as a female doctor]]]] on the Tsukukage Island for two years and when Conan [[PullingTheThread pulled the thread]], [[spoiler:[[DroppedABridgetOnHim locals were surprised about his actual gender.]]]] How could [[spoiler:he]] pull that out? First, [[DudeLooksLikeALady the looks]], and second, [[spoiler:he]] didn't even need to change the papers but merely changed how the name 成実 is pronounced-- [[spoiler: he switched from the masculine ''on-yomi'' reading ''Seiji'' to the feminine ''kun-yomi'' reading ''Narumi''.]]