Whenever I sit down to read a new manga or watch an anime, I have this urge to check if the content I’m reading/ watching has an English name derived from the Japanese name of the source material. There are many examples out there that help fans connect better with the anime or manga, thanks to its simplified English name.
A good example of this is Demon Slayer, one of the most popular anime that has gained an audience around the world. The anime is called Demon Slayer in the West and global markets, but it has a Japanese name — Kimetsu no Yaiba. You might have already come across this in the title of recent Demon Slayer movies.
But did you know Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn’t literally translate to Demon Slayer in English? Instead, on translation from Japanese to English, ki refers to demon, metsu refers to slay, and Yaiba refers to sword or edge of a blade. Thus, the Japanese name of Demon Slayer, Kimetsu no Yaiba, translates to demon slaying sword.
This is one example that got me super intrigued about learning English-Japanese names for anime that I’ve watched over the years. Now that I’m in the business of writing about all of it, I decided why not share some of this knowledge with you and help you know the Japanese names of popular anime shows and movies like Attack on Titan, Redo of Healer, A Silent Voice, and more. Check out the list here:
| English name | Japanese name |
|---|---|
| Demon Slayer | Kimetsu no Yaiba (鬼滅の刃) |
| Attack on Titan | Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃の巨人) |
| Classroom of the Elite | Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e (ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ) |
| Crayon Shin-chan | Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん) |
| Solo Leveling | Ore dake Level Up na Ken (俺だけレベルアップな件, translates to Only I Level Up in Japanese) |
| Redo of Healer | Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi (回復術士のやり直し) |
| The Boy and the Heron | Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka (君たちはどう生きるか) |
| Your Name | Kimi no Na wa (君の名は) |
| One Piece | ONE PIECE |
| Pokemon | POKEMON (ポケットモンスター) |
| Ghost Fighter Yu Yu Hakusho | Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho (幽☆遊☆白書) |
| Hell’s Paradise | Jigokuraku (地獄楽) |
| Hunter x Hunter | HUNTER×HUNTER（ハンター×ハンター） |
| Black Clover | Black Clover (ブラッククローバー) |
| Naruto/ Naruto Shippuden | NARUTO―ナルト― / Naruto Shippuden (-ナルト- 疾風伝) |
| Death Note | Death Note (デスノート) |
| Jujutsu Kaisen | Jujutsu Kaisen (呪術廻戦) |
| My Hero Academia | Boku no Hero Academia (僕のヒーローアカデミア) |
| Monster | Monster (モンスター) |
| Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood | Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST) |
| Kaguya-sama: Love is War | Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen (かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～) |
| A Silent Voice | Koe no Katachi (聲の形) |
| Your Lie in April | Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (四月は君の嘘) |
| Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion | Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch (コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ) |
| JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険) |
| Cowboy Bebop | Cowboy Bebop (カウボーイビバップ) |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion | Shinseiki Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン) |
| Ghost in the Shell | Koukaku Kidoutai (攻殻機動隊) |
| The Seven Deadly Sins | Nanatsu no Taizai (七つの大罪) |
| Gurren Lagann | Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (天元突破グレンラガン) |
In the list above, we included some of the most popular anime that either have a Japanese name different from their English counterparts or those that are uber-popular. The likes of One Piece, Pokemon, and Shin-Chan are also on the list, and I know, some anime sure are missing here.
So, if you wish for me to keep adding to this list and grow it further, suggest the anime or manga whose Japanese name you wish to learn. I will be refreshing this list regularly and help you guys learn the original name of popular anime or manga.
