Sano Manjiro is Mikey’s real name in Tokyo Revengers. I’ll explain how to spell Sano Manjiro in Japanese Kanji characters and the meanings of each letter!
SA = support, help, assist
NO = field, plateau, wild, natural
The SA symbol means to “support someone.” The right part of the character stands for human, and the left part pictures a left hand that holds a tool. The whole shape describes a right and left hand that works together, and that made the meaning of “help each other.” This Kanji letter is very common for people’s names and is frequently used both for first names and family names in Japan.
NO is also a major Kanji symbol for a family name. It means “grass field” or the state that something is untouched and unprocessed.
The family name SANO really exists, It’s one of the most common names and you can meet the Sano family all over Japan.
MAN = ten thousand, massive
JI = next
RO = man
The name Manjiro gives a bit classic impression. JIRO is a traditional Japanese name for men. Jiro alone can be named, and it’s also popular to add some words to Jiro like Manjiro, Eijiro, Keijiro, Yujiro, and things like that.
It’s obvious the name Tokyo Manji Gang comes from Mikey’s real name MANJIro. It’s said Tokyo Manji Gang is modeled after a young gang team called Kanto Rengokai that existed in Tokyo from 1973 to 2003. They used a Manji mark 卍 as their symbol, and I guess Mikey’s real name and Tokyo Manji Gang originate in it. The Manji mark came first. Then the Kanji letters with the MANJI sound were selected, and it became Manjiro.
When it comes to Manjiro, it reminds of me one more thing. It’s a Japanese historical figure, John Manjiro. He was pure Japanese, but he got into an accident in the sea and ended up getting to the US in 1841. American people called him John Mung and therefore he’s known as John Manjiro in Japan. He spent 10 years in the US and returned to Japan in 1851.
I’m not sure if Mikey in Tokyo Revengers and John Manjiro has any connection. But I think John’s travel in which he lost his hometown once and returned there is somehow like Mikey’s story in which he tries to come back to true himself. It might be my overthinking, though!
More Posts about Tokyo Revengers
Why Is Sano Manjiro Called Mikey?
What’s the Meaning of RYUGUJI in Japanese?
What Does BAJI KEISUKE Mean in Japanese?
How Did You Like It?