Picking up names of characters in anime...

[Parker]

How fast are you able to pick up names (first and last) of a character in an anime? Are you able to remember their Japanese names right when they're introduced, or does it take some time as you're viewing a series?

To be honest, I'm really not that good with Japanese names in general. It took me until the end of the second episode of Kanon to have "Nayuki Minase" sunk into my head, and even before that I confused her with "Ayu Tsukimiya" (this was during my first sitting of watching, dub-track enabled).

Generally it gets tougher when the cast is a large ensemble, where I'll constantly forget to match the name and the characters face until they keep hammering the name outloud into my head.

[Lego]

It depends on the character really. For certain series names stick with me if I'm really into them and with others I have to go check ANN or some place. Short names are helpful but again if I'm into a character like Haruka from Hime, Emma, Kaname, Arc from Tsukihime, Rider from Fate, Mitsue from Kamichu, and so on I instantly remember.

Then again some shows like AMG make it easy when you have thirty minutes of

Keichi!

Beldandy!

Keichi!

Beldandy!

[EmperorBrandon]

I tend to pick up names pretty quickly with characters. I see names for some series before seeing them (and may even be able to connect them to character beforehand). It depends, though. It's much quicker with series I'm very interested in, and I tend to know even most of the minor characters in them. With series I'm not as interested in and large supporting casts, I tend to not recognize and remember names as well.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

It depends on the series and characters... and language is actually kind of irrelevant for me here. There are plenty of shows and movies in english that I can't always remember the names of characters in right away. ;)

One case where I do remember it taking a long time to remember character names was Texhnolyze. I had the principals down pretty quick, but with all of the secondary characters and factions in that series, by the time I thought I remembered who everyone was, the series was nearly over. :sweatdrop:

[Garasharp K7]

I've no problem remembering names for characters, (especially the ones that stand out - e.g. Chirico Cuvie, Kouji Kabuto, Haruhi Suzumyia, Haruko Haruhara, Gai Daigouji) but I have the hardest time remembering some robot and monster names in a lot of the old '70s and '80s shows. :) (apart from the main ones, that is - it's the legions of enemy mechs and beasts I can't pick up straight away)

[Rolancehack]

I used to have a hard time picking up on names, but now I seem to get them right away.

[Njr Scrawl]

No good unless the name sounds European in the way we pronounce it. E.g. Misato Katsuragi sounds almost Italian. Madoka Ayukawa sounds almost Spanish. Camille Bidan - French. Char Aznabole - Russian(?) :noodle:

[parakiss]

it take some time for me to know the characters name sometimes. It really depends if i like the character. :beat:

[Ty]

To date the only series that I was unable to keep names straight in are Bleach and Negima, the former because there are far too many secondary characters who got all of 30 seconds of screentime each, and the latter for even more obvious reasons.

[The Great Bear]

Depends on how often they say the character's name, and how distinctive the character is. If they are rather nondescript, then it can be hard to remember them period, let alone their name.

I can usually get a handle on the main cast within 2 episodes, but it can take longer if there are way too many characters and they are all kind of generic.