To Kou or Not to Kou?

That is the question. ^^

Anyway, this page should hopefully prove that the Three Lights share the same personal name, Kou, rather than the same surname.

The Three Lights introduce themselves as "Seiya Kou," "Taiki Kou," and "Yaten Kou." In Japan, personal names come *after* surnames in both speaking and writing. Thus, "Kou" is the personal name of each character, and "Seiya," "Taiki," and "Yaten" are their surnames. So yes, it's three people with the same personal (first) name. They probably call each other by their surnames in order to avoid confusion.

Simple, isn't it?

Well, not quite.

For years, Sailor Moon fans have been arguing reasons why "Kou" might be the same surname shared by all of the Three Lights. The problem is that most of those arguments can easily be proven false.

Kou is not their surname: Evidence

Nashi Hane presents the most definitive bit of evidence:

In the original print of the tankoubon manga #16 on page 77 in the upper right panel there is the grade posting board (on which Ami is ranked second, just under Kou, Taiki.) that has not only the names of our two beloved senshi, but a third (partial) name as well. Mizuno, Ami is ranked second with a score of 499, and Taiki, Kou is ranked first with a score of 500. Of all the places that given and family names would be correctly placed, the school system is one of the big ones. Therefore, we at least know that without a doubt, Kou is the given name, and Taiki is the family name. From this, it is probably safe to assume that Kou is the given name for all of the starlights, and that Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki are the family names.

Both Mirna and Akaiko report that during the San Diego Comic Con in 1998, Naoko Takeuchi was asked whether "Kou" was the surname or personal name for the Three Lights, and she responded that "Kou" was their personal name.

The problem is that there are a few scattered websites out there that claim the opposite: Takeuchi-san responded and said that "Kou" was their surname. I have yet to find a reliable source that actually bothered to accurately record the Q&A session from the SDCC, but at the moment, I trust Akaiko and Mirna more than I do some of these other sources. ^^

Ian also noted that at Jeffrey's Japanese<->English Dictionary Server, "Kou" is listed as a given name, not a surname. The same is true for the dictionary within JWPce, a Japanese word-processing program.

Mirna adds:

In the sixth artbook, the Materials Collection, all of the characters had their names: Last name, first name. They had Makoto's name: Kino Makoto. And the Three Lights had their names "Yaten Kou," "Seiya Kou," and "Taiki Kou."

And Akaiko finally commented:

In the "Sailormoon Roleplaying Game and Resource Book" it says their first name is Kou. In the German Sailor Moon comic book Vol. 11 1999, it says that they made the Three Lights last names Kou in the German version, but it was just the opposite in the Japanese version.

Let's shred some arguments!

The following is a list of common arguments contending that "Kou" is the common surname for the Three Lights. In face of all of the evidence compiled above, you'd think that these arguments would be rather pointless, but fans try to make them anyway. Ian Miller posted his responses to the arguments on the Kinmoku Koibito forums (now down) one day, and I'm repeating them on this page because they're nice, concise, and logical. ^_^

Argument: Japanese pop idols tend to write and say their names in Westernized order.

Ian: Japanese names, when they're written with kana and kanji and not in Latin letters, invariably follow the surname first, personal name last format. This is true for the names of Japanese idols, too.

Mirna also said: It's not completely true about the Westernization of idols' names. I know for a fact that my favorite J-Rock singer, Aikawa Nanase, has her name as "Aikawa Nanase" or in Western form "Nanase Aikawa" on various CDs. I've seen it as "Aikawa Nanase" (in English) on CDs and "Nanase Aikawa" on pictures. It's very strange. I've also noticed this with other J-POP or J-ROCK singers or idols.

Akaiko also said: Just to satisfy these people, look at the back of the Three Lights CD single - Kou Seiya, Shiho Niiyama. Kou Taiki, Narumi Tsunoda. Kou Yaten, Chika Sakamoto.

Argument: In the manga, katakana is used in the place of furigana alongside the kanji for the names of the Three Lights. Seiya even uses katakana characters when she refers to herself, such as when she says "boku" and "ore". Katakana characters are used to approximate foreign names; if the Three Lights have foreign names, then their names might not follow Japanese naming conventions. Besides, we know that they're aliens anyway.

Ian: They may be aliens, and "Kô" may not be their real names, but they chose to use Japanese names. Those names use kanji, and katakana characters serve as furigana for those kanji. Because the names are Japanese and do use kanji, they are written in Japanese name order.

Katakana is not used only for foreign terms or foreign names. The word neko is written in katakana many times in the BSSM manga. Rei's name is written in katakana. Yumemi, the woman in BSSM episode 28 who becomes Binah, writes her name in katakana. Reika, Motoki's girlfriend, also writes her name in katakana. Makoto of the Hammer Price Shrine writes his name in katakana.

Kotetsu's note: Here is one of the manga scenes in question: Seiya's self-intro. You can see the katakana characters beside the kanji in Seiya's name. But the fact remains that Seiya's name is Japanese and is written in kanji, period. Therefore it follows Japanese naming rules. Also, usually only beginners who are just starting to learn Japanese will make the claim that katakana is only used for foreign names and words. Because it totally isn't.

Argument: It does not seem to make much sense for Usagi to be calling "Seiya Kou" by his last name of Seiya.

Ian: There is a nerdy kid in Usagi's room, and she calls him "Umino." Umino is his surname, and Gurio is his personal name. There's also a guy who likes Ami named Urawa Ryo. Usagi and the others always call him Urawa (which is his surname), and not Ryo (which is his personal name).

Also, remember that if indeed all three of the Three Lights share the same personal name, then Usagi (and everyone else) would have to address them by their surnames, in order to avoid confusion. It wouldn't make sense for Usagi to address three different people as "Kou" - it would be too confusing!

Argument: But it's just weird that all three would have the same first name! It would make a lot more sense for them to have the same surname, even if they were just lying about it.

Ian: This is really more of an opinion. (It is also a variation of the argument from personal astonishment: I can't imagine three people having the exact same personal name, therefore it is not really their personal name.)

Real names or false identities?

Now, there might be an even simpler answer yet to the puzzle. Seiya Kou, Taiki Kou, and Yaten Kou may not be their real names. The Three Lights are aliens that were born on another planet, and it's highly doubtful that their parents gave them Japanese names. It's more likely that the three just adopted these names while on Earth, in order to pass themselves off as true red-blooded Japanese idols. When you consider that Japanese society is often stereotyped as being xenophobic, then the decision makes even more sense. The Japanese target audience would probably be a lot more accepting of a cute idol named "Seiya" than they would be of a cute idol named "Zyrwitzr" or something.

In volume 17 of the manga, however, Princess Kakyuu addresses them all by name right after her emergence from hiding: "Seiya! Taiki! Yaten!" So at least that part of their names might be their "true" names. On the other hand, Princess Kakyuu also says that while she was hiding, she could hear their singing voices, and Chibi-Chibi told her "all about" them. So she could be in on their secret disguises, too. It's all part of the conspiracy, you see . . .

And no, they aren't related.

The Three Lights are not brothers. Consider the fact that they were all born in the same year, but claim that their birthdays are a couple of months apart from each other. It is impossible for them to be siblings.

CAVEAT: There is a problem with looking at the birthdates of the Three Lights. It's seriously doubtful that those are their real birthdates; remember, the Starlights were born (as females) on Kinmoku, which probably doesn't use the same calendar that Earth uses. Thus, the birthdays listed for the Three Lights are most likely outright lies adopted while on Earth, but they *could* be actual Kinmoku dates converted to an Earth calendar. Either way, the birthdays aren't real - just like their names may not be real, either. Heck, for all we know, the Three Lights could be lying about their blood types and everything, too. (Do the Kinmokuseijin really have the same bloodtypes as Earthlings? Good question.)

SON OF CAVEAT: But here's the catch - even if all three really were brothers (or sisters), why would they lie about it while on Earth? There's really no reason, no motivation, for the Three Lights to list their impossible birthdates and claim that they're not brothers, if they actually were siblings the first place. The Lights have a lot of reasons to lie about a lot of things, but probably not this. So if they were siblings, it wouldn't make sense to lie about their birthdates and claim that they aren't brothers. Therefore, it's safe to assume that the Three Lights are NOT siblings.

If the Three Lights are NOT related, then why are they all named "Kou?" It just be a spectacular coincidence. Or, more likely, it is a gimmick that the three adopted while they posed as male idols on Earth.

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	To Kou or Not to Kou? That is the question. ^^ Anyway, this page should hopefully prove that the Three Lights share the same personal name, Kou, rather than the same surname. The Three Lights introduce themselves as "Seiya Kou," "Taiki Kou," and "Yaten Kou." In Japan, personal names come after surnames in both speaking and writing. Thus, "Kou" is the personal name of each character, and "Seiya," "Taiki," and "Yaten" are their surnames. So yes, it's three people with the same personal (first) name. They probably call each other by their surnames in order to avoid confusion. Simple, isn't it? Well, not quite. For years, Sailor Moon fans have been arguing reasons why "Kou" might be the same surname shared by all of the Three Lights. The problem is that most of those arguments can easily be proven false. Kou is not their surname: Evidence Nashi Hane presents the most definitive bit of evidence: In the original print of the tankoubon manga #16 on page 77 in the upper right panel there is the grade posting board (on which Ami is ranked second, just under Kou, Taiki.) that has not only the names of our two beloved senshi, but a third (partial) name as well. Mizuno, Ami is ranked second with a score of 499, and Taiki, Kou is ranked first with a score of 500. Of all the places that given and family names would be correctly placed, the school system is one of the big ones. Therefore, we at least know that without a doubt, Kou is the given name, and Taiki is the family name. From this, it is probably safe to assume that Kou is the given name for all of the starlights, and that Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki are the family names. Both Mirna and Akaiko report that during the San Diego Comic Con in 1998, Naoko Takeuchi was asked whether "Kou" was the surname or personal name for the Three Lights, and she responded that "Kou" was their personal name. The problem is that there are a few scattered websites out there that claim the opposite: Takeuchi-san responded and said that "Kou" was their surname. I have yet to find a reliable source that actually bothered to accurately record the Q&A session from the SDCC, but at the moment, I trust Akaiko and Mirna more than I do some of these other sources. ^^ Ian also noted that at Jeffrey's Japanese<->English Dictionary Server, "Kou" is listed as a given name, not a surname. The same is true for the dictionary within JWPce, a Japanese word-processing program. Mirna adds: In the sixth artbook, the Materials Collection, all of the characters had their names: Last name, first name. They had Makoto's name: Kino Makoto. And the Three Lights had their names "Yaten Kou," "Seiya Kou," and "Taiki Kou." And Akaiko finally commented: In the "Sailormoon Roleplaying Game and Resource Book" it says their first name is Kou. In the German Sailor Moon comic book Vol. 11 1999, it says that they made the Three Lights last names Kou in the German version, but it was just the opposite in the Japanese version. Let's shred some arguments! The following is a list of common arguments contending that "Kou" is the common surname for the Three Lights. In face of all of the evidence compiled above, you'd think that these arguments would be rather pointless, but fans try to make them anyway. Ian Miller posted his responses to the arguments on the Kinmoku Koibito forums (now down) one day, and I'm repeating them on this page because they're nice, concise, and logical. ^_^ Argument: Japanese pop idols tend to write and say their names in Westernized order. Ian: Japanese names, when they're written with kana and kanji and not in Latin letters, invariably follow the surname first, personal name last format. This is true for the names of Japanese idols, too. Mirna also said: It's not completely true about the Westernization of idols' names. I know for a fact that my favorite J-Rock singer, Aikawa Nanase, has her name as "Aikawa Nanase" or in Western form "Nanase Aikawa" on various CDs. I've seen it as "Aikawa Nanase" (in English) on CDs and "Nanase Aikawa" on pictures. It's very strange. I've also noticed this with other J-POP or J-ROCK singers or idols. Akaiko also said: Just to satisfy these people, look at the back of the Three Lights CD single - Kou Seiya, Shiho Niiyama. Kou Taiki, Narumi Tsunoda. Kou Yaten, Chika Sakamoto. Argument: In the manga, katakana is used in the place of furigana alongside the kanji for the names of the Three Lights. Seiya even uses katakana characters when she refers to herself, such as when she says "boku" and "ore". Katakana characters are used to approximate foreign names; if the Three Lights have foreign names, then their names might not follow Japanese naming conventions. Besides, we know that they're aliens anyway. Ian: They may be aliens, and "Kô" may not be their real names, but they chose to use Japanese names. Those names use kanji, and katakana characters serve as furigana for those kanji. Because the names are Japanese and do use kanji, they are written in Japanese name order. Katakana is not used only for foreign terms or foreign names. The word neko is written in katakana many times in the BSSM manga. Rei's name is written in katakana. Yumemi, the woman in BSSM episode 28 who becomes Binah, writes her name in katakana. Reika, Motoki's girlfriend, also writes her name in katakana. Makoto of the Hammer Price Shrine writes his name in katakana. Kotetsu's note: Here is one of the manga scenes in question: Seiya's self-intro. You can see the katakana characters beside the kanji in Seiya's name. But the fact remains that Seiya's name is Japanese and is written in kanji, period. Therefore it follows Japanese naming rules. Also, usually only beginners who are just starting to learn Japanese will make the claim that katakana is only used for foreign names and words. Because it totally isn't. Argument: It does not seem to make much sense for Usagi to be calling "Seiya Kou" by his last name of Seiya. Ian: There is a nerdy kid in Usagi's room, and she calls him "Umino." Umino is his surname, and Gurio is his personal name. There's also a guy who likes Ami named Urawa Ryo. Usagi and the others always call him Urawa (which is his surname), and not Ryo (which is his personal name). Also, remember that if indeed all three of the Three Lights share the same personal name, then Usagi (and everyone else) would have to address them by their surnames, in order to avoid confusion. It wouldn't make sense for Usagi to address three different people as "Kou" - it would be too confusing! Argument: But it's just weird that all three would have the same first name! It would make a lot more sense for them to have the same surname, even if they were just lying about it. Ian: This is really more of an opinion. (It is also a variation of the argument from personal astonishment: I can't imagine three people having the exact same personal name, therefore it is not really their personal name.) Real names or false identities? Now, there might be an even simpler answer yet to the puzzle. Seiya Kou, Taiki Kou, and Yaten Kou may not be their real names. The Three Lights are aliens that were born on another planet, and it's highly doubtful that their parents gave them Japanese names. It's more likely that the three just adopted these names while on Earth, in order to pass themselves off as true red-blooded Japanese idols. When you consider that Japanese society is often stereotyped as being xenophobic, then the decision makes even more sense. The Japanese target audience would probably be a lot more accepting of a cute idol named "Seiya" than they would be of a cute idol named "Zyrwitzr" or something. In volume 17 of the manga, however, Princess Kakyuu addresses them all by name right after her emergence from hiding: "Seiya! Taiki! Yaten!" So at least that part of their names might be their "true" names. On the other hand, Princess Kakyuu also says that while she was hiding, she could hear their singing voices, and Chibi-Chibi told her "all about" them. So she could be in on their secret disguises, too. It's all part of the conspiracy, you see . . . And no, they aren't related. The Three Lights are not brothers. Consider the fact that they were all born in the same year, but claim that their birthdays are a couple of months apart from each other. It is impossible for them to be siblings. CAVEAT: There is a problem with looking at the birthdates of the Three Lights. It's seriously doubtful that those are their real birthdates; remember, the Starlights were born (as females) on Kinmoku, which probably doesn't use the same calendar that Earth uses. Thus, the birthdays listed for the Three Lights are most likely outright lies adopted while on Earth, but they could be actual Kinmoku dates converted to an Earth calendar. Either way, the birthdays aren't real - just like their names may not be real, either. Heck, for all we know, the Three Lights could be lying about their blood types and everything, too. (Do the Kinmokuseijin really have the same bloodtypes as Earthlings? Good question.) SON OF CAVEAT: But here's the catch - even if all three really were brothers (or sisters), why would they lie about it while on Earth? There's really no reason, no motivation, for the Three Lights to list their impossible birthdates and claim that they're not brothers, if they actually were siblings the first place. The Lights have a lot of reasons to lie about a lot of things, but probably not this. So if they were siblings, it wouldn't make sense to lie about their birthdates and claim that they aren't brothers. Therefore, it's safe to assume that the Three Lights are NOT siblings. If the Three Lights are NOT related, then why are they all named "Kou?" It just be a spectacular coincidence. Or, more likely, it is a gimmick that the three adopted while they posed as male idols on Earth. << Return to Melody \| Main Index >>		Melody: Info Main Index The Mission Seiya Kou Taiki Kou Yaten Kou Items Powers Kakyuu-hime The Truth Mother Planet Kinmoku Pun Music Listing Discography Materials Fuku Study Seiyuu International Articles Seiya and Usagi Taiki's Love Yaten's Love Taiki x Yaten Seiya v. Haruka Others Manga Synopsis Quotables Commentary English Manga Mixx Nitpicks Mythology Astronomy Shinto Hindu Zodiac Blood Type Roses Names Birth Stones