Many Anime series have fairly lengthy titles. Frequently, they wind up picking up a
Portmanteau Series Nickname, with a syllable or two of each word in the series name. Sometimes, the producers explicitly encourage this, and refer to the series using the nickname in the
Post Episode Trailer.
Portmanteau words are the Japanese equivalent of acronyms. The Japanese language is syllabic — instead of single letters, Japanese is built from entire syllables; consonants (except "n") don't occur by themselves. So where a Western term would produce an acronym, the Japanese equivalent produces a pronounceable word. The Japanese use portmanteau terms in much the same way that English speakers use acronyms. Which is to say, frequently.
Probably the most famous is
Pocket Monsters becoming
Pokemon. The longer name is official for both the games and the show in Japan, but couldn't be used in America because an early-90s toyline/comic/cartoon had secured the trademark on the name "Monster In My Pocket". This is actually slightly common; some of these
are so ubiquitous that they get used as the official English titles.
Alphabetical order by official Japanese title, please.
Examples:
- Aishiteruze Baby -> "AiBaby"
- Ai Yori Aoshi -> "Ai-Ao" (the creator uses this himself in the omakes)
- Animal Yokocho -> "AniYoko"
- Azumanga Daioh -> "AzuDai"
- Bakuretsu Tenshi ("Burst Angel") -> "Bakuten"
- Bamboo Blade -> "Banbure"
- beatmania -> "Bemani" (no longer used for this purpose; in recent years, "Bemani" is used to refer to Konami's Rhythm Games as a whole.)
- Berusaiyu no Bara ("Rose of Versailles") -> "Berubara"
- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Musicals -> "SeraMyu" ("Sera" is shortened Japanese rendition of "Sailor (Moon)" and "Myu" is the same from "musical")
- Black Lagoon -> "Burakura"
- Bobobo Bo Bo Bobo -> "Bo7"
- Bokura no Taiyoh -> "Boktai"
- Death Note -> "Desuno"
- D.Gray-man -> "D.Gure"
- Family Computer -> "Famicom" (Only in Japan though, obviously.)
- FLCL -> "Fooly Cooly" (to a certain degree, "Fooly Cooly" also qualifies as Arc Words)
- Fruits Basket -> "Furuba"
- Fushigi Yuugi -> "FY", and more rarely, "FushiYuu"
- Futari Wa Pretty Cure (and such) -> "Precure"
- It's also a pun (try pronouncing "Precure" in an Engrish accent) on purikura, those trendy photobooths popular in Japan. Just why is a mystery; its relevance is never alluded to within the series.
- Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyuukai -> Genshiken (A special case; the official title is Genshiken; the long form is used only in-series for the actual club.)
- Gokudo no Sensei -> Gokusen
- Gravitation -> Gravi
- Gyakuten Saiban -> "Gyakusai"
- Hachimitsu to Kurobaa ("Honey And Clover") -> "Hachikuro"
- .hack//tasogare no udewa densetsu -> "Udeden"
- Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (Full Metal Alchemist) -> "HagaRen"-> FMA
- Hanazakari no Kimi-tachi e -> "Hana Kimi"
- Hanbun No Tsuki Ga Noboru Sora -> "Hantsuki"
- Harukanaru Toki No Naka De -> "HaruToki" (Mainly used by western fandom; the "official" short version is just "Haruka", it even made its way into the title of the English-language release)
- Hidamari Sketch -> "HidaSketch"
- Ichigo Mashimaro ("Strawberry Marshmallow") -> "IchiMashi"
- Kara no Kyoukai -> "Rakkyo"
- Kamichama Karin -> "KamiKarin"
- Some fans also try to shorten the sequel's title (Kamichama Karin Chu) to "KamiChu", unaware that's it's already the name of another series.
- Kamichu -> already a portmanteau of "Kamisama de Chuugakusei" (Middle-school student god)
- Kareshi Kanojo no Jijyou ("His and Her Circumstances") -> "Kare Kano"
- Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien ("The Eternity You Wish For", aka "Rumbling Hearts") -> "Kiminozo"
- Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Koen Mae Hashutsujo -> "Kochi Kame"
- Kodomo No Jikan -> "Kojika"
- Kodomo No Omocha ("Child's Toy") -> "Kodocha"
- This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai) -> "KonoMini"
- Kotonoha no Miko to Kotodama no Majyo to (The Mikos Words And The Witches Incantations) -> "MikoMajyo"
- Kujibiki Unbalance (from Genshiken) -> "Kujiun". (Another special case as the name "Kujiun" was introduced in-series in the first ep of Genshiken.)
- Kyoto Animation (the studio) -> Kyo Ani (and also "KeyAni" for adapting so many Key games)
- Kyou Kara Maou -> "MaruMa" (Actually not technically portmanteau as it was named after the symbol - the character 'ma' from 'maou' in a circle 'maru'.)
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes -> Gin Ei Den (as in Ginga Eiyuuū Densetsu)
- Lovely Complex -> "Love*Com"
- Maria-sama ga Miteru ("The Virgin Mary is Watching") -> "Marimite"
- Matantei Loki Ragnarok -> "MaLoki"
- Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch -> "P3"
- Mukuro Naru Hoshi - Tama Taru Ko (Shadow Star) -> Naru Taru
- Okusama wa Joshikousei ("My Wife is a High School Girl") -> "OkuKousei"
- Ookiku Furikabutte ("Big Windup!") -> "Oofuri"
- Otome Wa Boku Ni Koishiteru -> "Otoboku"
- ParaKiss -> Paradise Kiss
- Pita Ten - special case, as the official title is already a shortening of Pitari Tenshi (clinging angel)
- Pokemon — The Poke from Pocket + The Mon from Monsters.
- Pocket Monsters Special -> Pokemon Special -> "PokeSpe"/"Pokesupe"
- pop'n music -> "PoMu"
- Princess Maker -> "PuriMe"
- Tennis no Ojisama (Prince of Tennis) -> Teni Puri or PoT
- Princess Princess -> "PuriPuri" (Unfortunately the actual name of a vey different manga series.)
- Renkin San Kyuu Magical Pokan -> "MagiPoka"
- Romeo X Juliet -> "RomeJuli"
- Rurouni Kenshin -> "Ruroken"
- Rose Of Versailles -> "BeruBara" (From Berusaiyu no Bara)
- Saishuu Heiki Kanojo -> "SaiKano"
- Saiunkoku Monogatari -> "SaiMono" and "KokoMono"
- Samurai Seven -> "Sam7"
- School Rumble -> "SukuRan"
- Scrapped Princess -> "Sutepri" (shortened to "Scra-Prin" in English)
- An interesting case; it's something of a back-translation on the Japanese side. The original title had the English "Scrapped" [Sukurappudo] rather than the Japanese equivalent "Suterareta."
- Sengoku Basara -> "SenBasa"
- Shaman King -> "ManKin"
- Shin Megami Tensei -> "MegaTen"
- Shinshi Doumei Cross (Gentlemen's Alliance Cross) -> "ShinKuro"
- Sister Princess -> "SisPri"
- Sono Hanabira Ni Kuchizuke Wo -> Sonohana
- Soukou No Strain -> "S-Strain"
- Subarashiki Kono Sekai (The World Ends With You) -> "SubaSeka"
- Sugar Sugar Rune -> S2R or Sugar2 Rune
- In the anime, "S2R" is engraved on Chocolat's heart holder.
- Super Smash Bros -> "SmaBro" (mostly in Japan)
- Strawberry Panic -> "SutoPani" (just StoPani on English boards)
- Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuutsu -> "Suzuharu"
- Tokimeki Memorial -> "TokiMemo"
- Triangle Heart -> "ToraHa" or "Toraha"
- Ultra Maniac -> "UruMani"
- Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune -> "WanganMaxi"
- Yami No Matsuei -> "YamiMatsu"
- Yami To Boushi To Hon No Tabibito -> "Yamibou"
- Yoake mae yori ruriiro na ~Crescent Love~ -> "YoakeNa"
- Yu Yu Hakusho -> "YuuHaku," "YuYu"
- Non-Anime example: Twelve Ounce Mouse was called ozmo till its Producers found out that Ozmo was the name of a British kids show. Then, they revealed its full Title & fixed the ozmo thing in subsequent Airings.
- The British bank National Westminster Bank rebranded to NatWest in the mid 90s
