Shojo's Gender(Maybe Spoiler)

[Grizzt]

In Japanese 'Shojo' means 'little girl' or 'young lady'. Since we already know that a Belt of Gender-Changing exists maybe Shojo is denying a Resurrection only to satisfy a girlish whim. What is YOUR opinion? I just found it interesting that Shojo's name means that, along with that Azure City is inspired by Japan

[Emperor Ing]

I think V is female (all more realistic pics of V make her look more like a female) but there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that Shojo is male. Hinjo even refered to him as his uncle!

[Alysar]

I think V is female (all more realistic pics of V make her look more like a female) but there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that Shojo is male. Hinjo even refered to him as his uncle!

Allow me to fan the conspiracy flame a moment...

Shojo has been ruling for nearly 50 years. He would have had to have been keeping the charade up for at least that long. Hinjo probably wouldn't have even know Shojo was really female.

[mockingbyrd7]

A few problems with that:

When Shojo died, he didn't revert to a girl, like the ogre did in strip 10.

Shojo said in strip 277, "When I was but a small boy," and it shows him as a boy.

Also, the belt showed up on Roy when he wore it (it was only concealed by Elan's cape)

So basically: Good catch, but Shojo is male. Definitely.

[Holy_Knight]

Rich has commented on his use of asian-sounding names before, and said that he hasn't known what they meant at the time. This includes "Shojo" as well as "Miyazaki" (which I believe is the name of a fairly well-known Japanese movie director). So it's an interesting idea, but there's nothing to read into Shojo's name.

[Kojiro Kakita]

No shojo does not mean female in Japanese. Shoujo (notice the extra letter) means girl.

[Yeril]

yeh I was just about to say isnt it Shoujo which means girl?

elan still has the belt of gender changing...

not that I mind.. s/he -does- have 18 charisma

[meioziz]

Let me step in authoritatively:

"shoujo" means "girl"

"shojo" means "virgin", and this is usually a female virgin, although it can sometimes also be used with males. (there's a different word for male virginity)

There. That's why Shojo's heir is Hinjo.

Two mysteries solved in one post!

[holywhippet]

According to my Japanese - English dictionary the word Shojo means the following:

- virgin (female); virginity (female)
- girl
- symptom
- certificate of merit

Not that the second word has a line over the first o while the second and third have lines over both o's.

[meioziz]

According to my Japanese - English dictionary the word Shojo means the following:

- virgin (female); virginity (female)
- girl
- symptom
- certificate of merit

Not that the second word has a line over the first o while the second and third have lines over both o's.

The second word having a line over it means it's a elongated "o", and in one school of romanization it becomes "ou", as I have done (since I didn't want to type out the o with a line above it). So no, your second and third words are not "shojo" as written. Your fourth word, if you read closely, should have a line over the second "o". So really, "shojo" is just that - "virgin".

[holywhippet]

Maybe that means he's never spent time in prison and had to be the "female" in any relationships there.

[Arnen]

Miko's name means shrine maiden. Doesn't mean she is one.

[meioziz]

One other way of writing "miko" means "emperor's child" or "God's child in Christianity". So that reflects Miko's self-righteousness, her belief that she's the chosen, etc.

That CONCLUSIVELY proves that Rich carefully picked these names, and that he fully intended these double meaning names for those of us who can see it!

...

[/sike]

Anyway, I think Rich may or may not have intended these, but the facts stands that Shojo doesn't have his own heir, and that Miko thinks she's the chosen of the gods. AND that the Japanese words "shojo" and "miko" somehow coincidentally suggest so. :smallwink:

I'm not personally inclined one way or the other at the moment, since Rich hasn't given us his thoughts about them (at least the last time I tried to look for it). I'm just giving you the facts. :smallcool: