Since the next episode has Trieux (True) and Shouki (Shock) showing up, I was thinking about the meaning behind character names and wondering how many of them are Chekhov's curse-names just waiting to become relevant.
Trieux Nishiki is named after the
Toryuu fighter from the Second World War
Likewise, Shouki is named after the
Shouki fighter as well
The meaning behind most of the character's names have been revealed by the author at various points.
Hitamuki is aptly named, with ひたむき/
hitamuki referring to an earnest and dedicated personality.
Meidena Ange is from the English "maiden" and the French "ange" (angel)
Tokishiko Dana is from the English "toxic" and "downer", but pulls double duty with how she refers to Kikuru as
danna (husband, but also a sugar daddy or a high-paying customer at a hostess bar)
Hanabata Nohkins is 花畑/
hanabatake (field of flowers) and 脳筋/
noukin (musclehead), since she switches her brain off when using her skill. And also just look at her dad.
Noma Rune is from ノーマル/
normal, since he's the only consistently competent and least weird member of the team.
Coin Ronripas is a weird one, it's from フ
ロント
リバース(front reverse) as in, the backside of a coin due to her real personality.
Enome is from
Eurynome, an ancient Greek goddess and in some traditions one of the Oceanids.
Eshune is from
Euphrosyne, a Greek goddess of beauty and charity who was the daughter of Eurynome and Zeus (who the serial adulterer Zenith
definitely isn't based on)
Izu Min Mir, the imp/small oni teacher who trained Kikuru is based on the phrase ミーミルの泉/
mimir no izumi, the well of Mimir from Norse mythology.
Hochou Haddori and
Zanzou Haddori are references to 服部保長/
Hattori Yasunaga (but Yasunaga can also be read as Hochou) and 服部半蔵/
Hattori Hanzou, both famous ninja from the Sengoku era.
Kanzebou Bi's origin was in the story, being the curse-name of 完全防備/
kanzenboubi (absolute defence) but his sister
Okuri Bi is also evocatively named after the
Gozan no Okuribi which fits as she's a necromancer.
And then
Mishelly Hito is a pun on 人見知り/
hitomishiri (shy/antisocial)
Notably, the meaning of Kikuru's name has never been revealed, so no idea if it's important to the story or not. My favorite theory is that it comes from 気狂い/
kikurui (insane)and 間男/
madan, which refers to a guy who sleeps (or I suppose in this case, fantasizes about sleeping) with married women. 😉