Why the different names for episodes?

[rocklobster]

Why do some anime use different names for episodes?

• Blue Gender=Factors
• Cowboy Bebop=Sessions
• Serial Experiments Lain=Layers
• Boogiepop Phantom=Volumes
• Gundam SeeD=Phases
• G Gundam=Rounds
• Texhnolyze=Rogues
• Gundam Wing=Operations

It's just something that always bugs me.

[Roy Mustang]

I think they just do that to be difference or stand out a little bit from other animes.


Sessions really fit for Cowboy Bebop, since every ep title is named after a song, album or session.


Wingzero22

[Technomancer]

In some cases at least, it's because the name fits the overall theme or feel of the series. For example, in Cowboy Bebop, the episodes are called sessions, which is term often used for some jazz titles or albums (remember, many of the episodes themselves are also named for famous jazz tunes). In the case of Serial Experiments Lain, the idea is to go through the "layers", until you get to the real truth. In other anime, it's no stretch to see that names like "operation" or "mission" refer to the nature of what's being done (e.g. military operations).

[Bobtheduck]

I'm gonna make a story where the chapters are going to be called "Gragpragulations"

Really, though, this honestly bugs you? ?_?

[Hitokiri]

It helps fit the stories theme.

I personally like it when they do it in manga and anime. It makes the series see more whole and involved that way.

[RedMage]

As people said, it's to fit the theme of the series and have something more interesting than plain old "episodes." Honestly can't imagine why it bothers you so much, nobody forces you to call a Bebop episode a "session" if you don't want to.

[Roy Mustang]

A little trivia about the sessions names in Cowboy Bebop

ep 1 Asteroid Blues = The Blues Session
ep 2: Stray Dog Strut = "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats Session
ep 3: Honky Tonk Women = "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 4: Gateway Shuffle = Shuffle Session
ep 5: Ballad of Fallen Angels = Ballad Session
ep 6: Sympathy for the Devil = "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 7: Heavy Metal Queen = Heavy Metal Session
ep 8: Waltz for Venus: Waltz Session
ep 9: Jamming with Edward = Album Title: Rolling Stones - Jamming with Edward (1972) Session
ep 10: Ganymede Elegy: Elegy Session
ep 11: Toys in the Attic = "Toys in the Attic" by Aerosmith Sessions
ep 12 and 13: Jupiter Jazz Pt.1 & 2 = Jazz Session
ep 14: Bohemian Rhapsody = "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen Session
ep 15: My Funny Valentine = "My Funny Valentine" by Frank Sinatra Session
ep 16: Black Dog Serenade = "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin
ep 17: Mushroom Samba = Samba Session
ep 18: Speak like a Child = "Speak like a Child" by Herbie Hancock Session
ep 19: Wild Horses = "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 21: Boogie Woogie Feng Shui = Boogie Woogie Session
ep 22: Cowboy Funk = Funk Session
ep 24: Hard Luck Woman = "Hard Luck Woman" by KISS Sessions
#25 & 26: The Real Folk Blues Pt.1 & 2: "The Real Folk Blues" by John Lee Hooker

So, not all of the titles in Cowboy Bobop were name after song or album.

Wingzero22

[mitsuki lover]

RahXephon has Movements.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

RahXephon has Movements.

And Pilot Candidate had "Curriculums".

[MorwenLaicoriel]

I think it's kinda cool, helps focus on the theme of the series as a whole. Princess Tutu does something similar--every episode is named after a famous piece from a ballet or opera and uses the music in that scene.

[Kisa]

And Pilot Candidate had "Curriculums".

Ah beat me to it ^^

Makes it more fun and show oriented me thinks ^^

[mitsuki lover]

I think the reason why Pilot Candidate had Curriculums for episode titles is because it was set up in an academy setting.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

They had 13 of them, if memory serves. Up to that point, I thought that was the shortest anime ever made...

Then FLCL blew away my perceptions!

[Maledicte]

Because it helps fit in with the story being told.

Examples:

Gankutsuou--each episode is a Chapter. This makes sense because the anime is based off of a novel.

Nightwalker--each episode is a "Night", which only really makes sense in the first four episodes, and it's a vampire anime.

Not all anime have different episode titles, though. Personally I like them.

[Aka-chan]

A little trivia about the sessions names in Cowboy Bebop

ep 1 Asteroid Blues = The Blues Session
ep 2: Stray Dog Strut = "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats Session
ep 3: Honky Tonk Women = "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 4: Gateway Shuffle = Shuffle Session
ep 5: Ballad of Fallen Angels = Ballad Session
ep 6: Sympathy for the Devil = "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 7: Heavy Metal Queen = Heavy Metal Session
ep 8: Waltz for Venus: Waltz Session
ep 9: Jamming with Edward = Album Title: Rolling Stones - Jamming with Edward (1972) Session
ep 10: Ganymede Elegy: Elegy Session
ep 11: Toys in the Attic = "Toys in the Attic" by Aerosmith Sessions
ep 12 and 13: Jupiter Jazz Pt.1 & 2 = Jazz Session
ep 14: Bohemian Rhapsody = "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen Session
ep 15: My Funny Valentine = "My Funny Valentine" by Frank Sinatra Session
ep 16: Black Dog Serenade = "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin
ep 17: Mushroom Samba = Samba Session
ep 18: Speak like a Child = "Speak like a Child" by Herbie Hancock Session
ep 19: Wild Horses = "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones Session
ep 21: Boogie Woogie Feng Shui = Boogie Woogie Session
ep 22: Cowboy Funk = Funk Session
ep 24: Hard Luck Woman = "Hard Luck Woman" by KISS Sessions
#25 & 26: The Real Folk Blues Pt.1 & 2: "The Real Folk Blues" by John Lee Hooker

So, not all of the titles in Cowboy Bobop were name after song or album.

Wingzero22

But still! That's quite a few! That's really cool...

[Hitokiri]

Hellsing as "Orders" and Negima (the manga at least) has "periods". I think when they do that; it makes the series seem intresting.

[RedMage]

They had 13 of them, if memory serves. Up to that point, I thought that was the shortest anime ever made...

Then FLCL blew away my perceptions!

Well, FLCL's an OAV, and ther had been shorter ones before it.

Thing is, 13-episode animes are the new trend. Based on what I've heard, the studios and networks in Japan can make as much money from a 13-episode series as they used to make from a 26-episode one, and since it obviously costs a lot less to make only half as many episodes, they just stick with 13.