Hikaru Sulu

Did You Know?

• Robert Justman noted that George Takei had previously played bad guys but through Star Trek became one of the first Asian actors to portray an Asian character in a positive light.
• Justman described Sulu as the antithesis of the so-called expressionless-unemotional-inscrutable Asian.

Development and portrayals

Gene Roddenberry intended the character to represent all of Asia, symbolizing peace despite the continent's wars. He chose the surname Sulu from the Sulu Sea in the central Philippines, as its waters touch all shores. The name also served as a pun on Herb Solow, vice president of Desilu Studios. Novelist Vonda McIntyre introduced the first name Hikaru in the novel The Entropy Effect, deriving it from The Tale of Genji.

Editor David Hartwell cleared the name with Roddenberry and George Takei to address Paramount's objections, though it did not become canon until mentioned in Star Trek VI. Peter David suggested the name to director Nicholas Meyer at Takei's urging. In some Japanese dubs, the family name was changed to Katō, as Sulu, a Filipino noun, would be unpronounceable for Japanese speakers lacking a distinct 'l' sound. Recent films use Sūrū with long vowels instead of Suru, which means 'to do' in Japanese.

Depiction

Hikaru Sulu, of Japanese heritage, was born in San Francisco. He first appeared as the USS Enterprise's staff physicist in the pilot episode Where No Man Has Gone Before. An early press release described him as the soft-spoken chief of the Astro Science Department, but he later served as third officer and senior helmsman with the rank of lieutenant. His hobbies included gymnastics, botany, fencing, and ancient weaponry. Spock noted that Sulu is at heart a swashbuckler out of the 18th century. He was promoted to lieutenant commander before Star Trek: The Motion Picture and to commander by Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He served as helmsman on the Enterprise and Enterprise-A, and was promoted to captain of the USS Excelsior three years before Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Star Trek Generations introduced his daughter Demora Sulu.