George Takei recalled Gene Roddenberry wanted the character to represent all of Asia, which symbolized the peace of the Trek universe in spite of the numerous wars in the continent. Roddenberry did not want a nationally specific surname, so he looked at a map and saw the Sulu Sea. He thought, 'Ah, the waters of that sea touch all shores', the actor recalled, and that's how my character came to have the name Sulu. Novelist Vonda McIntyre first presents 'Hikaru' as the character's first name in the novel The Entropy Effect. However, the name did not become canon until its mention in Star Trek VI, and it was included only after Peter David, who authored the film's comic book adaptation, visited the set and convinced director Nicholas Meyer to insert it.The fictional character Hikaru Sulu was born in San Francisco, to a Japanese and a Filipino. He was shown as the USS Enterprise's staff physicist in the pilot episode, Where No Man Has Gone Before ,but served as helmsman throughout the rest of the series, during which he held the rank of lieutenant.Throughout the series, Sulu is shown having many interests and hobbies, including botany, fencing, and ancient weaponry (Spock says that he is at heart a swashbuckler out of the 18th century ).The character is promoted to lieutenant commander some time before Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and to full commander by the time of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. During the first five Star Trek movies, he serves as helmsman aboard both the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A. He is promoted to captain and given command of the USS Excelsior three years before the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.Star Trek Generations introduces Hikaru's daughter, Demora Sulu, whose origins are also depicted in Peter David's non-canon novel The Captain's Daughter.George Takei reprised the role of Sulu, as part of Star Trek's 30th anniversary, in the Star Trek: Voyager episode Flashback .In the episode, Admiral Sulu appears in Tuvok's flashbacks of his time serving aboard the USS Excelsior, during events depicted in Star Trek VI.