Learn Japanese from anime in only 5 minutes a day! 1337!

by

don't learn japanese from animeYou TOO can learn Japanese from anime in only 5 minutes a day! WRONG. If you think you can learn Japanese from anime, you have been sorely misguided. Perhaps it is a genetic defect. Perhaps your parents drank a lot before you were born. Maybe you’ve been disillusioned by anime conventions. Or it could be that anime-induced isolation has cut you off from the real world for just a little bit too long. Whatever gave you the impression that you could learn Japanese from anime is sadly wrong. You CAN’T. No buts about it. I’ve seen way too many people who’ve thought it could be done. I’ve often see way too many people on youtube who still think it can be done. People who don’t know better idolize them as gods and follow in their footsteps. I don’t want you to go out and make that mistake. It’s time you knew the truth. Click through and watch the video to find out more…

[yframe url='www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rQFfRN6qmA']

Newer Comments →
  • Stacia

    I’ve studied Japanese for 3.5 years but, I’m still a classic anime nerd. ;) Something that I find helps a little bit (and is fun!) is to buy Japanese manga and read them. It helps with reading all the hiragana/katakana at higher speeds, and there are pretty pictures. :) It also helps reading comprehension…if you know some Japanese. You can’t use it to teach yourself though. ;P

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    Definitely. Though, I definitely think that people who are still on the beginner side of things shouldn’t try to use anime/manga to learn their Japanese. You have to be advanced enough to filter out all the bad and only take in the good. Thanks for the comment.

  • Stacia

    I’ve studied Japanese for 3.5 years but, I’m still a classic anime nerd. ;) Something that I find helps a little bit (and is fun!) is to buy Japanese manga and read them. It helps with reading all the hiragana/katakana at higher speeds, and there are pretty pictures. :) It also helps reading comprehension…if you know some Japanese. You can’t use it to teach yourself though. ;P

  • http://www.tofugu.com koichi

    Definitely. Though, I definitely think that people who are still on the beginner side of things shouldn’t try to use anime/manga to learn their Japanese. You have to be advanced enough to filter out all the bad and only take in the good. Thanks for the comment.

  • Tiya

    love anime but it’s not so great for learning the language.I mean, anime is great if you want to practice listening comprehension.
    Sometimes you can learn/practice it from watching real japanese TV shows. It’s way more practical than learning from some hyped-up cartoon :]
    You can hear how everyday people pronounce words, and see their gestures and reactions to certain situations…so I guess you can learn a little about the culture too ^^

  • Tiya

    I’ve been studying japanese for a while now too.
    Yeah, I love anime but it’s not so great for learning the language.I mean, anime is great if you want to practice listening comprehension.
    Sometimes you can learn/practice it from watching real japanese TV shows. It’s way more practical than learning from some hyped-up cartoon :]
    You can hear how everyday people pronounce words, and see their gestures and reactions to certain situations…so I guess you can learn a little about the culture too ^^

  • http://www.myspace.com/chriscurameng Kuristeru

    I’ve actually been picking up pronunciations and such from watching Japanese TV shows. Some of the stuff I’ve been watching is old, but still helpful. (Hey x3, Downtown DX, Music Station, other J-Dramas… (even some episodes with Hard Gay… lol jk) Funny stuff though… so old.

  • http://www.myspace.com/chriscurameng Kuristeru

    I’ve actually been picking up pronunciations and such from watching Japanese TV shows. Some of the stuff I’ve been watching is old, but still helpful. (Hey x3, Downtown DX, Music Station, other J-Dramas… (even some episodes with Hard Gay… lol jk) Funny stuff though… so old.

  • LoquaxSum

    You’re SO definitely right. I also have some friends (some of them being fan-girls/-boys) who were saying stuff like
    “Oh! I like anime, now I love the language and want to be able to speak it too, since it’s a cool language.”
    “Could you teach Japanese to me(without textbooks and hard learning)?”
    Downright NO…
    不言実行 (fugenjikkou)=== No words, but deeds

  • LoquaxSum

    You’re SO definitely right. I also have some friends (some of them being fan-girls/-boys) who were saying stuff like
    “Oh! I like anime, now I love the language and want to be able to speak it too, since it’s a cool language.”
    “Could you teach Japanese to me(without textbooks and hard learning)?”
    Downright NO…
    不言実行 (fugenjikkou)===> No words, but deeds

  • Hanako

    YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT~~

    When I first walked into my Japanese 1 class in 8th grade, it was like normal kid, normal kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, normal kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, etc…I was REALLY shocked by how many greasyantisocialanimefreak kid were enrolled in the class….but that might be because I have never had a solid interest in anime (I do indulge, though, in J-dorama and music shows all the time…and maybe the occasional movie, but never anime.)

    Half of them dropped out by the time Japanese 2 started, or they continued to be like “I don’t use our textbook to study, I just watch Naruto all day…don’t you just love my horrid accent?” It might be mean to say it, but I’m really glad that they finally quit. Only people who are actually serious about studying Japanese should take it.

    The only person that I can respect that sort of learned Japanese from anime is this guy who was a senior in the Japanese 5 class when I was still a freshman in Japanese 2….he didn’t have an ‘amercan’ accent, but spoke with kind of a deep, rough, ipwnnoobs, anime accent….I would laugh a little when he would speak, but he was actually REALLY REALLY REALLY good at Japanese. I guess that there are some that can move past anime and actually hit the books….

  • Hanako

    YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT~~

    When I first walked into my Japanese 1 class in 8th grade, it was like normal kid, normal kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, normal kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, greasyantisocialanimefreak kid, etc…I was REALLY shocked by how many greasyantisocialanimefreak kid were enrolled in the class….but that might be because I have never had a solid interest in anime (I do indulge, though, in J-dorama and music shows all the time…and maybe the occasional movie, but never anime.)

    Half of them dropped out by the time Japanese 2 started, or they continued to be like “I don’t use our textbook to study, I just watch Naruto all day…don’t you just love my horrid accent?” It might be mean to say it, but I’m really glad that they finally quit. Only people who are actually serious about studying Japanese should take it.

    The only person that I can respect that sort of learned Japanese from anime is this guy who was a senior in the Japanese 5 class when I was still a freshman in Japanese 2….he didn’t have an ‘amercan’ accent, but spoke with kind of a deep, rough, ipwnnoobs, anime accent….I would laugh a little when he would speak, but he was actually REALLY REALLY REALLY good at Japanese. I guess that there are some that can move past anime and actually hit the books….

  • http://www.myspace.com/chibimaru7 fosta7

    Yo i need ur help koichi!
    my friend is takin a insane amount of anime for the past 2 weeks
    she says she wants to learn japanese but she thinks anime will help her
    i have bought books and will be soon tutor by my japanese teacher
    but she has been in her room watching anime for ever! she said her butt is froming with the computer chair,anyway the sad thing is,is that we live in hawaii wheres a lot off japanese ppl I have japanese friends !but she is in her in little world of datte bayo ….
    what should i dooo…

  • http://www.tofugu.com Erin

    I don’t blame her for watching anime all day in her room. It’s freaking hot out here.

  • http://www.myspace.com/chibimaru7 fosta7

    Yo i need ur help koichi!
    my friend is takin a insane amount of anime for the past 2 weeks
    she says she wants to learn japanese but she thinks anime will help her
    i have bought books and will be soon tutor by my japanese teacher
    but she has been in her room watching anime for ever! she said her butt is froming with the computer chair,anyway the sad thing is,is that we live in hawaii wheres a lot off japanese ppl I have japanese friends !but she is in her in little world of datte bayo ….
    what should i dooo…

  • http://www.tofugu.com Erin

    I don’t blame her for watching anime all day in her room. It’s freaking hot out here.

  • animerika

    So true, it totally annoys me how some people think that all they have to do is watch anime to know Japanese. I’m also a fan of anime, hell I love that crack. The only way it’s ever let me “learn some Japanese” is just catching some words here and there and just listening to differences in formality, otherwise it really doesn’t help my studies that much.
    But on the bright side, sometimes I’m a step ahead of my class when it comes to vocab words hahaha.

  • animerika

    So true, it totally annoys me how some people think that all they have to do is watch anime to know Japanese. I’m also a fan of anime, hell I love that crack. The only way it’s ever let me “learn some Japanese” is just catching some words here and there and just listening to differences in formality, otherwise it really doesn’t help my studies that much.
    But on the bright side, sometimes I’m a step ahead of my class when it comes to vocab words hahaha.

  • http://rocmegamanx.deviantart.com Rock Martin

    I hardly watch anime at this moment, but you’re right about the whole “you can’t learn Japanese from anime” thing.

    I mean, that just makes a person come off as a lonely, desparate otaku…

  • http://rocmegamanx.deviantart.com Rock Martin

    I hardly watch anime at this moment, but you’re right about the whole “you can’t learn Japanese from anime” thing.

    I mean, that just makes a person come off as a lonely, desparate otaku…

  • http://www.myspace.com/ki_yang kisama

    I agree with the point made, but I recommend watching anime for a little while before starting to actually learn the language to help you get a little jump start. It helped me out when I started taking Japanese classes in high school.
    I also watched Korean dramas before learning Korean and hearing the language before learning about the details helped me out a lot.

  • http://www.myspace.com/ki_yang kisama

    I agree with the point made, but I recommend watching anime for a little while before starting to actually learn the language to help you get a little jump start. It helped me out when I started taking Japanese classes in high school.
    I also watched Korean dramas before learning Korean and hearing the language before learning about the details helped me out a lot.

  • jewel

    haha i agree that anime does not help alot. I have been watching anime for 2 years(for fun and enjoyment) but all i now how to say is baka. I badly want to have a tutor or something but i have no one to sponsor me and i have no money and all i can rely on is my computer. Sighs…any ideas?

  • jewel

    haha i agree that anime does not help alot. I have been watching anime for 2 years(for fun and enjoyment) but all i now how to say is baka. I badly want to have a tutor or something but i have no one to sponsor me and i have no money and all i can rely on is my computer. Sighs…any ideas?

  • Jonathan

    this video would have been funnier if it mentioned hentai

  • Jonathan

    this video would have been funnier if it mentioned hentai

  • http://bebo.com mitchell kerr

    i have been studying lots of japanese language but whats the best site to learn it from.

  • http://bebo.com mitchell kerr

    i have been studying lots of japanese language but whats the best site to learn it from.

  • Anonymous

    Ok I obviously understand that watching shit shows like Naruto or Bleach is not going to teach you Japanese or help much with it, but what about more mature shows or dramas? I’m sure those shows are quite a bit better.

  • Anonymous

    Ok I obviously understand that watching shit shows like Naruto or Bleach is not going to teach you Japanese or help much with it, but what about more mature shows or dramas? I’m sure those shows are quite a bit better.

  • Cameron

    i thought i would learn with japanese. i have plenty of friends and all that other stuff, but it seems to never stick in the head. i forgot sometimes in an hour. but i hit the books one night kept reading and reading…… and reading!!!!! i speak perfect japanese and sometimes all my teacher names and she doesnt seem to notice :] hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa but u are exactly right anime is not a good source for learning the japansese language.

  • Cameron

    call* lol :p

  • Cameron

    i thought i would learn with japanese. i have plenty of friends and all that other stuff, but it seems to never stick in the head. i forgot sometimes in an hour. but i hit the books one night kept reading and reading…… and reading!!!!! i speak perfect japanese and sometimes all my teacher names and she doesnt seem to notice :] hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa but u are exactly right anime is not a good source for learning the japansese language.

  • Cameron

    call* lol :p

  • NanaTorigawa

    i have to say i was an anime freak… and sad to say i have to stay that way.. it always around me… my family all watch it… I love reading Manga still but anime making me sick… and it might be the fact that when i entered my first Japanese class about 75% wanted to be there and like 95% were there because of anime… after awhile peopel started to fail and wondered why…. because unless you are really passionate in learning you won’t learn.. for me.. i have to say.. I’m learnign japanese because… 1 i love the culture 2. I want to help out with subtitile maybe..(not anime) and 3. I really want to live there… V_V gettign off topic.. sorry..
    anyway… i watch J-dramas… and when i listen to anime… it totally different…
    BTW… Now i’m in my 2nd year in learnign and the most i can do is read hahah.. and intoduce myself.. i hope this site will help me…
    PS. i might go to japan at the end of this year.. i hope i can pick up REAL japanese then!!

  • NanaTorigawa

    i have to say i was an anime freak… and sad to say i have to stay that way.. it always around me… my family all watch it… I love reading Manga still but anime making me sick… and it might be the fact that when i entered my first Japanese class about 75% wanted to be there and like 95% were there because of anime… after awhile peopel started to fail and wondered why…. because unless you are really passionate in learning you won’t learn.. for me.. i have to say.. I’m learnign japanese because… 1 i love the culture 2. I want to help out with subtitile maybe..(not anime) and 3. I really want to live there… V_V gettign off topic.. sorry..
    anyway… i watch J-dramas… and when i listen to anime… it totally different…
    BTW… Now i’m in my 2nd year in learnign and the most i can do is read hahah.. and intoduce myself.. i hope this site will help me…
    PS. i might go to japan at the end of this year.. i hope i can pick up REAL japanese then!!

  • namida

    I don´t like animes…rsrs because it I use dorama : )

  • namida

    oh!!!my secrete is J-pop…rsrsrs

  • namida

    I don´t like animes…rsrs because it I use dorama : )

  • namida

    oh!!!my secrete is J-pop…rsrsrs

  • kakutaisan

    I think it is really hard for beginners. But maybe someone with intermediate Japanese can pick up some new expressions.

  • kakutaisan

    I think it is really hard for beginners. But maybe someone with intermediate Japanese can pick up some new expressions.

  • Kim

    Haha — so true. I know a few people who watch anime to ‘learn the language,’ but they don’t really know how to say anything, other than a few random words or phrases. I admit, I watch and love it, but I don’t use it to learn the language — I take classes and study. But I have been able to learn some words from it, though usually I end up learning more about the Japanese culture, by looking up things I notice being done in some anime.

  • Kim

    Haha — so true. I know a few people who watch anime to ‘learn the language,’ but they don’t really know how to say anything, other than a few random words or phrases. I admit, I watch and love it, but I don’t use it to learn the language — I take classes and study. But I have been able to learn some words from it, though usually I end up learning more about the Japanese culture, by looking up things I notice being done in some anime.

  • Neo-Kenzi

    I’m acually learning it through a Japanese teacher and it sounds nothing like Anime! You can make some words out once you’ve learnt Japanese the real way but this dude is right! Arigato Gozaimasu

  • Neo-Kenzi

    I’m acually learning it through a Japanese teacher and it sounds nothing like Anime! You can make some words out once you’ve learnt Japanese the real way but this dude is right! Arigato Gozaimasu

  • http://sparkplugged.net Shay

    true dat :P それら人は可笑しいですね。

  • http://sparkplugged.net Shay

    true dat :P それら人は可笑しいですね。

  • heys

    yeah.. retarded. but youknow therecould be some ridiculously smart person who probably did especially if they’re korean. Well any korean person who lives in Japan for like a month comes back fluent but anyways for me I learned lots of grammar from tae kim (never mentioend him in your posts not that it’s neccessary buti’m sure you’ve heard of his site and blog and whatnot) so I actually know the workings of the language to possibly learn something from watching anime

  • heys

    yeah.. retarded. but youknow therecould be some ridiculously smart person who probably did especially if they’re korean. Well any korean person who lives in Japan for like a month comes back fluent but anyways for me I learned lots of grammar from tae kim (never mentioend him in your posts not that it’s neccessary buti’m sure you’ve heard of his site and blog and whatnot) so I actually know the workings of the language to possibly learn something from watching anime

Newer Comments →