Learning Japanese can sound like a very tiresome chore on its own and learning Japanese for the purpose of enjoying your favorite anime can sweeten up the deal. To learn Japanese you can use a number of ways starting from a textbook to long hours of class, but why not integrate your learning with anime. It is logical to first cover basic vocabulary and grammar, to understand anything in Japanese.
Anime is a form of Japanese animation that tells different forms of stories. Generally, anime uses all popular Japanese writing scripts. This means that a typical anime utilizes hiragana and katakana as well as kanji. However, it is important to note that anime uses more hiragana than katakana and kanji. As a consequence of this, you will learn more hiragana than other Japanese writing systems when you are watching anime.
In fact, anime can offer you a casual and fun-filled way to learn different Japanese words and sentences from the comfort of your home. Besides, you don’t have to master how to read Japanese words and sentences to enjoy watching anime. You only need to understand the spoken words of the characters in the anime.
Having noted this vital point, you should realize that anime does not use the standard hiragana or katakana. In most cases, only casual Japanese words and sentences are used in anime. As a result, by watching anime, you will miss out on the standard way of using Japanese hiragana, katakana, and kanji characters as done in schools and other formal settings. So, while anime can assist you to learn the Japanese language, it is not the standard means for it.
How to learn Japanese with Anime
Since anime is gradually being incorporated into the Japanese language learning process, how then can you learn Japanese with anime?
Watch actively, not passively
Don’t just watch anime for the purpose of entertainment. Pay close attention to vocabulary, kanji, and grammar. Write down every new word you learn as it will help you remember these words even when you see or hear them somewhere else.
Remember that watching anime can help you develop your listening skills hence, Listen attentively to the grammar, vocabulary or speech patterns being used and take note to strengthen them in your mind by using creating your own grammar, or speech in likewise patterns Every time you sit to watch an anime, make jotting your companion.
One more thing, you don’t need to be obsessed with learning or understanding everything you hear. Just take your time to process every information because complete comprehension will take time and practice.
Turn off the subtitles
If you really want your Japanese language skills level to increase and improve, then you must watch animes without subtitles and try to decipher and understand everything on your own. This is because if the subtitles are on, your brain will take the easier way out. In other words, instead of heightening your listening and comprehension skills, your brain will easily settle for reading subtitles in order to avoid stressing itself. You can only leave the subtitles on if they are only written in kanji or kana.
Another thing to do is to turn on the subtitles after you’ve watched without them and have jotted down every vocabulary and grammar, and you’ve taken note of pronunciations and speech patterns. Turning on the subtitles may require you to watch all over again, but it’s ok because you can’t rush your learning process. You have to go over again and again until you are satisfied with your results.
Don’t skip the building blocks
What are these building blocks? you may ask. These are the basics of the Japanese language. You can’t move ahead in your learning process without a firm knowledge of these basics. These basics include hiragana, katakana, grammar, and even kanji. If you don’t have an idea of the Japanese vocabulary and grammar, how then will you understand them when you watch an anime?
Anime Does not ‘teach’ you these basics from the scratch, it only strengthens the Japanese you’ve already learned. As you learn the Japanese grammar and vocabulary, you’ll probably hear them be in used in an appropriate context in animes and then, you’ll have an idea on where and how it is used.
Work on the vocab
Every time you watch an anime, write down list of new words, grammar, and sentence structures you learn, check out their meaning and the patterns in which they are used. Try to create your own sentence from the patterns you learned. You can also show whatever you come up with to your Japanese teacher or tutor so that you can be guided on the appropriate use of each word, grammar and sentence structure.
Where to find good resources for anime
Since anime is popular around the world, getting good resources won’t be a difficult task. There are over 100 websites where you can pay for animes or get them for free. Here are a few of them.
Animeseason.com
Animefreak.tv
Crunchyroll.com
Fumination.com
GoGoAnime.io
Animeheaven
Chia-anime.tv
Hulu.com
9amine.to
Kissanime.ru
Note that most grammatical expressions used in anime may not be appropriate for real-life conversations and so, you need to intentional about what you learn.