As a result of the advent of technology, anime has brought the Japanese language to millions of people around the world. Even people that have never stepped their feet in Japan have some understanding of the Japanese culture and language because of anime. With lots of individuals now watching anime in various places, it is only normal for anyone to consider whether anime can help you learn Japanese or not.
Of course, anime can help you learn Japanese. In this article, we will explain some ways through which anime can go a long way in assisting you to learn the Japanese language.
- Anime can help you to build your Japanese listening skills
Anime is generally done in the Japanese language; therefore, you can expect each character to speak Japanese. Nonetheless, if you want to develop your Japanese listening skills with anime, you need to first turn off any English subtitles that it has. Most applications for movies have this function, so you should not have a problem with doing this.
As an alternative, you can still turn on the subtitles but still be attentive to the Japanese language spoken by the anime characters. Then, you should make sure that you always link the sounds with the depictions and meanings of their respective words. While it may take you some time to understand the language, you will eventually get the benefits of doing this. Your ears will be attuned to Japanese as spoken by the native speakers in anime series or movies.
It is worthwhile to note that this method is best used for anime that you have watched before. For such an anime, you would have understood the storyline and will find it easy to link the sounds, writing scripts, and meanings.
- Anime helps you practice pronunciation
Japanese is known to have a rhythm that is quite particular to the language itself. Anime offers you a good medium to learn the rhythm of the Japanese. Besides, Japanese involves the repetition of lots of the means through which the words are pronounced. Anime enables you to hear similar patterns from time to time.
If you intend to learn Japanese with anime, you must try to pause the anime episode you are seeing. Afterward, you need to endeavor to repeat the sounds. Make sure your pronunciation and rhythm look like the one spoken in the anime. Over time, this practice will help you to be familiar with different ways through which words are pronounced and rhymed in the Japanese language. Without a doubt, this will boost your understanding of the language.
- Anime improves your vocabulary
Like other languages, there are so many words in Japanese. Well, no one can know all these words at the beginning of their learning journey. In fact, native speakers don’t know all the Japanese words that exist. However, this does not mean that you should not learn more new words. One of the best ways to do this is by watching anime.
Several words are used in anime movies and series; therefore, watching anime presents you with an excellent way to learn more words. The more anime you watch, the more you will come across new words that can boost your Japanese vocabulary. Notably, you don’t have to learn or master every new word you hear in anime. You should only focus on the ones that you believe are important to your day-to-day conversations.
- Anime exposes you to Japanese formality
Every language has certain formalities that are suitable for some particular situations, and the Japanese language is not different. Learning Japanese formality can help you understand the right things to say in every circumstance.
Using anime, you can learn how the characters speak when they are discussing with their colleagues or boss in official settings or when just talking to their family or friends. Also, you can learn Japanese formality that relates to social life, fictional characters, etc.
- Anime helps you learn while still having fun
In general, learning can be tasking for anyone. However, when it comes to learning a new language like Japanese, it can even be more challenging for adults. But you don’t have to learn under intense pressure in a classroom setting. Take advantage of anime to learn in a fun-filled and relaxing manner. Although you may not learn as quickly as you would have done in a classroom setting, anime will make learning more enjoyable for you.
Where to get the right anime series for learning Japanese?
If you are ready to learn Japanese with the aid of anime, it is essential to know where you can get anime. Simply put, you can find anime movies and series through the traditional way of buying DVDs that can be played with a DVD player. Your neighborhood will determine how easy it will be for you to get anime series in DVD format.
However, you don’t have to rely on this traditional means as technology has made life easier for everyone. With a reliable internet connection and some money for a subscription, you can access various streaming services that offer various anime movies and series.
A few of the best streaming services for anime include:
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Amazon
- Anime-Planet
- Crackle
- Crunchyroll
- Yattatachi
Important tips for learning Japanese through watching anime
While you can learn Japanese through watching anime, there are some crucial things you must note if you want to succeed. They include:
- Add anime to your regular Japanese learning routine
Learning Japanese through only anime may take you decades before having a little grasp of the language. Therefore, you should only consider watching anime as an additional means of learning the language. In other words, have a routine for learning and then use anime movies and series as extra resources.
- Choose only high-quality anime
While you may want to go for low-quality anime for some reason, such anime often comes with strange Japanese or even wrong translation. So, instead of helping you improve your Japanese, watching low-quality anime may have a negative impact on your learning process. So, always choose high-quality anime.
- Find the meaning of each newly learned words
Seeing a word in an anime movie or series is not enough. You should strive to know the meaning of the word before using it.
- Watch and listen actively
To learn Japanese as you watch anime, it is essential for you to watch and listen actively. In other words, pay attention to the words so that you can link the words to their pronunciations and rhythms.