Learning Japanese has taken off worldwide, especially among the younger generations, thanks to the influence of pop culture. Thanks to anime, video, and J-Pop popularity, it has sparked the interest of millions of fans. Are you ready to discover iconic anime and manga, video games, and J-Pop that have gained international fame? Learn how Japanese culture has influenced Canadians through anime, music, and video games.
How Anime and Manga Instruct Japanese Language
As an anime and manga fan, you should know that both are excellent complementary study resources. Although on their own, they are not usually enough to achieve a good command of the language, they are indeed tools that favor immersion and motivation.
As anime and manga are also very popular in Canada, you can make use of these enjoyable ways of exposing yourself to the actual use of Japanese in different cultural contexts. It allows you to gain better oral skills, pronunciation, and a broader everyday vocabulary.
So, can you learn Japanese from anime? Again, it is essential to emphasize that these could be complementary study tools, as manga and anime do not always represent standard Japanese. The language used in manga and anime often includes slang or constructions that are not commonly used in everyday life or in a professional environment. Combining both with a more structured approach, including the correct practice of grammar, reading, and writing, is essential.
📺 Best Anime to Learn Japanese
Shirokuma Cafe (Polar Bear Café)
Description: It's about everyday life for a group of animals socializing with people at a polar bear's café in a world where walking, talking animals coexist with people.
The simple language and pronunciation make it ideal for beginners.
Age rating: 14+
Audio: Japanese
Subtitles: English, Latin American Spanish, European Spanish, French and Portuguese.
Where you can watch: Streamed on Crunchyroll.
Episodes: Polar Bear Cafe aired its 50-episode TV anime series.
Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)
Description: This slice-of-life anime follows the life of 30-year-old Daikichi as he decides to raise his grandfather's child, Rin, as his own. The simple vocabulary of Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop) and easy pronunciation are excellent for learners.
Age: 13+
Subtitles: English subtitles available.
Where to watch: Streamed on Crunchyroll.
Episodes: Single season of 11 episodes.
🎌 Best Manga to Learn Japanese
Yotsubato
Anime description: Yotsubato follows the everyday adventures of a young girl named Yotsuba as she learns about the world, her adoptive father, their neighbors, and their friends.
It is easy to understand and falls into the manga category for beginners.
Age: Recommended for all ages.
Chapters: Over 100 chapters; 15 volumes published in English.
Where to buy: Amazon, RightStuf Anime, Book Depository, Indigo Libraries, and Public Libraries in Canada.
Crystal Hunters
Description: Crystal Hunters is an adventure manga series that follows the adventures of Kana and Hitoshi, two heroes who live in a world of mysterious crystals and paranormal beings.
It is perfect for beginner and intermediate learners of the language and includes a free kanji guide to assist language learning.
Age: 10+
Chapters: 12 main chapters released.
Where to buy: Amazon, Indigo Libraries, and Crystal Hunters website.
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Video Games and Learning the Language
Video games can be a good tool for learning languages. With the mix of entertainment and immersive experience, you can enhance your language skills through an activity you enjoy.
One of the best things about video games and language learning is that they can immerse learners in virtual worlds where the target language is omnipresent. From the characters' dialogue to the game instructions to the text on the screen, video games expose students constantly to the target language. Such exposure to the target language enables the students to become accustomed to the sounds, pronunciation, words, and grammar of the language contextually and interactively.
Conversely, video games are designed to encourage and engage players. Their competitive nature encourages dedication, and the player can invest longer hours with the language, which encourages active learning. In addition, many video games offer online multiplayer functions that will allow players to communicate and collaborate with other players, creating a great space to practice with native speakers.
🎮 Videogames to learn Japanese in Canada
Learn Japanese With Music
"J-pop," also known as "Japanese pop," has gained popularity among teenagers and young adults. Its interesting history and origin make it one of the most widely popular music genres in the world.
J-pop is a musical genre that penetrated popular culture in the 1990s. However, in the 2000s, J-pop diversified much more with the appearance of songs in the soundtracks of the most viewed anime. Then, in the 2010s, with the idol mania—Japanese artists indispensable in the world of entertainment today—J-pop disseminated far and wide due to its gigantic industry and ability to incorporate Western pop elements. AKB48, Arashi, Nogizaka46, and Perfume are just some of the most popular idol groups today in Canada.
🎤 Most popular idol groups in Canada
So, is learning Japanese possible through music? Music can be quite a language learner's aid. Listening to lyrics in the studied foreign language increases verbal memory as well as recalls vocabulary. Moreover, rhythm helps build information structure and makes it easier to remember.
J-pop is a catchy music genre that combines a variety of sounds, including pop, electro, dance, rock, and even some elements of traditional Japanese music. J-pop's melodies and brief, repetitive lyrics make it much simpler to memorize, particularly new words, informal phrases, colloquialisms, & regional phrases that you will have fewer chances to encounter in formal learning.
Plus, repeatedly listening to the natural pronunciation of Japanese helps you get used to the different sounds of the language. If you are a beginner, music will be very useful in picking up the nuances of Japanese sounds. Are you ready to start? Below is a playlist to help you learn and practice through music. Learn Japanese with music!
Do you know where to discover live music to immerse yourself in Japanese culture? Explore Japan without leaving Canada.
Playlist to Discover Japanese Music
🎧 Playlist to learn with Japanese
💖 Playlist to fall in love
Pop Culture as a Language-Learning Tool
In the context of language learning, popular culture is a great tool to facilitate the learning and practice of a new language. This is largely because popular culture involves students in a more effective and enjoyable learning process, using lively, hip, and engaging materials.
For example, learning via video games is appealing since interaction with gamification elements, like the completion of missions or goals, can give students more sense of achievement and motivation to continue learning Japanese. Conversely, listening to music facilitates the development of listening skills, allowing students to get used to grammatical forms and common idiomatic expressions in a much less formal and more natural environment.
Secondly, it should be noted that students can also join different learning environments through music and video games in which they repeatedly communicate with native speakers and other learners. This continuous interaction can significantly improve fluency as students practice their language skills in a dynamic and fun environment.
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Online Resources
👨🏫 Superprof
- One of Canada's most popular private tutoring platforms for learning languages.
- Flexible private face-to-face or online instruction near you anywhere in Canada.
- Find hundreds of tutors to practice vocabulary, reading, listing, writing, and phonetics.
🧠 Dr. Moku's Hiragana Mnemonics / Dr. Moku's Katakana Mnemonics
- Available app for IOS and Android
- Dr. Moku is a mobile app that uses the power of mnemonics to help visual learners study the characters of foreign languages, including Japanese — hiragana and katakana.
🐊 Kanji - Wanikani
- Web application for learning vocabulary
- WaniKani is an excellent application for self-study. It provides a structured, self-paced, with built-in review systems and progress tracking. It is designed to maintain a consistent routine through practical lessons.
📘 GENKI I and GENKI II
- Widely used textbooks with audio content for beginner to intermediate students. They're utilized both in classroom instruction and independent study and provide grammar explanations, practice exercises, reading comprehension, and conversation drills.
- GENKI I covers the review of basic grammar, vocabulary, hiragana, katakana, and kanji.
- GENKI II covers way more complex grammar and kanji.
🎧 Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com
- Online language learning platform where you will find audio and video lessons and a podcast.
- It is an excellent site for beginners and advanced learners. It aims at real-life conversations, grammar, vocabulary, and listening practice.
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