How to learn Japanese with manga and anime?

When we want to learn a new language, and even for any other type of learning, it is always interesting to choose subjects and themes that inspire us, and that can motivate us and help us progress. It can be music to learn English, for a specific purpose, like a trip abroad, or it can be learning Japanese with the help of manga and anime.

If you are interested in the latter option, we will immediately present some learning methods that can help you improve your knowledge of Japanese. Are you passionate about manga and anime? This is a great way to enhance your knowledge of the Japanese language!

Learn the basics of Japanese in just a few lessons

Although it is possible to improve your knowledge of the Japanese language through manga, if you are a beginner and do not know a word in Japanese at the moment, your reading may be complicated and you may become discouraged very quickly. As a first step, we recommend that you take some Japanese lessons, which will help you discover the basics of the language so that you do not feel completely lost when reading a manga in Japanese for the first time.

To have language classes, there are different options. Regarding Japanese, if you cannot find available courses in your city, it may be beneficial to turn to online courses. This will allow you to take beginner Japanese classes, which will help you decipher Kanji (one of the Japanese alphabets), as well as learn more about Japanese culture.

This learning can also be done by downloading a dedicated language app on your phone, whether Babbel, Duolingo, or Mosalíngua, although some of these apps do not always offer Japanese lessons, which may be replaced by Chinese lessons.

Manga to learn Japanese

Now that you know the basics of Japanese, you can enjoy your favorite manga and discover new ones to enhance your knowledge. Manga is indeed a very good solution to work on your knowledge of the Japanese language, being a fun method that you will surely enjoy trying.

To benefit from a better command of Japanese, you can study the dialogues of your manga and take the opportunity to decipher them gradually. At first, it may take a little time, but you will eventually understand the meaning of the sentences and exchanges, until reading the Japanese characters becomes increasingly natural.

Moreover, thanks to the images in the manga, you have valuable clues to help with the understanding of the texts. If it continues to be complex, and during your first attempts, you can use a translation or a tool that allows you to translate the few words or phrases that cause the most problems.

Where to find mangas in Japanese?

To read mangas in Japanese, you can search in bookstores, but also buy your books online, to have as much choice as possible. If you can, ask for advice from a bookseller or a manga-loving friend, so that you can start your reading with relatively easy-to-understand books, with shorter dialogues and discussions. Gradually, you can move on to a more complex manga, reserved for Japanese experts.

In addition to printed manga, you will also find many websites that allow you to read manga online. This is the case with mangaZ, SenManga, and even Honto.

Among the books we recommend for a beginner level in Japanese, we find Doraemon, Pokémon, Mirumo, or even Astroboy – mangas for children that you will be able to decipher easily.

Can Japanese anime help you learn the language?

Another way to improve your knowledge of Japanese is anime! Besides reading manga, this method allows you to learn another part of the Japanese language, this time orally. This will help you familiarize yourself with Japanese pronunciation and learn new words without realizing it, while enjoying the adventures of your favorite anime characters.

You can find these animes online, some of which may even be available on Netflix in their original language (with or without subtitles). To start, we recommend the anime Nisekoi or K-ON, before moving on to Hunter X Hunter, for example, or Death Note for the more experienced.

With these few tips, all you need to do is choose your preferred method to learn Japanese as quickly as possible!