“Anime.”
Who doesn’t know what it is?
For decades, “anime”, is the word used to describe animation from the land of the rising sun, Japan. However, as “anime” has grown in popularity, more and more people are looking to go to Japan, either to look for work opportunities, to settle there or just to travel.
Moreover, there are a growing number of people who claim that they have learned Japanese from just watching these popular animated shows.
But, is it really possible? Can you really just watch anime and learn Japanese? Let’s find out:
You can, but it’s not advisable
Unless you watch a lot of anime and devote yourself to the anime community entirely, it’s not really advisable to learn Japanese via anime. Even then, it is possible, but it’s not the best way to do it.
Why shouldn’t you? Because, unlike English, which is a fairly universal language, Japanese is mostly spoken only in Japan. This means that you’ll have very few references in real life if you plan on learning Japanese from just watching anime.
What makes matters worse is that most animated shows from Japan don’t really use Japanese in the same way that most people do in real conversations.
It’s like the same with English movies, but worse, mostly because animated shows often exaggerate certain mannerisms, intonations, and more.
Additionally, in anime, Japanese sounds a lot more poetic.
In real life, the Japanese language is a lot more formal and straightforward. Similarly, in the context of English, it’s like comparing everyday conversational English to the kind of English you’ll find written in poems, dramas, and novels.
In other cases, the language used in anime can be vulgar and blunt. If you try to converse in Japanese the same way as the characters do in a typical anime show, it could make you seem disrespectful.
Japanese drama is actually a better reference if you really want to learn Japanese just from watching. Nevertheless, in general, you’re better off sparing yourself the trouble and by actually learning Japanese the traditional way – taking lessons.
Why you’re better off taking a Japanese class
As much as you might love learning Japanese by just watching anime, do yourself a favour and instead, take a Japanese class in Singapore.
Remember, to learn a language is also to discover the history and culture behind it. Only then can you gain a better understanding of the language and why it came to be.
If you learn it just through anime, you wouldn’t know much regarding the background of the language.
However, don’t worry, you can still try and learn Japanese via anime! But by taking a Japanese class in Singapore, anime and other mediums would act more like a supplement than your primary source of knowledge.
By doing this, you will understand the difference between Japanese spoken in amongst actual people compared to the Japanese dialogues in anime shows.
