Learn Japanese Pod » anime

Anime and Manga Quiz

Alex — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:04:54 +0000

Try your general knowledge out in this classic anime and manga quiz

If you liked that, check out all the quizzes here.

How I feel about Akihabara

Alex — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:55:49 +0000

I’m with Tommy Lee on this one…

I love Tommy Lee’s portrayal of a guy in Akihabara wondering what the hell is going on. As you’ve guessed, this is one of the few times I identify with someone in a commercial which must mean I am a boring old fart who drinks crap coffee.

I came to Japan more than 12 years ago, way before the pokemon invasion of America and cosplay had exploded into the international phenomenon it is today. Back in the 80s, managers and business majors were being sent to Japan to learn the secrets of the Japanese miracle. Little did they know the real miracle was fooling the world into thinking there was one. The bubble burst and suddenly learning Japanese was only for weirdo linguistics geeks like me.

When I started learning Japanese at uni back in 97, Japanese wasn’t cool, at least not as cool as it is today. I was never into manga or anime and I was totally unaware of cosplay even if it did exist then. I was just a kanji geek then.

Then there was pokemon. As with most exponential increases you didn’t see it coming until it was too late. People in the states who had watched it as kids were now old enough to get a flight over to Tokyo and go nuts Akihabara. Cosplay came out of the closet and now Akihabara is swarming with maids being photographed by an army of men with cameras as advanced as their interpersonal communication skills are retarded.

And here I am, an old fart with a crappy can of coffee who simply doesn’t get it. You can tell my age by the fact that Harry Potter stimuli gets a flat line brain response from me.

Not to rain on the cosplay parade, it is cool that people are freely expressing themselves in a creative, imaginative, artistsic and interesting way. I would be the last person to pull a Taliban on people’s freedom of expression, clothes, music and ballons (Yes, the Taliban were anti balloons).

I guess you saw the BUT coming… The disconcerting thing for me is the whole regression into an infantile state. People, is acting like a five year old going to help us? And because Cosplay, Anime and Manga are Japan’s most visible exports it lends to the tired, old and boring idea of “quirky Japan”.

AND ANOTHER THING… Sorry. Here’s to you Tommy.

(A message to anime fans, don’t bother to call me on the inaccuracies of this blog post. I know I got it wrong. I don’t get it. Hey, fancy a can of coffee?)

#89 to be in time

Alex — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:53:48 +0000

<Show 88 / Show 90> In this week’s podcast, Waka sensei teaches us how to use the phrase 間に合う/ ma ni au / to be in time. The easiest example of this would be “電車に間に合った” densha ni ma ni atta – I was on time for the train or I made it in time [...]

#61: Borrowing stuff

Alex — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:02:17 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/lj61.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts Waka sensei was kind enough to teach me Japanese outside on her sunny flower filled wooden deck. This week we studied the verb “Kariru” which means to borrow. This is a very useful word you can use in everyday conversation. Sorry about the noisy dog [...]

#60 Atarimae: It’s obvious

Alex — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:10:22 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/lj60.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts Today Waka sensei teaches us about the word “あたりまえ”(atarimae) which has a few meanings including, obvious, of course and to take something for granted. This is quite a useful phrase that you will hear in daily conversation to express that a fact or answer to a question [...]

#59 Samui & Tsumetai

Alex — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:57:04 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/lj59.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts Hello again everyone and Learn Japanese Pod is back with a new free Japanese lesson podcast for your entertainment and edification. In this lesson Beb and I discussed the use of the word “寒い/samui or cold. However, this word can also mean something is unfunny. Why? The [...]

#58: Just cut it out will you?

Alex — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:53:35 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/show58.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts I got together with Beb and studied how to tell someone to cut it out in Japanese. We had a look a standard and kansai dialects and learned a few more useful phrases along the way. Some of these phrases can be a little frank so be [...]

#57 More self introductions in Japanese

Alex — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:48:33 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/lj57.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts After a long absence Beb is back to teach us how to give an extended self introduction in Japanese. These introductions can be used for introducing yourself to groups of people for example when starting a new job or beginning a Japanese class. Here is a compilation [...]

#56 Saving Energy

Alex — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 01:43:39 +0000

[podcast]http://media.libsyn.com/media/japanese/lj56.mp3[/podcast] Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts Holy energy saving lightbulbs ! It’s lesson #56 with Waka sensei and myself Alex to give you a lesson in saving energy in Japan although it can’t be said it happens much here. Maybe they are as bad as everyone else. But don’t give up friends, the [...]

#55: Basic questions in Japanese

Alex — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:39:30 +0000

Download MP3 Subscribe via itunes All podcasts In this week’s lesson we study some basic questions in Japanese. These are typical questions you might be asked when meeting someone for the first time in Japan. Therefore I hope you will find these very practical.

Learn Japanese Pod » anime

Anime and Manga Quiz

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