I learn Japanese from Anime

First I started learning from a book. Books are boring. Then one time I tried to speak when I was with my then GF and her friends. They all laughed at my pronunciation and it made me embarrassed. So I got some listen and repeat type audio and I practiced saying phrases hard. Every morning, and every night. I sat in the bath, pretending I was some Japanese ninja or samurai and just tried to sound like the recording. It worked well.

Because of the listen and repeat stuff I heard, I would then see similar phrases in the book and think, "yea, I've heard that." And the grammar rules would stick.

Then I started taking lessons. I had private lessons, but it was just some chick who wanted to speak English and date a foreign guy. She took me out on a series of dates and took me to romantic settings to do the lessons. It pissed me off because I would have to waste a whole evening being this woman's date when I just wanted to study. Then she asked me out even though I was with a girl a billion times hotter and cooler than her. Uncomfortable.

I ditched her and started taking group lessons and they were way better. I listened to the lesson audio all the time, even when I wanted to listen to music I just persevered (now I don't so much- maybe I should?). Then I realized that instead of listening to My Chemical Romance, Thrice or The Used- I could listen to The Gazette or other J-Rock groups. Funny story is that I actually met a popular J-rock singer and because of that I learned a few of his songs to sing at karaoke. I won't say who, but he is one of the really pretty ones who still wears colored contacts and makeup when he is on holiday in a different country (I was working at the hotel he stayed at). I'm pretty sure he has had nose surgery.

If you study only lesson material you get bored. So in my chill time I watch Anime. First, I decided to watch Ouran High school Host club. For me this seemed like a good idea. It's aimed at teenage girls, so I guessed the story would be more interesting than normal kids shows, but interesting enough for me. Also I guessed the vocab would be good for talking with girls. It is. The lead character is a really daft and dramatic blond guy like me. It seemed strange that they would center the Anime around a foreigner but that made me curious about it.

I watched it with subtitles and I couldn't pick much up. Then I got one episode and just watched it everyday. I didn't look at the subtitles because I already knew the story, so I just watched and listened, over and over. When I went to my Japanese lessons, we would learn new vocab and grammar and I would think, 'I've heard this before, I'm sure.' and it would stick. Or 'Oh! That's what that means! I've always wondered what that meant.' and it would stick more than if I had just come across it in the lesson. Then I would hear it again in the Anime and it would get stronger. I really think watching the Anime- and reading the comic of the same episode really helped me- and still does.

I never went to a Japanese university or did a homestay. I just studied while working, and I still do- now I'm doing postgraduate study (in English) by correspondence. I think it's good to keep your brain stimulated.

I teach English to adults and teenagers and with all the years of school class time that they put into learning English, I wonder why they are unable to communicate. It's a such a waste. My advice- Enjoy learning language.