Genki Japan Blog はじめまして。

I decided to do something random today and post some of the dances from anime, video games, etc. Why? Because I feel like it. Don't ask that question. Okay, if you really must know, I was going to write a semi-political critique of Japan's crappy education system, but then I went on Youtube and felt my braincells die one by one. As such, I'll wait until the ramen I just age reinvigorates them! The first video (above, obviously) is from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya , and the song is called "Hare Hare Yukai". Everybody knows this one. They perform it at conventions, random public places (I'm glad I live in a small town!), and just wherever they want to. If you don't know this dance, you probably live in a hole. Just kidding. You just haven't seen the anime, don't go to conventions, and don't use Youtube. This is the opening to the crappy game, Final Fantasy X-2 . I've never seen it in English and I don't really want to. Final Fantas...

Today, I'll be looking at two video tapes designed to teach beginner's Japanese. I actually prefer to learn with books, select software, websites, and Pimsleur, leaving video lessons out of the picture, but I have to admit that there are some really good ones. There's also some really bad ones. What I'm doing today is looking at one of the best I've come across and one of the worst. The contestants: Yan-San and the Japanese People aka Let's Learn Japanese and NHK Japanese Lessons . Both of these videos are made by the NHK, but Yan-San and the Japanese People (pictured above) is the better of the two videos, and for obvious reasons. It's used in classrooms that teach Japanese and does a good job of explaining Japanese conversation. I think it's primary focus is for living in Japan, and it does a really good job of teaching basic spoken Japanese, unlike another video I'll be talking about. So, what's so great about Yan-san? First of all, the ski...

For some reason, people who know I study languages and that I’m particularly passionate about Japanese, always ask me what’s better: Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese or Pimsleur . Another question I often get is, “Is Minna no Nihongo better than Genki ?” I’ve never read the Minna no Nihongo books, so I can’t answer that. However, I decided to do an article on Genki vs. Pimsleur. To be realistic, comparing these two is like comparing apples to oranges. They’re both really good, and I encourage people to use both of them, actually. I agree with Avatar’s Uncle Iroh when he explains to Zuko that wisdom comes from many places, and that if you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Same with language learning. If you rely on only one source, you’re never going to be fluent. That’s why I review so many different sources. So now the question becomes, “Which one should I start with?” I still maintain that everyone should start with Power Japanese , but be...

Another old review of mine I did a long time ago for a website that never actually made it to the web. Be warned that there are a few spoilers here, but given the game's age, this shouldn't bother anyone. The long-awaited sequel to Chrono Trigger is here. The artwork is very different, but not a bad change, and the graphics are stunning. The plot isn’t as good as Chrono Trigger, I don’t think, and some of the side characters don’t get nearly enough character development, but that’s okay. The highlights are definately great music, thought-provoking dialogue (hey, it's better than some of the other stuff out there), and an interesting story. Plot Overview: Serge is transported to an alternate world that’s very much like his own, with the same people and places, but everyone has different lives and the timeline is a little different. Both of the worlds’ fates have been crossed, and this chrono cross will bring about the destruction of both worlds. You have to save them, even ...

This whole thing is escalating into exorbitant stupidity! North Korean officials must really, really want to go to war with Japan, which may prompt the US to get involved in another senseless war. Here's a small exerpt: "If Japan recklessly 'intercepts' [North Korea's] satellite for peaceful purposes, the [Korean People's Army] will mercilessly deal deadly blows not only at the already deployed intercepting means but at major targets," KCNA reported. Japan recently mobilized its missile defense system in response to the planned North Korean launch, Japanese officials said. The move, noteworthy for a country with a pacifist constitution, is aimed at shooting down any debris from the launch that might fall into Japanese territory. U.S. Navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles have also been moved to the Sea of Japan, a Navy spokesman said. What do you make of this? I can't be the only one who sees North Korea as irrational, and possibly se...