I have been self-studying Japanese seriously since I made plans to visit Japan in October 2025. I wanted to spend a couple of months attending a language school in Fukuoka, while exploring the country, and I wanted to go with some basic knowledge of the language. As I've mentioned in previous posts, anime gave me some happy childhood memories and made me feel less lonely. I have been into Japanese music, dramas and movies for years, so it felt normal for me to want to learn the language.
Although I understand Japanese due to my interest in anime and dramas, I can't speak or read the language. There are many books and manga without French or English translation that I would love to read. That's why in Spring 2024, I bought some Japanese textbooks to self-study before my trip to Japan. As you already know, I couldn't make the trip last year, but I'm still learning Japanese on my own. I listen to podcasts during my commute and practice Hiragana whenever I have time.
It's been going well, but I have to admit that I feel stuck; it seems like I haven't been making any progress with my reading and speaking. I don't have anyone to speak to, which is understandable, and I'm planning to go to Japan this summer for a few days. It would be a good opportunity to improve my language skills and finally make my childhood dream come true. I know Summer isn't the best time to visit Japan, and I was thinking of going in spring for my birthday, but I want to watch the new Kingdom movie in cinemas when it's screening in Japan.
My Motivation To Learn Kanji
Would you believe it if I said my motivation for learning Japanese is to read a light novel called The 12 Kingdoms by Fuyumi Ono? I know that's putting in a lot of effort just to read a book, but The 12 Kingdoms isn't just any book; it's a masterpiece. I would love to know how the story ends, and as there are no foreign language translations available, I have no other choice but to learn Japanese. I learned English to enhance my job prospects and to communicate effectively with people from around the world. Now I'm learning Japanese to know the ending of an amazing piece of writing.
When I was pregnant with my first child, I came across an anime called The 12 Kingdoms. I was stuck at home with a big belly and didn't have much to do, so I started watching the anime without any expectations, but I was blown away by the story. What was fascinating to me was how I found Youko Nakajima relatable. She went from being quiet and unproblematic to becoming a fierce woman ready to take on monsters and the world.
I saw my younger self in her character building. I was a quiet girl, always trying to please my parents while ignoring my own desires, and I grew up to be the woman I am now: Outspoken and making myself a priority. As good as the anime was, it was cancelled as it caught up to the story, and the novels were still being written, and I would love to know how the story ends. Which is why I'm working so hard on my Japanese, and even if it takes decades, I won't give up until I can finally read The 12 Kingdoms novels.
Japanese Literature Books and Manga
I recently purchased 4 novels by Japanese authors, and the store clerk said, "Are we following a theme?" I laughed and replied I love Japanese storytelling. I'm just happy it's becoming easier to find books and novels by Japanese authors nowadays. Haruki Murakami is certainly my favourite Japanese author, but Seishi Yokomizo's storytelling is fascinating. I bought 2 of his books: Murder at the Black Cat Cafe and The Inugami Curse. It's my first time reading his novels, and I highly recommend picking up one of his books.
As mentioned above, I'm planning a trip to Japan in the summer as a birthday present to myself, and the upcoming Kingdom movie is the reason I chose summer instead of May, my birth month. I have been a fan of Kingdom since watching the anime in 2016. I'm not into CGI anime, but the story was gripping enough to make me check out the manga, as I wanted to know if Shin would achieve his dream of becoming a general. I'm more into reading manga now than anime.
Kingdom is an exception as I love the anime, manga and live action adaptations with Kento Yamazaki. I had some doubts when he was picked to play Shin, but he delivered. I want to have the experience of watching the 5th movie when it releases in Japanese theatres. We'll see if I'll understand Japanese in Tokyo as well as I do here. When I run into Japanese people, I feel like I'm eavesdropping on their conversation. There was a Japanese couple on the bus the other day, and I heard them making plans for the day, like it was any of my business. The same thing happens when I run into French people; in this case, it can't be helped since it's my first language. Still, I wonder why I have trouble understanding Japanese men when they speak!
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