Where do I actually start?! どこへ始まる、私が！

I know the number one issue many people have when learning a language is where to start doing it? I know that was one of my issues. 

It does seem overwhelming because of how much there is to learn. But before you start, you have to make the proper preparations. 

If you're gonna start learning Japanese, I recommend the AJATT method to start off and get rid of all your native language materials. I like the saying "You won't learn Japanese reading an English manga." And it's true. 

If you want to be fluent, you have to really consider the life changes that entails. If you don't want to be fluent, but conversational, that's okay. I still recommend immersion because you'll become conversational that much faster. 

Here is what you should do to get started. 

1) Find tons of Japanese immersion material. There's music, movies and other things that I guarantee you can find and enjoy. Load up your iPhone with it because you'll want to be listening whenever you can. Graded Readers like this one here can improve you immensely. They're made for those learning Japanese as a second language. They're children's books with audio. Great for vocabulary pick up. No English. 

2) Find a course that fits you. Just one. I only recommend starting with one because it can be overwhelming using too many courses at once. I also recommend starting with the FLR Method, but Teach Yourself and Assimil are among other viable alternatives. 

3) Find a good phrasebook. Lonely Planet is known to have good phrasebooks. I've used them for various languages. However, I also recommend The Ultimate Japanese Phrasebook. I like this one in particular because it comes with Audio for each phrase. Yes, there is English in it, they say the phrase in English, then Japanese. However, it's a minor issue and something Audacity can easily fix. 

4) Get Anki or an SRS. You'll need this. When you learn new keywords or want to get premade study decks, Anki will be your best friend. It'll keep new material fresh for you and it'll make the learning process much simpler. Look at the helpful links if you're not sure how to use Anki. 

That's it! It's really that simple. Don't try searching online for easy, quick and painless ways to start learning because you won't find anything worth while. Any time you spend searching, use it for studying and immersing. 

It'll be tough not visiting your usual websites and switching to Japanese ones. You'll get annoyed, frustrated and even want to give up. But you'll pull through because it's just a language and millions before you have done it. There's no reason you can't too!

When browsing the internet, install RikaiChan (Firefox) or RikaiKun (Chrome).  The dictionary is better than Google Translate and you'll learn a lot of vocabulary. And especially a lot of vocabulary to add to your Anki deck. 

So for now, this is the best advice I can give. If you have any other suggestions or comments I'd like to hear them. 

では、行くぜ

True Goddess Reincarnation (Shin Megami Tensei 真・女神転生) (Super Famicom, Playstation)

That game that started a franchise...

Well not really. It actually started with Megami Tensei (女神転生) on the Nintendo Famicom、but that's a different story for a different day.

Another Japanese only release, this game has been released on almost everything. Phones, major consoles (xbox being the exception), you name it, there's probably a version for it. Look here for a list.

I'll get to the point. It's a lot of fun. I've spent a long time playing this game, with a desire to play the second one afterwards. If you've ever played the first Persona game, you can definitely see the similarities.

Definitely one of the cooler looking video game posters.

So now you've gone on the internet, looked at some gameplay and want to get your hands dirty. But the big question is. What version do you get?

I'll save you the headache. The Playstation 3 version is the best one for our purpose. You can buy it on the Japanese Playstation Network Store for about ￥500 (Roughly $5) and it's definitely worth that.

It's just the Playstation version, no differences, but the reason we want this one is because it has kanji!

If you're a beginner I know what you're thinking. But trust me, playing this game with kanji will make your life 100 times easier. Especially because this game requires at least an intermediate level to really understand well, having Kanji will help make the journey that much smoother.

The original Super Nintendo version can be found on the Japanese Nintendo Wii shop, but that one doesn't have the updates the Playstation version has, and there's no kanji. Knowing hiragana and katakana will definitely help, but it won't get you far.

If you're a game collector or want to try the other versions (Or if you're as big of a Mega CD fan as me), you can find them on eBay. Be warned, they're usually very expensive. I've seen the Playstation version upwards of $20-$50. The Mega CD version up to $80, the list goes on.

Sure you want to play this game, but don't make your wallet cry after buying it. Besides, you have to get the sequels! I'll talk about those when I complete them later on.

To summarize:

 I really enjoy these games, and if you like JRPG's then chances are you will to. Since we're playing in Japanese, have a dictionary handy if you're a beginner and even if you're more advanced. You'll see some strange kanji because of the game's subject matter.

Also, buy it on Playstation 3 if you have one and save yourself the headache. You can get the others easily as well and only spend about $15 for this, II and If...

Get ready for a strange journey.

Super Smash Bros. Melee (Great Fray Smash Brothers Deluxe 大乱闘 スマッシュ ブラザーズDX) (Gamecube)

It feels like it was yesterday.

Christmas morning, opening up gifts, and getting a Gamecube with Super Smash Bros. Melee. I'm sure other kids felt this joy as well. There was nothing like it at the time. This game was such a massive improvement over the first, and even now it still holds up. Some even rate it higher than Brawl.

But this is not this time for that, this precious time is for Japanese studies. And lucky for us, this game comes plenty of Japanese. And even better, there is a Japanese language setting on the game.

The only Smash bros. game to have this handy feature, a new game with a Japanese Gamecube is not needed (although, I do recommend a Japanese system to play your other Japanese games). Simply start your game, head to the options menu, and there you have it.

Both the Japanese and first US release are nearly identical anyways. Check here for a complete list of changes.

Changed internationally for fear of an animal cruelty outcry.

So now you've either bought Smash Bros. DX or changed your language. Is this game completely impossible to navigate?

Nope, not at all.

If you have even a small grasp on kanji and katakana, you'll see right away a few menu items are different. 1P Game > ひとりゲーム(Hitori Game), Classic > シンプル(Simple)，Vs. Mode > 対戦ゲーム(Taisen Game), Melee > 大乱闘(Dairantou), etc...

If the kanji readings are a bit confusing, get Rikaichan (or a variant) for your browser and look at the Japanese Smash Bros. DX wikipedia article here. You'll be able to get correct readings on some jukugo that may come off as confusing.

Since this is a fighting game, there isn't a lot of text needed to navigate through the game. Events are an exception here and you'll find their descriptions all in Japanese, and most events have a different title compared to their English one. While not all of them have kanji, most do. Using a similar method from above, here is a list of all events in Japanese, with descriptions.

Next to events, the most text heavy section of the game comes in the form of Figure (Trophies internationally) descriptions. These are loaded with kanji as well. Some harder than others. To get a grasp on what is written here, higher intermediate level is where you need to be.

Japanese exclusive (Similar to seal Topy), English version available in Japanese game as well.

So do you need to rush out and buy the Japanese version of Melee right away? I would say no, but only if you have the English version already. Nintendo games run expensive on online retailers (eBay, Amazon Japan), and all you're missing out on is a few small changes.

 Purin and Koopa? What's that?

With that being said, if you don't already own this game (I feel like everyone does at this point), and it looks interesting enough, go ahead and buy the Japanese version. It'll most likely be the same amount as the English version anyways. It's still extremely fun and very much playable even today. If you like it enough, hopefully you'll stick around for Smash 4 coming this winter.

Wrapping Up;
-Japanese language option on US release. PAL version lacks this option.
-Ranging from complicated to simple, a dictionary is definitely needed for beginners, while intermediate and higher should get a grasp of things.
-Roy and Marth speak Japanese across all settings, but Mewtwo, Falco and Fox only speak Japanese when Japanese language setting is on.
-Stick to using your old copy if you have it, the game can be expensive.

NBA Jam Tournament Edition NBAジャムトーナメントエティション (Sega Saturn)

A sports game huh?

Not quite.

If you've ever been to an arcade in the early 90's, or owned a video game system during that era, you'll have at least some idea of NBA Jam. It's really not a sports game (per se), but a real fun arcade game. Getting four friends together and going head to head, 2v2 is an experience I recommend for anyone.

So naturally, when I began Japanese studies, I had to get this game. It was an early staple almost as much as Super Mario 64 had been...Maybe not that extreme, but you understand where I'm going with this. I love NBA Jam.

Unfortunately, I got Sonic R'd here (refer to previous post) and it was a direct copy and paste of the English version. Exact same.

So now I'm here to let you know of my experiences.

If you're building a Japanese Saturn collection, there are other games to get with much more Japanese in them (Unless it's Sonic R or Nights Into Dreams). The Japanese versions of the Jam series are usually more expensive than the American ones on eBay as well. Don't even get me started on the Sega Mega CD version...

Unless you have a burning desire to get NBA Jam for your Japanese Saturn, or genuinely enjoy this series of games, your money is better spent on things that will help you with your studies.

Super Mario 64 Rumble Version (スーパーマリオ64 振動パック対応バージョン) (Nintendo 64)

This game...

I love it!

I think Super Mario 64 was the first game I ever played. It was a pretty spectacular experience, anyone will tell you that.

Even so, it was a game I didn't purchase in Japanese until very recently. When I began to make the jump and rebuy games in Japanese, Mario 64 was held off for a while. It was a shame there was no Japanese language option on the US version, but the cool Japanese box art makes up for it.

There's two versions in Japan. The original release of the game, and this one, the Rumble version. The original game featured no voice acting, coin sounds were different, and Mario said a few different lines of dialouge compared to the US version released later. Oh, and the Jolly Roger Bay portrait is different.

I would have liked to see the ship with a blue border, personally.

This rumble release features most of the US changes, except it features a weird dive in Mario's voice when he jumps (this seems to be a problem in the PAL version as well). So think of this version as the best of all worlds. 

But is this the release, you the every studying, ever playing of games, Japanese learner wants? 

As I've said before, the more Japanese the better, but in the case of this game, the English is so miniscule, it won't matter. Princess peach reading a letter to you, or congratulating on a job well done won't hinder your immersion environment too much. 

Both games have full Japanese text, so you'll be learning either way. There's no kanji to be found here, as this is a game aimed at kids. You'll see something similar to pokemon, which is hiragana (sometimes katakana) with spaces. This comes in the form of level names and star descriptions.

There are instances of text boxes (Characters speaking, the game alerting you of a new level, etc) which are easy to grasp. A dictionary should be handy to understand all of the vocabulary and onomatopoeia.

Where to buy? eBay is a good option. There are many Japanese sellers, who have both versions of the game for cheap, sometimes boxed as well. You'll find it to be less money than the English version. Alternatively if you have a Japanese Wii or Wii U, you can purchase the game on there as well. Downloading the game is the cheaper option.

If you're at the higher intermediate stages of learning, you'll have no problem understanding this game. Anything lower, you may have some hiccups here or there. And if you have this game virtually embedded into your brain like I do, you can get by in any language. 

Wrapping Up:

-Easy to understand game. No kanji, and spaces between words.

-Have dictionary handy, there will be obscure words.

-No Japanese language option for English version. Need to import.

-Both Japanese versions nearly the same, but if you have a personal goal of complete immersion, then get the original version.

Sonic R ソニックR (Sega Saturn)

Oh boy, this game.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love Sonic R. I think it's a fun game, and it's a good party game as well. This was a time before Sonic traded his feet for karts like Mario.

But here at Japanese Game Corner, we're trying to get as much Japanese out of our games as possible. And here lies the problem with the Japanese release of Sonic R. There's no Japanese!

See this? The most Japanese you'll get from this game.

I purchased this with Sonic Jam off eBay a long time ago, and imagine my disappointment, especially with the US version being cheaper at the time. Granted, I should have looked for game play footage, but to err is human.

But hindsight is 20/20 and even then: 

-The game was created by Traveller's Tales, a British based company. It would be unlikely they would create a Japanese text game.

-The Japanese Saturn cases are much more shelf convenient than the overly large EU and US ones.

-Now a days, you can find this and Sonic Jam on the cheap, cheaper than the US counterparts. If you can get them both bundled, that's the best option. Sonic 3D Flickies Island, however, is going to cost an arm and a leg in regards to the Japanese version.

So that's the Japanese version of Sonic R. It's essentially a copy and paste version of every other release. The only real reason to recommend it is if you already have a Saturn collection built up of Japanese games, or if it's cheaper than the US version.

Love Live! School Idol Festival ラブライブ!スクールアイドルフェスティバル (iOS/Android)

I love Love Live. I love μ's

Redundancy aside, I enjoy all aspects of it quite a bit. The music, the game, and the show (Which is airing its second season now). It's all extremely fun, and the music is very good.

Not sure what I'm talking about? This can explain Love Live better than I can. I'll wait for you to take a peek...

Read it all? Let's get back on track.

I find idols to be an interesting concept. It's something I've never quite seen in the west. Sure, there are variations on singers and other performing groups, but I've never heard a song on the radio telling everyone to がんばれ. However, I don't listen to the radio much.

But we're not here to talk about that, because it's all about the games. And there is one, as I mentioned a few paragraphs up. A phone game, and it's all in Japanese!

I originally intended to make this blog so you, my very amazing readers, can figure out which English games have Japanese releases, text, etc...While I didn't plan to do a lot of Japanese exclusives, this phone game is coming out in English for the US apple store, so I'm safe! But we want to play the Japanese one, since we're learning it and all.

First things first is you'll need a Japanese iTunes account to play. If you're not sure on how to make one, I'll leave a link at the bottom to help you out. You may or may not want to use iTunes cards in game but you can find Japanese iTunes cards all over the internet. I'll leave another think for a site I frequently use.

So we've downloaded ラブライブ (Make sure you type in katakana just to be sure) and now we're reading to play. How much Japanese is needed upstairs to understand all of this?

That depends.

The game is pretty straight forward, since it's a rhythm game. Here is example gameplay footage. Don't worry, that's one of the harder "hard" songs, it doesn't start off that crazy. And with patience and time, you can be playing that song no problem. It isn't as scary as it looks after a few months.

This is worse than any Hard song

The main purpose of the game, aside from playing the songs, is to get rare cards of your favorite μ's members.  There are various ways to do this, so please refer to the wiki for a complete explanation. You use said members to play songs, level them up, and get all sorts of goodies. 

For someone at the beginning stages, or with a small knowledge of Japanese, it will be difficult to successfully navigate the game without a the help of the wiki. There is plenty of katakana which is very helpful. For example ホーム(Home)、ストーリー(Story)、ショップ(Shop). At the same time, you'll see 部員 (Club Members)、情報 (Information)、友達 (Friend). Depending on which member of μ's you end up selecting as your favorite, they'll appear on your main screen, and most sub screens to talk to you and give a bit of information regarding each screen. You'll also see a small text box below them just in case you missed out. If you still can't quite make out what's being said, you can lower, or turn off the background music.


One of the more useful (in terms of studying) features of the game is a story mode. You can play story mode right away, and as you progress with songs/gain levels, you'll unlock more chapters. These play out like visual novels. A character (or characters) will be on screen, with a text box at the bottom. Many of the conversations are easy to follow, but they are sprinkled with some advanced kanji or jukugo sometimes, so having a dictionary handy is a good idea.

There is also side stories for the generic idol girls (cards you pull, non μ's members) as well, which are also a very fun read, but unfortunately lack any audio.

The options menu and update screens in game feature the more complicated kanji and jukugo, since it's mostly pertaining to information about updates and other features. If you can't quite grasp it, the guide has translations of everything.

Now, I've only really scratched the surface of this game in terms of mechanics and how to's. If it seems interesting to you, definitely check it out, and it's great study material as well. If you've already heard of Love Live and still haven't played...Get to it! It's worth it, I promise.

Wrapping Up:
-Easily accessible. Game is free.  Just make a Japanese iTunes account
-Easy to understand katakana words, some difficult kanji.
-Gameplay is fun, addictive collectable aspect as well.
-Story mode is like a mini visual novel, great study material.
-Wiki available for those mini roadblocks.

External Links: 
Love Live! on Wikipedia - Read this if you want to know about Love Live!
Love Live! School Idol Festival English Wiki - Tons of Information regarding the game. Everything you need to get an idea of how to play is here.
How to register for Japanese iTunes Account  - Comprehensive guide on how to register an account without a credit card.
iTunes Japan Cards Store - Best I've come across. Based in the USA so time difference is minimal, and they ship fast as well. Prices are also the lowest I've seen.