A few of my favorite things (in Japanese)

Learning a language is very similar to exercise in many ways. The best type of study is the one that you’ll do regularly. Which is why finding things you enjoy doing in Japanese is so important. So here’s a list of some of my favorite stuff in Japanese.

Good Friends

Things like 鍋パ with friends is a blast. Japanese people actually stop and listen to you when you talk. Something which seems far too rare here in the States.

Music

My favorite Japanese artist is 椎名林檎. I also love the band 東京事変. Please get back together and make more songs!

I’m also amazed at the collaborator efforts of amateurs online such as Vocaloid and 東方.

Movies

タンポポ – Oh man, this film is so awesome. Just watch it.

Other films I liked:

Departures

After Life （ワンダフルライフ）

Sanjuro – My favorite Akira Kurosawa film.

Man, Woman & the Wall – Creepy, sexy, funny (not for kids)

Trick (TV series and movies)

The Great Happiness Space – Not really a Japanese movie but still a fascinating (and disturbing) documentary.

Is it just me or do Japanese movies all seem like either art films or crazy horror?

Books

I definitely need to read more books so please give me some suggestions! Of the very small number of books I’ve read, I liked:

涼宮ハルヒの消失 (my favorite out of the series)

Manga

Dragon Ball – I first read this in Korean back when manga was virtually non-existent in the US. I didn’t really know what was going on but it was still awesome (by the way, my dream job was to work at a 만화방). I also watched Dragon Ball Z in English on Adult Swim (Vegeta’s voice was pretty good). I have since read parts of it again in Japanese, and it’s still good, after all these years.

Others I enjoyed:

One Piece

Azumanga Daioh

Anime

Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex – My favorite anime of all time.

Others I enjoyed:

Serial Experiments Lain

Soul Eater

Darker Than Black

Spirited Away

Steins;Gate

涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 (Season 1)

Games

My first Japanese console is a PS2 so I have not played that many games in Japanese. I am meaning to replay classics like Chrono Trigger in Japanese when I get my hands on it. Until then, of the limited games I’ve played so far in Japanese, I liked:

MG3 Snake Eater – Metal Gear Solid is my favorite in the series but Mei Ling’s English voice was annoying. Hoping to try it in Japanese sometime.

Disgaea (haven’t gotten to 2,3,4 yet)

What’s on your favorite list? Got lazy with the links halfway… Google is your friend.

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