Basic Japanese For Anime And Manga

Basic

Japanese

For Anime And Manga

Today’s Topics:•Japanese Writing Systems

•Some Basic Phrases

•How All This Shows Up In Anime/Manga

•Resources (Books, Websites, etc.)

Okay, let’s get started...

Japanese UsesFOUR Different Writing Systems

Kanji

Hiragana

Katakana

Romaji

Writing System #1

• Kanji– Imported from China

– each symbol is a “word”

– some based on pictures

– Literally thousands!!

– At least 2 pronunciations

sun

JITSU / NICHI / ka / hi

down, under, lower

KA/GE/shita, etc.

mountain

SAN/yama

(as in Fuji-san)

At least TWO pronunciations??

On-yomi=“Chinese reading”

Kun-yomi=“Japanese reading”When used in combinations: On-yomi

(transcribed using upper case letters & katakana)

When kanji appear alone: Kun-yomi

(transcribed using lower case letter & hiragana)

but, of course, there are MANY exceptions!

For example:

This kanji stands for

“water” in English

It’s On-yomi is SUI It’s Kun-yomi is mizu

tree, wood

BOKU / MOKU / ki

sun

JITSU / NICHI /

ka / hi

east

TO, higashi

This is the first kanji in the name of the Japanese capitol, TO-KYO

Kanji can also be combined to form new characters

Kanji Can Also BeQuite Complex & Similar!

read – TOKU/DOKU/yo(mu)

language - GO / kata(ru) / kata(rau) “nihon-go”

way, path – DOU/michi as in “judo”

Writing Systems #2 & #3

• Kana– sets of syllables

– two are used

• Hiragana

• Katakana

Hiragana

• each symbol is a syllable

• based on kanji

• Japanese grammar

• Japanese words

Katakana• each symbol is a

syllable• More “angular”

than hiragana• foreign words• often used in

manga

More kana sounds

In addition to the basic kana symbols, more sounds can be made by adding º or ´´

ka + ´´ = ga

ho + º = po

ho + ´´= bo

Finally, Writing System #4• Romaji/Romanji

– simply the same letters that we use in English

– used to “transliterate” Japanese to be spoken by English speakers

HIRAGANA:Te-ya-n-de-eYattaro's (Speedy's) catch phrase. It doesn't really have an English translation, but it means something like "Watch out!" or "No way!".

KATAKANA: Kya-t(u) “cat” in English KANJI: Tou Nin Den literally “group-secret-legend.” Nin is from ninja.

Kyat-tou Ninden Teyandeh“Cat Ninja Legend – Watch Out!”

ROMANJI:

EDOROPOLIS hometown of Pizza Cats

Now, for some phrases...Let’s practice:KONNICHI WA “HELLO”

(Your last name) DES(u). My name is (------).

O-NAMAE WA NAN DES(u) KA? What is your name?

O-GENKI DES(u) KA? How are you?

GENKI DES(u). ANATA WA? I’m fine. And you?

HAJIMEMASHITE. Pleased to meet you.

(Only used the FIRST time you meet someone)

So, now you can say...

Nihongo o sukoshi hanashimasu.I speak a little Japanese.

...and...Wakarimasu.

I understand.

How Does All This Work

In Anime &

Manga?

This is Manta Oyamada from SHAMAN KING:

Let’s take it one step at a time:

His name is written in both kanji & hiragana.

HIRAGANA:

MA-N-TA on the right

KANJI:

O-YAMA-DA on the left

So, it actually reads:

Oyamada Manta

Again, here’s Amidamaru from SHAMAN KING:

His name is also in kanji & hiragana.

A-MI-DA- (kanji)

-RE (kanji+hiragana)

There is NO “ma” in the written Japanese!

Okay, now it’s your turn...use the handouts to figure out what noise the monster is making, the spaceship, etc. from this page from RAVE MASTER 7.

do-go-o-----so

pi-ta

FU-GOOOOO!!

GU-SHI-KA

giyaoooooo...

zuzuzouso

Next, the spoken language...

YOU isn’t just YOU in Japanese!!

omae, onore, kisama, anata, anta, kimi, and onushiJapanese teenagers and young adults are starting to use omae as an all-

purpose pronoun analogous to the English "you.“

Omae Teenagers starting to use as all-purpose “you”

Romantic connotation

Afamiliar form of address (speaker is brash, casual , and doesn't respect convention)

Use it with caution.

Kisama Masculine form of address which can be openly insulting. The Hero uses omae, his villainous counterpart uses

kisama to indicate his distaste for the person.

Onore Once formal usage, now considered rude and offensive.

Anata Used when speaking with social inferiors

Can be made insulting by tone of voice,

BUT it also an endearment when a woman uses it to speak with her husband.

Anta a variant of anata used by women, not necessarily rude.

Kimi male speech, speaking to people you have direct authority over, i.e. a vice-president speaking to the secretary, or a

teacher addressing a student. Kimi is also how a boy refers to his girlfriend.

Onushi Archaic polite usage

sounds quaint when used in modern speech.

...and I isn’t just Iwatashi, watakushi, atashi, boku, ore, sessha, washi, and atai.

Watashi Polite without indicating deference or formalityBoku Used by young men (and young women actively emulating

male behavior).Ore Even more overtly masculine, and implies either that a man is

speaking among intimates (at the least that there are no women present) or that he is aggressively macho.

Atashi Strictly feminine speech.Watakushi An older form of watashi. Slightly more formal

Indicates that the speaker is paying conscious attention to decorum. Watakushi is favored by women, but might also be used by men, especially in the service industry.

Sessha An older form, and implies courtliness and modesty.Washi Used by older men in positions of authority.Atai Associated with the lower class.

Opening Song from Urusei YatsuraAmmari sowasowa shinaide.Anata wa itsudemo kyorokyoro.Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo!Watashi ga dare yori ichibanSuki yo... suki yo... suki yo!suki yo... suki yo... suki yo...suki yo... suki yo... suki yo...suki yo... suki yo... suki yo!Don't get so fidgety!You're always looking all over the place!Stop looking away from me!More than anyone else,I love you, love you, love you the best!love you, love you, love you!love you, love you, love you!love you, love you, love you!Hoshitachi ga kagayaku yofukeYumemiru no anata no subete.Aishite mo anata wa shiramburi de.Imagoro wa dare ka ni muchuu.On nights when the stars are twinklingI dream all about you.I love you, but you act like you don't know.I bet you're crazy for someone else by now!Aa otoko no hitotteIkutsu mo ai o motteiru no ne.Aa achikochi ni baramaiteWatashi o nayamaseru wa.Ah! Men all have so many loves.Ah! You're spreading them all over,and making me worry!

Ammari sowasowa shinaide.Anata wa itsudemo kyorokyoro.Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo!Watashi ga dare yori ichiban.Don't get so fidgety!You're always looking all over the place!Stop looking away from me!More than anyone else, I love you the best!Aa otoko no hitotte nanninsuki na hito ga hoshii no.Aa watashi dake aishite yoItsudemo hitori dake o.Ah! How many lovers does a man want?Ah! Love only me, and me alone, always.Ammari sowasowa shinaide.Anata wa itsudemo kyorokyoro.Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo!Watashi ga dare yori ichiban.Watashi ga itsudemo ichiban.Anata no subete gaSuki yo... suki yo... suki yo... suki yo...suki yo... suki yo... Ichiban suki yo!Don't get so fidgety!You're always looking all over the place!Stop looking away from me!More than anyone else, I love you the best!Always the best! Everything about you, I love, love, love, love, love, love, I love you the best!

Contributed by AnimEigo http://www.animeigo.com

100 Most Essential Words In Anime

www.yale.edu/anime/glossary.html

About.com's Japanese Language site

japanese.about.com

Japan Central's Beginner Level Japanese Classes

home.threeweb.ad.jp/english/jpncntrl/bgnr_s_g.html

Learn Japanese with the Pizza Cats

members.aol.com/PrncssVi/lessons

Reiko-chan's Japanese for Anime Lovers

physics.uwyo.edu/~brent/jal/jal-home.htm

Japanese Kanji Calligraphy

http://www5.big.or.jp/~otake/hey/fude00.htm

Kana for Anime Fans

web.cs.mun.ca/~anime/afs/kana.html

Kanji: Japanese Characters

www.harapan.co.jp/english/japan/kanji.htm

The Kanji Site

www.kanjisite.com

Nihongo de anata no namae!

(Your Name In Japanese)

www.e.kth.se/~e96_dsa/www/nihongo/eng_onamae.html

Tsunami Channel Script Site: Japanese

www.fstream.net/~akira/project/japanese/index.html

Anime Cafe

www.abcb.com

Anime Lyrics

www.animelyrics.com

Selected Internet Resources

Sayonara