57 comments

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  mwpsmith

  11 months ago

  Great video, Koichi. I was just expecting straight advice on not falling for these books and got rick-rolled. I agree with your point that you should take the high road with learning Japanese. It's the same with everything that takes a lot of effort, I suppose. Like learning a musical instrument.
  
  Wouldn't it be great if Doc came up to you saying that caption in the picture, though? "1.21 Jigowatts of Japanese Learning Power!!" :)
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  Lol, that would have been a better header on this picture :)
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  WC

  11 months ago

  You know, claiming that none of these books work is just as irresponsible as the ones that the claim to work and don't. If you haven't actually -tried- the book (or better yet, done an intensive study on others than have tried it), how can you say it doesn't work?
  
  Some of those books are based on new learning methods that really do help you learn faster. Yeah, some of it helps in the short run, but that's called a 'head start' and if they keep practicing with that knowledge, it will stick.
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  Funny you should say that - this was part of my university thesis :)
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  JohtoKen

  11 months ago

  Speaking of which, are you still gonna post up your thesis on the blog, or is it gonna be available through the Tofugu store that should be popping up sometime in the future?
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  Yep, I'm planning on it (it's taken forever, I know). It will be rewritten and part of an e-book I'm working on for the site. I don't work very often on it, though, so I'd expect it sometime at the end of summer / beginning of fall.
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  Maciel

  11 months ago

  stop playing starcraft =P (just kidding) and u will finish it in no time
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  Livvi_Spatula

  11 months ago

  I've never actually listened to that song all the way through until now. That was awesome. You rock!
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  I listen to it all the way through, every time I get rick rolled
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  Tonio

  11 months ago

  Lol, never expected that! Hilarious!!!
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  St

  11 months ago

  Is that 「完全マスター語彙 日本語能力試験1・2級レベル」 you're holding?
  
  Anyway I totally agree with the sentiment. Japanese may be somewhat hard, but if it were easy it wouldn't be worth it, right? People sometimes have strange reasons for wanting to know Japanese, more so than with other languages in my impression. I study Japanese simply because I enjoy studying it, it gives me intellectual satisfaction. I do not intend to study Japanese in 10 minutes a day (reading nothing but manga of course) in order to one day live out orientalist phantasies in Japan with the Japanese as an embarrassed captive audience.
  
  It's the same with all these people who claim Japanese textbooks are boring because they only want to read about manga or bushidou instead of learning how to talk to your superiors, how to exchange small talk in polite company or how to make sure you don't get ripped off in the store because you don't know how to haggle. Of course they're boring. You're just learning the basics, you're not entitled to have fun.
  
  Haha oh I do sound awfully grumpy.
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  yeah, I have like all the kanzen master 1級 books. They are so friggin boring, but have so much information (when it comes to grammar, though, much of it seems useless). Still, I like them a lot.
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  lawnmowerlatte

  11 months ago

  Oh man, I can't see the video (YouTube is screened where I work) so I didn't get rolled.
  
  That aside, this was a really good article. I've been studying lightly for a while (at university and on my own), but I'm trying to get serious again. My friend challenged me to the JLPT test, so now I have a goal at least.
  
  (This is my first post here, so I thought I'd also mention that I love the site. Found via YouTube.)
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  It's even better than getting rick rolled!
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  lawnmowerlatte

  11 months ago

  Yes. Yes it was.
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  Zaywex

  11 months ago

  Isn't this the third video of it's type? x)
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  Yeah, but they're all slightly different, and people need reminders about this sort of thing, I think. This video was going to take quite a different direction, but then...I just got into the music a little too much...
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  darksaber

  10 months ago

  hi im wondering whats book for learning japanese language for better to study plz tell me thx
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  Kirt

  11 months ago

  fucking. amazing.
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  Tofugu_Erin

  11 months ago

  Thanks for the dedication :D
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  Tania

  11 months ago

  so funny! lmaoo!!
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  Esthgram

  11 months ago

  Hi, I´m studing japanese, great video, I have a question what book do you think are good for learning=? I´m using MINNA NO NIHONGO, is that a good book=?
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  yeah, that's another one of the 'real' ones. Def def
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  Wafukari

  11 months ago

  Good to hear. I have finished both Genki 1 and 2. At the university I have been excepted to in Japan they use Minna no Nihongo. So, I am happy to hear that it is a good book. Think there will be a lot of repeating of some things since I have finished Genki 1 and 2?
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  Wafukari

  11 months ago

  I have to reply to my own post and say how retarded I am. "I have been accepted..."
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  Esthgram

  11 months ago

  ^_^ GOOD! ^_^ thanks that's such a relief .
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  David L

  11 months ago

  Nice dancing, man. ^^
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  Chester_King

  11 months ago

  It's not real dancing if there's no pole.
  
  
  
  And I DON'T mean the nationality.
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  Fredy

  11 months ago

  That was hilarious and disturbing and educational and [insert what you want here] all at the same time. I also listen to the whole song sometimes. I honestly can't stand yet like that song.
  I almost bought Genki in Japan but it was like 30,000 ¥ that I needed later. Japanese malls are huge.... or at least very high, hahaha.
  When's the Rosetta Stone article coming? It's not that great in my opinion, but it can at least add some vocab and practice, but in actually learning details for language and to form your own speech, i don't think so. Then again, I haven't used it to its full potential.
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  8Dhi

  11 months ago

  lol, was the rick roll really necessary OTL
  
  I agree though.. I think those textbooks show you how to parrot back phrases in Japanese... and so you can claim you know it, but it doesn't really teach you the structure of the Japanese language >>
  
  Oh! and what were those books in the video?
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  Mr. Kevin

  11 months ago

  Those books are for people that are on business and want to learn enough to get around. I think they are usually marketed towards those type of people, they don't really care about the language just need to know enough so they can ask where the toilet is...
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  yay! new video!
  
  I've never really seen instant gratification textbooks, but I have used rosetta stone before. I was trying to learn Tagalog. My mom (fluent speaker from Manila) said that it gave me a weird accent T.T . . . now I'm afraid to use them!
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  WOTDsctoo

  11 months ago

  Hahaha, I don't know who is more ridiculous singing this song, koichi or that little white Rick Astley guy. That was a compliment...or something, by the way. You get cool points.
  
  I don't know, I guess I'm lucky that I have a class so I don't get enticed into buying these things. I don't really do actual studying from books outside of class, just exposure and practice from other sources, so there isn't really the temptation to buy these things. I guess it's a good thing...wouldn't want to get rick rolled!
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  Ank

  11 months ago

  Great video, although the open shirt might have difused my attention a little from the actual message (^ - ^)*
  
  (I did get the message though. Way before xD I enrolled in a Japanese majors program for September =D)
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  japanese major classes? yay for you!
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  Ank

  11 months ago

  Yeah, mucho yay! =DD
  It's the only national university Japanese major so.. 8D
  (I'm not American btw xD)
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  only a national university? that is still a big thing! good luck!
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  Ank

  11 months ago

  Well, we only have national universities, since the Netherlands doesn't have states xD So getting into uni is a pretty big thing.
  And thanks =D
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  you're welcome
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  chris[tine]

  11 months ago

  my first time here and... crap, I just got rick rolled.
  
  LOL good job, you made a very good point about the whole "learn japanese NOW!" issue.
  
  i will admit that i was once a fool to this trick, although i never touched this one book i bought that promised i would become fluent in only a few months. six years' worth of high school/college japanese language courses later, i know better.
  
  gambatte, koichi-san!! consider this site bookmarked :D
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  stshores24

  11 months ago

  I've been...tofu-rolled? LOL.
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  am i the only one having troubles reading the plasticky crepes? . . . i want to read it, but it isn't showing up on my computer . . . weird
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  no problems here, as far as I can tell
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  emiko

  11 months ago

  really? that's weird . . . i'll keep trying
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  Viet

  11 months ago

  What browser and operating system are you using to access the article? Try clearing out the cache from the browser.
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  Eevee

  11 months ago

  I love how the aviators went over the regular glasses. xD Made it so much better.
  Very, very good article. All I see when I go to sites with anything to do with Japanese... "Learn Japanese in 5 minutes!!" etc, etc.
  The lying and false promises leave you even more discouraged than ever, so start and finish learning the language right!
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  Amset

  11 months ago

  Haha nice. This is the first time I've been here as well... I've been trying to teach myself Japanese for the summer so far and you can be glad I'm taking the high road and everything :P. Studying about 30 minutes a day... I'm actually using that Genki text (among others) that you recommend on here by coincidence... But anyway, yeah nice blog :).
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  ace

  11 months ago

  waaah!!! my 3 favorite people + united by that song.
  
  Rick was just here in Manila and made riot.
  http://outthewindow.multiply.com/journal/item/1...
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  françois

  11 months ago

  dan..i sure wanna learn japanese some day to go to japan,but i'm way to lazy to do that...maybe i should try one day...
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  hidaki9

  11 months ago

  hi this is an awesome work i congratulations to you, koichi im a japanesse culture fan and im from mexico im start working on a spanish=japanesse, im working on a spanish network on south california usa, and let me tell you you work is just awesome, i want to ask you if is possible to use some of your videos to make a spanish =japanesse version :D
  
  hidaki9@hotmail.com
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  koichi

  11 months ago

  I guess I dont' really understand what a Spanish=Japanese is. Could you explain?
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  Izeyhec

  11 months ago

  its funny i have bin trying to learn Japanese for the last 3 years and right from the first day of class i knew that there was no way to learn it easy other then pounding it in to ur head with a mental sludge hammer i think these books must mostly play on people who are just starting because once u get in to it u know there isnt an easy way
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  Juria

  10 months ago

  OMG I love your video XD
  
  but ya, any of those "learn this now!" probably aren't the best idea...lol...
  I've only bought actual textbooks (that take forever to get thru) and dictionaries...I also have a cute little phrase book...yay for not falling for the learn this now ones...lol...
  
  I'm planning on getting the new Japanese Language program coming out for DS called "MyJapaneseCoach" have you heard of it?
  I have the French one and love it so much! but I would say it wouldn't be good if you didn't somewhat know the language already, but its nice to have something that you can take anywhere & play vocab games and what not. they even come with a dictionary. I'm excited, and can't wait for the Japanese one to come out.
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  karab1n3r_k90

  10 months ago

  tip for who wants to learn japanese:
  you need 2 elements to learn japanese and that is:
  perseverance and understanding
  
  don't let your brain pop like a machine gun!
  be patient and also: calm down.
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  kiwisplit

  10 months ago

  nice video!!
  "learn japanese in 5 days!" sounds like "lose 10 kilo in one week!" XD
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  Erin

  9 months ago

  Dude. Seriously. That's like... the second time I've been Rick Rolled by you.
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  Japanese2learn

  2 months ago

  O-M-G i just got rick rolled!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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