Mangajin's Basic Japanese Through Comics: Part 2

Basic Japanese Through Comics is not intended as a textbook, but rather as an entertaining supplement to a more structured study of Japanese. The 24 "lessons" in this book are a compilation of the Basic Japanese column from Mangajin magazine; they do not build on each other, so they can be read or studied in any order. Some of the other benefits of Basic Japanese Through Comics are:

   •  Uses lifelike situations from authentic Japanese manga, the famous "comics" read by millions of Japanese people of all ages, to explain linguistic and cultural points quickly and memorably.
   •  Language is natural and colloquial, not "textbook Japanese." Politeness levels are clearly indicated to avoid inappropriate use of slang or informal speech.
   •  Beginners will find the concepts and explanations easy to understand, while old pros can add to the depth and breadth of their knowledge of Japanese language and culture.
   •  Educates and entertains—the ideal supplement to learning Japanese from textbooks.
   •  Shows all the nuances of speech such as social context, body language, and situational factors; improves understanding not just of the language, but of the people who speak it.

"The use of comics is a wonderful way to teach colloquial Japanese, and it also give readers a window on one of the liveliest most enjoyable parts of Japanese pop culture. Anyone who is serious about Japanese or modern Japan will want this book."—James Fallows, Washington Book Editor of the The Atlantic Monthly and author of Looking at the Sun