Multimedia For the Whole Family
Watching Japanese videos is a great way to generate interest in the language and also become accustomed to the sound and flow of the language. However, it is difficult for parents to find appropriate viewing materials. There are a lot of Japanese anime that are not really designed for young children and are really more appropriate for teenagers or adults.
Below are some really great animated series or movies that are clean, enjoyable for the kids, and will probably also make the adults smile. The TV series can generally be found on YouTube; you may have to do some creative searches using Google to find the sites that have the most material. I'm including the original Japanese names below so that you can cut/paste them into your preferred search engine.
サザエさん Sazae-san - A traditional Japanese family deals with the quirks of modern life in the city. This series will enlighten you on all the subtleties of Japanese customs and culture. It is SO popular in Japan that it has been running for 40+ years, including new episodes! If you mention Sazae-san at a Japanese party, you'll surely strike up an interesting conversation! View a sample episode.
ちびまる子ちゃん Chibi Maruko-chan - The tale of a hapless elementary school girl. In spite of her best efforts to get through the day quietly, something quirky always happens that puts little Maruko in a pickle. This series did not run very long, but was extremely popular among girls and boys alike. The animated series is based on a manga (Japanese comic book), which is also very funny (if you can find it). View a sample episode.
ドラえもん Doraemon - This is the ORIGINAL diary of a wimpy kid! The only twist is that this kid has a talking robot cat from the future who comes to his rescue with a variety of futuristic gadgets! This anime is very popular with boys. The characters in the story are often talked about in the context of adult Japanese relationships, as every Japanese office has a bully, a sidekick, a wimpy kid, and a compassionate heroine who comes to Nobita's aid from time to time. Enter Doraemon's world.
株式会社スタジオジブリThe World of Director Miyazaki Hayao - Studio Ghibli is the mastermind of Miyazaki Hayao. Most of the movies that have come from this studio have become classics. It is impossible to talk about Japanese animation without mentioning their names: My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Ponyo, etc. The subtle expressions that the Ghibli characters are able to emote are greater than anything available today from Pixar and Disney. That's why Disney finally broke down and signed a deal with Studio Ghibli for distribution rights in the US. You can find many of these movies on Netflix and many others for sale on Amazon. See the wiki link above for the full movie list. Try to watch these movies in Japanese, if you can. Good luck!
Below are some really great animated series or movies that are clean, enjoyable for the kids, and will probably also make the adults smile. The TV series can generally be found on YouTube; you may have to do some creative searches using Google to find the sites that have the most material. I'm including the original Japanese names below so that you can cut/paste them into your preferred search engine.
サザエさん Sazae-san - A traditional Japanese family deals with the quirks of modern life in the city. This series will enlighten you on all the subtleties of Japanese customs and culture. It is SO popular in Japan that it has been running for 40+ years, including new episodes! If you mention Sazae-san at a Japanese party, you'll surely strike up an interesting conversation! View a sample episode.
ちびまる子ちゃん Chibi Maruko-chan - The tale of a hapless elementary school girl. In spite of her best efforts to get through the day quietly, something quirky always happens that puts little Maruko in a pickle. This series did not run very long, but was extremely popular among girls and boys alike. The animated series is based on a manga (Japanese comic book), which is also very funny (if you can find it). View a sample episode.
ドラえもん Doraemon - This is the ORIGINAL diary of a wimpy kid! The only twist is that this kid has a talking robot cat from the future who comes to his rescue with a variety of futuristic gadgets! This anime is very popular with boys. The characters in the story are often talked about in the context of adult Japanese relationships, as every Japanese office has a bully, a sidekick, a wimpy kid, and a compassionate heroine who comes to Nobita's aid from time to time. Enter Doraemon's world.
株式会社スタジオジブリThe World of Director Miyazaki Hayao - Studio Ghibli is the mastermind of Miyazaki Hayao. Most of the movies that have come from this studio have become classics. It is impossible to talk about Japanese animation without mentioning their names: My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Ponyo, etc. The subtle expressions that the Ghibli characters are able to emote are greater than anything available today from Pixar and Disney. That's why Disney finally broke down and signed a deal with Studio Ghibli for distribution rights in the US. You can find many of these movies on Netflix and many others for sale on Amazon. See the wiki link above for the full movie list. Try to watch these movies in Japanese, if you can. Good luck!
Pera Pera Penguin's 5 Minute Japanese Lessons
Of course, you can show these to your kids for extra practice. However, I think that these are oriented towards adult learners. These are a great introduction to the language and the culture and will allow you to keep one step ahead of kids, possibly gaining some respect in their eyes.