Have you read manga before?  Did you watch Japanese animation when you were a child?  The Japanese pop culture has gained popularity in the US, and many American children read Japanese manga and watch various Japanese animations while growing up. However, lack of Japanese cultural knowledge sometimes makes it difficult for the American audience to fully understand the plots and the characters’ behavior.

In this introductory Japanese language and culture course, students will practice and build their linguistic skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in Japanese as they also analyze how Japanese characters communicate and behave in various manga and animation.  Students will also perform various situations to demonstrate their understanding of Japanese language and culture.  Japanese writing systems – Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji – will be introduced.  Introductory level.

Corequisite: Students must attend at least two Languages Series events (Mondays, 7:00pm – 8:00pm)