Beginners
Never studied Japanese? Start with hiragana, katakana and the phrases you need to get by in Japan: ordering food, buying a train ticket, asking for directions and chatting with locals.
Anime, manga and Japanese culture
Learn Japanese through anime and manga
Work towards watching without subtitles and reading manga in the original Japanese. Your teacher uses the shows, manga and music you already love as lesson material, so studying feels like a hobby.
1-to-1 with a native teacher, at your home or online
What you'll learn
- Reading manga pages, with help from furigana (the small kana printed beside kanji)
- The casual speech, slang and contractions you hear on screen
- Character speech styles, from 俺 and 僕 to です・ます
- Sound effects and onomatopoeia (擬音語・擬態語)
- Song lyrics and the grammar behind them
- The culture, history and humour that the subtitles miss
How it works
Bring a series you're watching or a volume you're reading. Your teacher goes through a scene or a few pages with you, explains the grammar and vocabulary, and points out what's natural everyday Japanese and what's just for anime. Then you put it to use in conversation.
Anime Japanese vs everyday Japanese
Anime is a great way to train your ear, but characters often speak in ways real people don't: rough, exaggerated or very old-fashioned. Your teacher helps you enjoy all of it while learning when it's safe to talk like your favourite character, and when it really isn't.
Who it's for
- Fans who want to watch and read without translations
- Beginners looking for a fun way into Japanese
- Anyone interested in Japanese culture, festivals, food and history
Free practice
Keep going between lessons with our free learning tools.
Simple prices
Lessons are 1 hour, 1-to-1, with a native teacher.
5 lessons
£190
£38 per lesson
Best value
10 lessons
£360
£36 per lesson
Small steps.
Big progress.
Anime, manga & culture: questions
Can complete beginners learn with anime and manga?
Yes. Your teacher starts with hiragana, katakana and the basics, and uses short scenes and simple manga to make them stick.
Do I have to buy the manga?
No. Your teacher can bring material, or you can share a page from something you already own.
Will I learn proper Japanese, or only anime Japanese?
Proper Japanese. Anime is the material, but your teacher makes sure you know which expressions are natural in everyday life.
Other courses
Every course is 1-to-1 with a native teacher, and you can mix them as you go.
Intermediate & advanced
Already know the basics, or studied at school or university? Build your kanji, polish your grammar and learn the natural, casual Japanese you won't find in a textbook.
Conversation
Know the basics but want to speak with more confidence? Spend an hour or two a week just talking with a native speaker. Conversation skills take some groundwork first, so if you're new to Japanese, start with our beginners course and build up to it.
JLPT preparation
Structured preparation for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 to N1, with practice papers, vocabulary and kanji drills.
Business Japanese
Keigo (polite language), meetings, emails and business etiquette for anyone working with Japanese companies or colleagues.
Start with a £1 trial.
20 minutes. Meet your teacher.
Book a £1 trial →