Learning Japanese, I think I'm learning Japanese...

How many things has anime taught you over the years?  While we may watch for pure fun and enjoyment, there are still plenty of things you can learn from the world of anime.  Nosebleeds happen when you get a bit flustered, veins pop out of your head when you're angry, giant sweat drops form on your head when you're a bit miffed.  You know how it is, all those things you can apply to real life!

In all seriousness though, there are indeed quite a few things that you can learn from anime.  For example, if you happen to watch anime with subtitles but the original audio, you might unknowingly absorb some of the Japanese language.  If you watch enough anime, there's no doubt that you'll pick up on a few words here and there.  You hear the same thing over and over again so many times, you'll start to match it with the on-screen words and get a good idea of what's being said when.

Not only is this interesting, but it also helps you to learn how exactly to pronounce and phrase Japanese language.  Learning Japanese is one thing, but actually speaking it with proper intonation is another altogether. Learning how to appropriately say each word with proper inflection will make your Japanese language skills much more respected when you use them in a foreign setting.  That kind of stuff even helps native Japanese speakers to better understand you.

I have one friend that is using anime to aid him in his learning of the Japanese language.  He's been taking Japanese classes for quite some time, but he also watches anime alongside his studies.  This helps to immerse him in the language and actually work with the spoken word.  He actually watched all of Death Note in Japanese, and came away realizing that his grasp of the Japanese language is actually quite good!  I can't think of a more fun way to practice learning a language!

Have you ever used anime to aid in the study of Japanese language?  Have you managed to pick up a few Japanese words along the way through all your anime viewing?