{"id":28139,"date":"2019-12-14T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2019-12-14T17:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=28139"},"modified":"2026-06-18T17:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T08:14:16","slug":"learn-japanese-from-manga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/learn-japanese-from-manga\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn Japanese from manga: where should you start?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it really possible to learn Japanese from manga<\/em><\/a>? It can actually be an effective tool for practicing reading, learning new vocabulary, and overall increasing your level of fluency. Reading and speaking Japanese can be very different, and it is important to practice both skills. Luckily, manga can help you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve put together a quick guide on how to learn Japanese from manga<\/strong> and a few keywords to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Manga<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanji<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve already started learning Japanese, you\u2019ll likely have come across kanji<\/a><\/em> and realized that it will be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to learning Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning kanji takes time, study, and a lot of repetition. Manga is actually an excellent way to become familiar with kanji<\/strong> and how its used in context. Usually, the kanji found in manga often has furigana<\/em> alongside each character to help guide readers through its pronunciation if they’re unfamiliar with the kanji. Furigana is small kana<\/em> (hiragana<\/em> or katakana<\/em>) that help make text more accessible to a broader audience (like children or people learning Japanese). It’s common to see in children’s books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having the kanji in a narrative form, accompanied by images, helps to give readers plenty of context in deciphering its meaning quickly and effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ateji<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another element of kanji worth exploring in manga is the ateji <\/em>(\u5f53\u3066\u5b57, “assigned characters”). Ateji are kanji that represent a word based on phonetics, not meaning. In other words, the kanji symbol(s) used for a word may not have the direct meaning of the symbols being used, but they do have the correct sounds for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most commonly used example of this is sushi<\/em><\/a> (\u5bff\u53f8), which is written with the symbol for “longevity or celebration” (kotobuki<\/em>, \u5bff) and “to administer or rule”(tsukasadoru<\/em>, \u53f8), both of which have absolutely nothing to do with food. Together, these two symbols mean “administering auspicious\/happy events,” but they’re used to write “sushi.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, ateji was regularly used for loan words in Japanese. Today, it is more standard to find katakana<\/em> used for loan words instead. The most common places where you’ll find ateji today are on traditional store signs, menus, manga, and song lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is good to learn the most well-known ateji, as they can regularly be found in newspapers, articles, and manga. For example, countries often have ateji. Here are a few examples to get you started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n