Japanese in MangaLand 2: Basic to Intermediate Level (Japanese in MangaLand Series) Paperback – September 2, 2005

This series of language books is the best I own. I have university textbooks for both Italian and Japanese. As usual they are comprehensive, but dry and impossible to use for self study. I purchased the Japanese for Busy People books, but found them also to be dry and difficult for self study. But the Japanese in Mangaland series is amazingly entertaining. I have found that my motivation to study and comprehension of the language have both increased since buying these books.The main reason this series succeeds where others fail is that it is truly geared toward the self studier. The grammar is presented in simple stages along with plenty of examples. Vocabulary in introduced slowly and in line with the grammar. But, the most compelling aspect is the examples are all drawn :) from manga. This gives a visual context in which to understand and remember the language principle's being presented.

This series is the best I've found after floundering off and on for years. I am a visual learner and the best way to learn for me is to read, but reading Japanese has always been presented as something difficult and fearful. Traditional courses put it off as long as possible and you are always taught "polite" language first. However, most of us who want to learn the language are used to hearing the extremely colloquial language found in our favorite anime and/or reading manga. This course does just the opposite. Polite language is not ignored, but colloquialisms that would only be taught to advanced students elsewhere are brought up right from the first.More importantly, this course hits reading head on from the first page. While it's true that they hang on to romaji throughout the first book, it is eliminated in the two that follow. As the author warns in the preface to Vol. 2, it's time to strap on a headband and get to work after you've made it through the introductory first volume.I'm now nearing the end of the second volume and ready to tackle the third in preparation for the JLPT in December. The author claims that you should be ready for the level 3 after Vol. 3, and I intend to put that to the test...literally.Frankly, I would like to see this series repackaged for college use with more workbooks like that accompanying the first volume (and the answers only found in the teacher's edition!), it's that good and most college course books that I've seen are that BAD. (Don't even get me started on the dense, dry style and confusing romaji in "Japanese: The Spoken Language". It's horrible, and is yet one of the more commonly used series. *sigh*)The format changes slightly after the first volume, with in depth work with those evil particles and verb conjugations. But to get to the heavy hitting work, you first must make it through the first volume.My suggestion is to buy all 3 and the workbook for volume one and give yourself the goal of passing the level 3 JLPT (there are 4 levels with 4 being the easiest and 1 the hardest). With a definite goal and a once a year testing schedule with a definite date that YOU have no control over, it's much easier to buckle down and study.It's working well for me, anyway. I've already noticed myself automatically reading the signs in pictures I took on vacation in Japan a few years ago..and not just the ones in English or kana!'''''''''

Continuing this excellent series, "Japanese in Mangaland 2" brings up the level to intermediate, eliminates the training wheels of romaji, and teaches several real-life common scenarios that one might encounter in Japan.Following the same style as volume 1, the lessons are presented with a grammar point, vocabulary, and then follows up with examples from various manga and finishes with a review quiz. The covered topics alternate between pure grammar, like "the -te form" and particle lessons, and scenario-based lessons like "At the airport" and "In the hotel of ryokan.""Japanese in Mangaland 2" is a serious study book, and not just a way to memorize a few cute phrases of your favorite manga. The author assumes familiarity with the topics covered in "Japanese in Mangaland 1" and continues forward with each lesson. While not a complete study course, as no language should be studied without conversation practice and listening skills, it is an excellent addition and study-aid that can be used to support language acquisition.The main drawback of this series is that the manga used is not well-known or popular. True otakus would probably rather learn from their favorite characters, but the rights to those are too difficult to acquire. In fact, the manga examples are original to this book, and while clearly mangaesque they are often not Japanese in origin.However, this should not be a barrier to the purpose of the book, which is to teach Japanese in an authentic environment of manga with real-life situations and conversations.

Excellent way of learning Japanese, through the popular medium of Manga, my original enticement towards learning the language since I was a little kid.Not only does this book bring all those pleasant memories flooding back 2 me but gives more motivation in finally understanding what each manga character is saying.I've ordered the rest of the series already! Thanks a mill!!

Arrived in a timely fashion and was as described thank you