DS Daily: I think I'm learning Japanese, I really think so

by David Hinkle { Sep 23rd 2008 at 9:00AM }

My Japanese Coach is probably one of the most anticipated games hitting the DS. After our week with My French Coach, we can say that piece of software was effective. So, how many of you are looking to pick this up to learn Japanese?

Any of you learn another language through the aid of software before? Did you pick up any of the other language coach games? Or are you not excited by My Japanese Coach at all?

Gallery: My Japanese Coach

Tags: coach, language, my-japanese-coach, trainer, training, ubisoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

aj @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:08AM

I want to be excited, but I just won't ever need to know Japanese for any reason, ever.

I am excited about My French Coach, owing to living in Canada......though I think Polish and Ukrainian are actually more widespread in this province than French, so I don't know why I don't learn some of that.

JohnathanEnder @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:12AM

I'm actually anticipating this release. I've been wanting to learn Japanese for quite a while -- I had the chance to back in college, but I hate language classes and textbooks since French in high school.

Besides, my DS needs another "Brain Age type learning device" to offset the influx of DS SNES RPGs. ^_^

Kimiko @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:24AM

Yes, I'm looking forward to this. I expect some good textbooks to be more useful in the long run, but some diversity can't hurt, right?

One question, wasn't this game supposed to be out this week? eStarland lists it for October or something.

Haoji @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:24AM

I really don't know, but I think japanese is too hard to learn with a software. The spanish one was pretty efective, however..

Sakura3210 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:25AM

I am seriously hoping that this game (?) is good - I've been wanting to learn Japanese for ages, but I don't really have the time to do it at any time other than my commute, so this could be really helpful.

Alex @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:31AM

I'm a bit curious about it. I took Japanese in college and have been continuing to study it on my own. I'm just wondering how helpful something like this can be, so I might check it out eventually.

Katsuya @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:52AM

Weeaboos from all over the world will be jumping for joy with the release of this. I just wanna see how it handles, I already have more than enough programs/text that will help me with my Japanese studies. It's more perserverance than anything that will help you learn ANY language.

I just don't see why people just pull out some text books from their nearest book store and sit down and learn them an hour a day or something.

xeleion @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:17PM

You took the words out of my mouth, haha.

Makoto99 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:53AM

I sincerely hope this is a better tool for learning than the anime from which the last influx "learned" Japanese :(

Though there is something kind of funny seeing college guys talking like 4 year old Japanese girls.

TheOverlord#2 (Playing: SMRPG, SMG, & MM2) @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:00AM

If I could have a one-on-one talk with Shigeru Miyamoto, I would love to learn Japanese. :P

Jangles @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:19AM

I am taking Japanese in college and I think this would be a good supplement to my studies. I'm not expecting it to teach me everything, but to keep me interested and keep learning fun would be nice.

Zealot @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:25AM

This is something where I really have to wait for the reviews. I have a few language books sitting around, so if the verdict on the game is that it's any less than extremely helpful, I'll just stick to what I already have.

Don-Don @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:28AM

Time to see if I actually learned anything after 3 years of Japanese classes!

Malg @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:54AM

Gamestop changed the date to 10/14 now. I'm looking forward to this since it could help when trying to play Japanese RPGs

Fisheatcorn @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:55AM

The background in the eye is taken from google. I know because its the background I have for my laptop! If you google Mt Fuji Wallpaper, its the first image you get.

MMLgamer @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:16AM

I've got my Word Coach, I've got my Word Coach.
I'd play a million of these on my handheld.
I want Ubisoft to make a Word Coach,
So I can have one for Italian as well.

You've got me speaking up and writing down and going in and roaming 'round.

I'm learning Japanese!

NetOperator Wibby @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:28AM

Although I'm sure Rosetta Stone and language guides could be [maybe more?] beneficial, this is definitely good for on the go lessons.

Mr Khan @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:43AM

I thought i could use it as a supplement to my Japanese class, but really that class is enough on itself. Sensei properly buries us with work.

Hoshi @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:32PM

I'm looking forward to it. As long as it does kanji, like I thought I saw an option for on one of the screenshots a while back, it should be great.

Foodie_Monster @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:52PM

I am definitely checking out this one. Ever since I had to stop taking Japanese in University due to time/money constrains, I've felt held back with the learning at your own pace thing. But at the moment, I am using Twitter with several Firefox extensions that are helping me with keeping immersed into the language, as well as 3 iPhone apps (Kanji Flip and Japanese Flip are pretty awesome) that are also doing it's part. I can only imagine that this game would just help me continue learning in more places/circumstances and/or different ways, which is always a good thing.

Also guys, pro-tip: you don't have to be a "weeaboo" to want to learn Japanese. Remember, just because you guys never had to learn another language (you know, since you already speak English), doesn't mean that the rest of us who *had* to learn English as well as our native languages and several others wouldn't want to keep learning new languages.

aj @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:42PM

I'm still going to go with "weaboo" on this one.

My apologies if you make frequent business trips to Japan or live there and still don't know the language. Failing that, learn a language you might use from time to time.

Foodie_Monster @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:20PM

I don't know how to break this to you, but a) in the tech field, it's an amazing language to know. b) learning languages is nothing but good for you. c) If you already know two of the biggest languages in the world (Spanish and English in my case) then why not go for Japanese as a third?

If you are still clinging onto "just for the animu hurr durr" I think you are being very shortsighted. Don't vent your frustrations for being unable to learn or speak multiple languages by calling anyone willing to go for it a "weaboo".

Also, I'm beginning to think that the US did itself a disservice by being the center of the world for so long. Everything that's not "American" or "English" or "theirs" is a waste of time. Funny how that works.

Foodie_Monster @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:23PM

PS: And the US comment wasn't directed to you, it was an observation in general as I've gotten the same thing from people in the US over and over. You just happen to be Canadian or living there, but you apparently share the same mindset or something.

Kayla @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:25PM

I would love to try this game, i've always wanted to learn Japanese but i thought it would be very difficult since in high school i took 2 years of spanish and all i remember is hola... and that was only a year or two ago. but i think a game would be alot more fun and less like a chore.

Krownz @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:33PM

This was supposed to come out today... got pushed back to like... the 15th of next month. Hating life atm...

Foodie_Monster @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:20PM

J.K. @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:20PM

Took a year in college, aced both 101 and 102. It has been like 8 years now and I have forgotten most, but it's still in there kinda. I've been wanting this to bring it back into my mind once again.

Miranda @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:31PM

I will certainly at least rent this one (from Gamefly). My husband is learning Japanese using Rosetta Stone (which is a much different approach). I have MySpanishCoach and MyFrenchCoach, but I only use them to brush up -- I've taken both Spanish and French in school. I use the French one more, because my French classes were 20 years ago (!!) and I'm rusty. My Spanish is pretty good.

Chrismix @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:07PM

i already took japanese but its been a while so im really essited to get a hold of this a re-learn.

Joie @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:37PM

yup, I'm definitely going to be giving this a try.

it could help with my career if it really works!

KeegdnaB @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:49PM

This is the first Ubisoft "My [anything]" game(?) I've seriously considered buying. I wanted to take Japanese this semester but it conflicted with my music theory class that I have to take for my major. This may give me at least a little head start for when I can take it.

shaoron @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:33PM

similar to when starcraft 2 was first announced...
it's about damn time!

Phlip (redmango) @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:49PM

I have been waiting for this too!

Alakhira @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:27PM

Definitely will pick this up. My French Coach was great. I already had taken French before and found it to be a great refresher. I took two years of Japanese too, but ten years ago. Hoping that My Japanese Coach is just as effective.

But what i'm really hoping for is My German Coach. Unfortunately I've not heard a word about it yet.

BlackDS @ Sep 24th 2008 1:21AM

Just got back from Gamestop & the Radio Shack (yes they sell DS games at Radio Shack), and neither has My Japanese Coach. Gamestop grunt told me they won't get My Japanese Coach until mid-October. Kmart didn't get it either.

Those were the stores nearby.

Amazon is also listing My Japanese Coach's release date as mid-October.

I'm not a very happy panda. :(

Krownz @ Sep 24th 2008 11:34AM

Had you read my comment above, you could've saved yourself a trip.

Sally @ Sep 24th 2008 2:17AM

I've been waiting for this since it's been announced.

I'm also somewhat expecting myself to be disappointed. There hasn't been too much word on how the game is structured, etc, but I have two other language learning games from ubisoft - French and Spanish, and both of them seem to only focus on vocab.

Ok, they were more like "my word coach" but in French and Spanish. Nothing on grammar whatsoever. If I was still in highschool and taking French, then sure it'd be helpful but the games were pretty useless for a person who wants to learn how to read / write / speak. I'd probably be able to fill out a crossword puzzle in French. You get the idea.