I was looking at some of my Japanese cards and it suddenly struck me as strange that I can’t read a single thing on the whole card, yet I still collect and value it.
My question is: has Pokémon prompted anyone who didn’t grow up speaking the language at home to learn Japanese? What was the process like and how does it help you in the hobby (and other aspects of life)? And for those who don’t have any interest, why not?
For me personally I don’t really have any interest because it seems stupid complicated and I don’t feel any strong need to be able to read the cards without going on bulbapedia. Also, I don’t buy directly from Japan at all so that doesn’t really affect me. Curious to know about how other people feel about this.
Also sorry if this has been discussed before… I’m sure you can imagine that searching ‘Japanese’ on the site brings up a lot of results lol
It may sound strange, but I actually like that I can’t read the text on Japanese cards. Not only does my brain not focus on writing but only on the art that way, the ‘cryptic symbols’ make it look like it’s some artifact from a different world. I really like that.
As a non native English speaker, it’s such a hard concept for me to grasp how it must feel if basically every globally popular song is in your own language. And you just… understand it. Like instantly, without even translating in your head or sometimes googling the lyrics. Really blows my mind.
Absolutely. I remember being blown away by the Nier Automata soundtrack, in part because of the fictional language they’ve created for the songs.
Here’s a demo with English vocals:www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCXQ11zdJRo
And here’s a similar demo, but this time with the fictional language:www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzh_kyMp55U
Both are great and both have great singers, sure. But to me, the second one is so much more emotional, despite not understanding the story the singer tells. Brains are weird sometimes.
Totally agree, such a good comparison. The thing that really gets me about it is that because the fictional language is influenced by a combination of Japanese, French and English it still feels so familiar even though you can’t place it. That whole soundtrack is unreal, so good.
I think Japanese cards benefit in a similar way. I think English text can often distract and remind you that the card is a part larger game and that it serves a purpose. When I can’t read the text I see the card more as a whole object, where it’s value is created by the physical artefact, rather than from what it can be used for.
@dizzylochs,very well put. My mind also connects English cards more with trading cards of a card game, while Japanese cards seem more like artifacts to me. I already noticed this way back in the day when I saw the international Ancient Mew cards (Japanese cards were really uncommon in my area).
I was motivated to start trying to learn Japanese since I primarily collect Japanese cards and trying to use Google translate to find things is really frustrating sometimes. I was a French and Spanish major, English native speaker, and all I can say is that it’s been a slow road but I’m trying. Was much easier in school when you had access to a teacher and good resources/exercises. Learning on your own kind of sucks. A lot.
Pokemon actually was integral in me studying Japanese in university!
Ever since I was a wee weeb, I knew one day I’d like to go to Japan and explore all that it had to offer. I collected Pokemon merch, among other animes and always wanted the experience of going to Japan to buy things cheaper (without middleman fees). [Side note: I realize that the cost of travel definitely outweighs the middleman fees, but I also do touristy stuff on trips, it is just a bonus to buy things at cost]
The only worry I had about going to Japan – was being able to speak the language.
When I traveled to Europe in 2012, the places I enjoyed more, were countries where I was able to communicate with locals and ask questions, read signs and not feel totally lost. My French got me through most of France and the little Italian I know got me by in Italy (Note: I know most places speak English too, I’m just talking about general things like ordering off menus, asking where things are etc). I also went to Switzerland but I don’t speak German so for me I felt perpetually lost or uneasy.
So like any weeb, I decided that my graduation gift to myself was to go to Japan. In first year I studied Japanese as an elective just to get a base for the language to ask questions like “how much is this” “where is ___” “is there onions” (I don’t like onions ;__;). That year was also when I started learning how to use proxy services more, and I really started to zone in on Y!J and searching for items I wanted for my collection.
Part of the fun of learning Japanese was learning more efficient ways to search, being able to translate or interpret listings if the google translate butchers them and actually I was able to communicate more effectively with some sellers in some cases. It’s a real cracker of a skill, especially finding those hidden gems or being able to navigate other sites (easier) to find those rare items. It was difficult at first don’t get me wrong, but if you stick to it you’ll have a better understanding not only of the language, but when you learn a language you also understand more about the culture as an entirety.
I have some proficiency in Japanese. But as much as I love Pokémon, it isn’t the primary motivation for my language studies. I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I’m interested in East Asian Studies (and researching odd things like the Taizokai). My main foreign language is Chinese, and I started working on Japanese just a couple of years ago.
There are a few small benefits, even if there’s nothing too major. Reading the cards and other memorabilia, like the “Silver Bible,” has been enjoyable. The same goes for watching the original versions of the animated series and movies. I was also able to help another E4 member translate the letter that the Masaki cards were originally sent out with.
The best part, however, is using the language in Japan. I was able to speak with shop owners and employees in different places. This proved to be particularly useful as I was sometimes given the opportunity to look through and purchase cards that were not kept out on display. And, above all else, my favorite thing from my last trip was making friends with a local vintage collector. He showed me a handful of stores I was unaware of, hung out with me doing other things in the city I was in, and has stayed in touch with me to this day.
Just had a chance to read your post now! That’s great you started learning in university. I chose Chinese as my language when I was an undergrad, but I wish I also started Japanese earlier on.
