Upper Beginner

PLEASE NOTE: Mangajin ceased publication in 1998. These back issues may be new or used, but they will not be pristine. A few are still in sealed bags (for mailing), but even those are unlikely to be pristine due to shelf-wear and the amount of time passed. Please consider these as learning tools to be used rather than for collecting. That being said, if condition is important to you, please contact us with specific issues and we'll send you photos of the actual items.   Mangajin was a wonderful magazine for learners of Japanese. Each issue somehow had something for every level, but we recommend them most for upper beginners.  Those interested in translation will love how Mangajin breaks down the manga it presents, explaining grammar, vocabulary, and cultural references with ease. The cover image above is for this particular issue. The sample pages inside may or may not be from this exact issue.   Japan's most powerful family· Sony Data Discman (Japan's most powerful PDA)· The Karaoke Phenomenon FEATURES 18 Cover Story: Karaoke in the 21st Century What started out twenty years ago as a clunky machine holding 400 eight-track tapes has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The future of karaoke is now.   MANGA 27 Living Game · りびんぐげーむ, by Hoshisato Mochiru An old man struggles to keep his house in downtown Tokyo despite intense pressure to sell. 44 American Comics · アメリカの漫画 Garfield (by Jim Davis) and Calvin and Hobbes (by Bill Watterson) in Japanese. 48 Kono Hito ni Kakero · この女に賭けろ, by Shu Ryoka & Yumeno Kazuko Ms. Harashima Hiromi takes on the banking world with an airy confidence that shocks her colleagues. 74 Run! Run! Alcindo!! · Run! Run!アルシンド, by Ohira Kazuo Some foreign players on J-League soccer teams are finding fame off the field. 78 Ningen Kousaten · 人間交差点, by Yajima Masao & Hirokane Kenshi A man tries to understand why people were drawn to his mother, the late founder of a religious sect.   DEPARTMENTS 16 Brand News (Innovative uses of the Japanese Language) Tempting treats to tantalize the tongue; laundry faster than a speeding train. 17 Political Cartoon Japan's coalition government pulls together and takes on France. 62 Book Review: The Brothers: The hidden world of Japan's Richest Family An epic tale of money, greed, and power -- and it's all true. Lesley Downer documents the incredible story of the Tsutsumi family, owners of the vast Seibu empire. 63 On the Bookshelf Recently released books about Japan. 64 Computer Corner The Sony Data Discman -- a virtual reference library that weighs little more than a pound.   LANGUAGE LEARNING 94 Basic Japanese: Forms of desire You can't always get what you want -- without using the proper forms, anyway.. 100 Translator's Note Translator Editor Wayne Lammers warns against pronoun dependency. 101 Vocabulary Summary   MISCELLANEOUS 7 Publisher's Note 14 Letters 15 Bloopers 102 Classifieds    

PLEASE NOTE: Mangajin ceased publication in 1998. These back issues may be new or used, but they will not be pristine. A few are still in sealed bags (for mailing), but even those are unlikely to be pristine due to shelf-wear and the amount of time passed. Please consider these as learning tools to be used rather than for collecting. That being said, if condition is important to you, please contact us with specific issues and we'll send you photos of the actual items.   Mangajin was a wonderful magazine for learners of Japanese. Each issue somehow had something for every level, but we recommend them most for upper beginners.  Those interested in translation will love how Mangajin breaks down the manga it presents, explaining grammar, vocabulary, and cultural references with ease. The cover image above is for this particular issue. The sample pages inside may or may not be from this exact issue.   Special Feature:New Religions· Review Of Nisus Writer 4.0· Learning Japanese The Fun Way FEATURES 特集 tokushu 14 New Religions in Japan: Seeking the Way Charismatic leaders, tightkit communities, and the promise of health, wealth, and happiness, are attracting millions of Japanese into the new religions. Ann Saphir investigates their appeal, and comes close to joining one herself. 22 Book Review: Summer Study Fun Ginny Skord Waters reviews two recent products that claim to take the starch out of study: Do-It-Yourself Japanese Through Comics and Sing Japanese. 28 Taiyaku: 50 Years Later, the War Ends for Yokoyama Ryuichi The US government finally pays the 85-year-old creator of Fuku-chan for using his comic strip during World War II without his permission.   DEPARTMENTS 連載／コラム rensai / koramu 4 Letters & Bloopers 8 Brand News (Innovative uses of the Japanese Language) If office supplies could talk, what would they say? 9 Political Cartoon Iridescent words raise hackles at home and abroad. 23 On the Bookshelf Recently released books about Japan. 24 Computer Corner Nisus Writer 4.0 Multilingual Word Processer does everything but the dishes. 38 Basic Japanese: Commands, Part 2 When used right, abrupt commands get immediate results. 92 Translator's Note Translator Editor Wayne Lammers delves further into the mysteries of the particle ni. 93 Vocabulary Summary 94 Classifieds   MANGA 漫画 manga 34 Garfield, by Jim Davis 36 Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson 44 OL Shinkaron · OL進化論, by Akizuki Risu 46 Kono Hito ni Kakero · この女に賭けろ, by Shu Ryoka & Yumeno Kazuko 55 Living Game · りびんぐげーむ, by Hoshisato Mochiru 74 Ningen Kosaten · 人間交差点, by Yajima Masao & Hirokane Kenshi  

This book covers 512 kanji with illustrations and mnemonic hints. Any beginner to upper beginner or those studying for the JLPT N4 or N5 would find this book useful. Being published by The Japan Times, it also works well with the Genki series textbooks. Kanji can be easily learned through fun illustrations and mnemonic hints Users can readily look up the meaning, readings, stroke count, and stroke order of kanji The various indexes at the end of the book allow learners to easily look up a particular kanji or kanji vocabulary The companion workbook helps users to learn kanji not only at the level of characters and words, but also in the context of sentences and longer text

The Dictionary of Japanese Grammar series (there is also an intermediate and advanced book) is a must for every Japanese learner's bookshelf. This book covers about 200 grammatical phrases and constructions--all organized alphabetically. Have a question how to properly use ~tara? Look under "T." How about "koto ga aru"? Look under "K." Just about any grammatical construction a beginner will come across has an entry.  In addition, there are extensive articles on word order, particles, pronouns, passive voice, politeness, and much more.    

Each book in the Mimi Kara series concentrates on one aspect of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. This one is on the grammar found on the level N4 (upper beginner level). It includes a CD to help with mastery. 127 pages Includes a detachable answer key Includes a CD English, Korean, and Chinese meanings and explanations  Published by ALC 978-4-7574-1892-9

Kanji in Context targets learners who have completed a beginning course and builds on that foundation of kanji and vocabulary. Upon completion, the student will have an understanding of all 2,136 kanji designated for common use by the Japanese Ministry of Education. This series has a main textbook and two volumes of workbooks. This is the textbook. You will need at least the first workbook. Kanji in Context was written with the needs of intermediate and advanced learners of Japanese in mind, and the content is presented in a manner that facilitates progress in stages, enabling learners to understand all the everyday use kanji. 393 pages Covers 2,136 kanji and their vocabulary found in the main textbook

Includes Audio Files Do you often find yourself understanding what is being said but having a hard time expressing your own thoughts? Shadowing will help to familiarize you with common Japanese speech patterns. Whether you are new to Japanese or consider yourself an upper beginner, this book will help you improve. Download the audio, follow along in the book, and get to shadowing! Shadowing works by having you repeat what you just heard. With this method, you listen and speak almost simultaneously. If you practice Shadowing for even a short period of time every day, you'll be able to process spoken Japanese at a higher pace. Use your normal textbook to master vocabulary and grammar; use Shadowing to master fluency and improve your pronunciation. English, Chinese, and Korean explanations included Includes Downloadable Sound Files 978-4-87424-850-8 163 pages

Tobira is designed for students who have completed a basic textbook series but need help solidifying the grammar, vocabulary, and kanji they have learned. This book covers 800 of the most important kanji. It reviews the 200-300 kanji a basic level textbook should teach and adds to that. The main textbook can be found here: Tobira Textbook. 236 Pages Published by Kurosio

Paperback. 144 pages. 7 x 5 inches. -----------------   Another 80 kanji are featured in the sixth volume of Manga University's award-winning series. Upon completion of this and the previous five volumes, students will have learned a total of 480 kanji, enough to prepare them for the advanced levels of the official Japanese Language Proficiency Test. "A brilliant idea!" says Ronald A. Morse, retired professor of Japan Studies at UCLA and the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. "Japanese kanji — the written symbols adapted from Chinese — were originally drawings of images from real life. Japanese comic books and cartoons now provide fresh images to help us learn. Kanji de Manga uses today's manga images to make the kanji learning process fun and easy for otaku of all ages. This is a brilliant approach to learning the language." Each page features its own comic strip, kanji pronunciation guide, stroke order, and English explanations. Created by Glenn Kardy, editor of several volumes in the popular How to Draw Manga series, including Getting Started, the first book of its kind to be used at major universities in the United States (UCLA) and Japan (Waseda). Artwork by Chihiro Hattori, niece of legendary manga artist Eichi Fukui.