Learning Japanese Through Video Games & Manga

[grandta14]

I would like to learn to read and speak Japanese, but lack the time and funds to learn using more standard methods (from a website or in a class). Two things that interest me though are Japanese manga and video games. The reason I would like to use these media is that they interest me enough that I wouldn't lose interest even when my schedule allows little to no time for study.
I have access to several old Japanese games for the Famicom and Gameboy (including Pocket Monsters), though any manga I get would have to be obtained online.
I am willing to use a website in conjunction with manga or video games, though all the websites that I have checked that seem decent charge a fee.
If anyone has any idea how I can use these media to learn Japanese, then I would appreciate their input.

Also, if this isn't the best forum for this discussion, then I would appreciate redirection to a more appropriate forum.

Note: I got the idea to use video games is because when I young, I used Pokemon: Crystal to develop my grammar and syntax in English. I figured the same method might help me to learn a new language.

 

[letianchen]

Here are the two beginner books I used

日本語を学ぼう♪: Minna no Nihongo I & II

For listening I occasionaly use japanese pod 101, you have to pay to get most of it, but as expected someone has posted the full torented version on the pirate bay :roflmao:

raw manga can be found here
Raw Manga : Read Raw Manga Online | Manga Raw Online | Sen Manga
the English version for these manga can be found
Manga Fox - Read Manga Online for Free!

Here is anime with japanese subs If you go to parent directory then english you get english subs for respective animes
Index of /subtitles/japanese (beware some are done by ear by a chinese subbing group, so they sometimes get things wrong)

You can torrent some japanese PSP games online, but they are quite high in level to understand. Even basicish ones.

 

[Tyraxx]

Well, though you can learn from all this, I wouldn't just learn through this.
Since usually in anime or manga their using informal or colloquialism.
And one really needs to learn the proper thing once.

Also, translating from Japanese to English is only context-wise possible,
an in-depth-translation from Japanese is really difficult, imo.