From Anime Language Learning to A Career in Japan 

Discovering Anime Sparked My Interest in Learning Japanese  

When I was 14 years old, a friend at school introduced me to Japanese anime. That was the start of my journey into Japanese dramas and culture. Over time, I became more interested in Japan itself and started learning Japanese as a hobby. At first, I studied casually. But little by little, my interest grew deeper, and eventually, I wasn’t just watching anime, I was passionately learning Japanese through anime. 

Changing My Path to Follow My Dream  

Originally, I was aiming to enter medical school. But I couldn’t pass the extremely competitive entrance exams. As an alternative, I visited the Faculty of Engineering at Savitribai Phule Pune University with my mother. There, I saw a poster for the FAST OFFER International program. I thought, “Here, I can study computer science and continue learning Japanese. Maybe I can even work in Japan someday.”  

That moment was a turning point. I decided to enter the engineering faculty. I chose this department mainly because I wanted to join the FAST OFFER International program. That’s how strongly I was drawn to learning Japanese and building a career in Japan.  

From Self-Study to Formal Learning  

I started learning Japanese at age 14. However, I began taking formal Japanese classes called “Hirameki” in the second semester of my first year at university in 2021. Since I already had the habit of studying Japanese on my own, I didn’t struggle with the lessons. In fact, learning Japanese had become my passion, so I enjoyed studying every day.  

Here are some of the study tips I used from anime language learning and beyond:  

1. Posting Japanese on the Wall  

The biggest challenge for me was kanji. It was hard to memorize, and when I saw unknown characters during reading, I couldn’t understand the meaning. This sometimes lowered my motivation.  

To deal with this, I wrote down difficult kanji, their readings, and related vocabulary on a sheet of paper and stuck it on my room wall. This way, I could see the kanji throughout the day—when I woke up, got home, studied, and before sleeping. Seeing kanji every day helped me remember them more easily and made me feel more comfortable tackling difficult ones.  

2. Shadowing with Anime and Dramas  

I love Japanese anime and dramas, so I practiced shadowing to improve my pronunciation and intonation. Since I was using shows I enjoyed, it was fun and easy to keep going.  

3. Practicing with Native Speakers  

I also made an effort to practice speaking Japanese. I used language exchange apps like HelloTalk to talk with Japanese people. The biggest growth came during my second year of university when a Japanese girl stayed at my home for a week. We spoke in Japanese the whole day, and I even translated between her and my family. Once, we watched a Marathi movie together while I did simultaneous interpretation in Japanese. Creating chances to speak Japanese helped improve my skills and kept me motivated.  

From Anxiety to Confidence: Looking Back on 9 Months of Job Hunting  

It took me 9 months and 3 interviews to finally get a job offer. That time felt very long. After failing at the first two companies, I was really discouraged. I kept asking myself, “Why isn’t it working?”  

Looking back, I realize I was rushing. I just wanted a job offer as soon as possible. When I didn’t pass, friends and mentors encouraged me by saying, “There’s still time. Don’t rush. Find the company that suits you best.” Their support helped me change my mindset. I decided to take my time and search carefully for a company I truly wanted.  

After the second interview, there was a break before the next one. During that time, I focused on my final year project. Thanks to that, I completed a high-quality research project that I presented with confidence. This experience gave me strength and helped me do better in job interviews. In the end, it led to my job offer. What made the biggest difference was going into the interviews with confidence and a calm mind.  

Self-Reflection and Company Research: Gaining New Insights with Help from Friends  

To prepare for interviews, I practiced with mentors from FAST OFFER International and my friends. In Japan, self-reflection (jikobunseki) is very important during job hunting. But I found it hard to describe my strengths.  

So, I did a self-analysis with a friend who knew me well. We talked deeply, and I learned about my strengths from their point of view. That gave me new insights. Talking with someone also helped me organize my thoughts and express myself more naturally in Japanese.  

For company research, I carefully read the websites of the companies I was interested in. I also looked into their competitors in Japan. I thought about why I wanted to join each company. In the interviews, no one asked about competitors, but doing thorough preparation gave me more confidence.  

Getting the Offer Online — and Sharing Tears with My Family  

Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the interviews in Japan, so I had them online. There were some worries, like background noise and internet issues. But I stayed calm and spoke with confidence.  

When I didn’t understand something, I asked the interviewer to repeat it, and they always responded kindly. Thanks to that, I felt relaxed and comfortable throughout the interview. I was especially happy because they truly understood my personality and still offered me the job.  

When I got the offer, I cried like a baby. Seeing me cry, my mother cried, too. Even my usually quiet father got emotional and said, “Well done.” At that moment, I felt deeply that all my hard work had been worth it.  

The Dream Life in Japan Begins  

Ever since I fell in love with Japan at 14, studiously learning the language through anime, I’ve dreamed of living there. Now, that dream is about to come true. Of course, living alone in a foreign country with a totally different culture will have many challenges.  

Still, I want to travel to places like Mt. Fuji, Okinawa, Shibuya, and Tohoku. I want to work hard and grow, not only as an IT engineer but also as a person. I hope to gain many skills that will be useful through work.  

A Message to Everyone Aiming to Work in Japan  

To those who want to work in Japan, I want to share two things:  

First: Never give up! Even if it takes time, your chance will come. If you’re unsure, talk to someone you trust. Getting advice and taking small steps without rushing is the best path forward.  

Second: Don’t be afraid of kanji! Kanji can feel like a huge wall, but if you practice every day, you’ll improve for sure. I’ll keep working hard, too, so I can continue growing in Japanese.  

FAST OFFER CAREER GUIDE: A Guide to Anime Language Learning

Many of our candidates first became interested in learning Japanese through their love of anime. It’s a fun and engaging way to enjoy great stories while picking up the language. Beyond just recognizing words, watching anime can help you understand natural intonation, pick up common expressions and slang, and get used to the pace of a native speaker. Curious about anime language learning? Here are some tips to help you get started.

Pause-Play Method

The Pause-Play Method is just as simple as it sounds and is highly effective. While watching, pause after a line of dialogue, take a moment to digest its meaning, then repeat it out loud, doing your best to mimic the pronunciation and tone. This technique helps improve your speaking skills by sharpening your pronunciation, intonation, and overall comprehension. It also trains you to pick up common phrases and say them more naturally just like a native speaker would.

Using Japanese Subtitles

Once you’re comfortable with common Japanese phrases, try switching from English subtitles to Japanese subtitles when watching anime. This allows you to match spoken dialogue with written text, helping you recognize kanji and understand how words are written versus how they sound. It’s a great way to strengthen your reading skills, increase reading speed, and even support your writing development as you become more familiar with sentence structure and vocabulary in context.

Apps like Hayai Learn can help you with breaking down sentences so you can dive deeper into Japanese grammar.

Subtitle-Free Listening

Looking to take your anime language learning to the next level? Try watching without any subtitles (turn off both Japanese and English subtitles) and rely solely on your listening skills. This challenges you to understand the dialogue in real time, just like you would in an actual conversation with a native speaker. It sharpens your ability to catch words, tones, and context, and trains your ear to become more attuned to natural Japanese speech.

Join Anime Clubs

Practicing with a fellow Japanese language learner is one of the best ways to improve your skills, as it gives you the chance to apply what you’ve learned in real conversations. The more you practice, the more fluent and natural your Japanese will become. Joining anime clubs is a great way to meet other anime enthusiasts who are also learning the language. You might even connect with someone more experienced who can offer guidance and tips from their own learning journey. It’s a fun and motivating way to build your skills while connecting with like-minded people who share your passion.