42 Anime Shows and Movies for Learning Japanese

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Can anime help you learn Japanese? Yes. It can train your ear and make vocabulary memorable, but it cannot replace practice with everyday speech.

Here’s the longer answer: any Japanese native resource can be a powerful learning tool. But it depends on how you use it and what you pair it with.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to use anime for focused Japanese practice, what it can teach you, and what needs a more everyday source.

But first, a few recommendations if you want to start watching anime.

Top 10 Japanese Anime to Watch to Learn Japanese

What are the top 10 Japanese anime to learn Japanese? There are a lot of good ones, but some are easier to learn with than others.

Often, Japanese kids’ shows are easier to learn with. Here are my top 10 suggestions:

• Doraemon
• Pokemon
• Shirokuma Cafe
• K-On!
• Anpanman
• Cardcaptor Sakura
• Sazae-san
• Detective Conan
• Crayon Shin-chan
• Yokai Watch

22 Extra Japanese Anime Recommendations

If you’re looking for something super addicting, a bit harder, or you’re just dipping your toes into the anime scene… Then let me make some recommendations, old and new:

• My Hero Academia
• Hunter x Hunter
• Attack on Titan
• Death Note
• Dragon Ball
• Sailor Moon Crystal
• One Piece
• Fairy Tail
• Cowboy Bebop
• Spy x Family
• Demon Slayer
• Ouran High School Host Club
• Sword Art Online
• Naruto
• Neon Genesis Evangelion
• Bleach
• Fruits Basket
• Inuyasha
• Fullmetal Alchemist
• The Rising of the Shield Hero
• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Love Live!

Also, as a huge Star Wars fan, I have to tell you to check out Star Wars Visions on Disney+. It’s INCREDIBLE, both from a Star Wars perspective and an anime one.

Any of these shows would be great options, but if you’re really wanting to learn, you may have an easier time with the shows aimed at younger audiences.

Top 10 Japanese Anime Movies of All Time

If you’re wanting a movie, you may be wondering, “What are the top 10 best anime movies to watch?”

So, here are 10 incredible anime movies to try:

• Howl’s Moving Castle (my personal favorite)
• Penguin Highway
• Your Name
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Movie
• In This Corner of the World
• Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
• Ghost in the Shell (The Japanese anime version, not the Scarlett Johansson version 😉)
• Weathering With You
• My Neighbor Totoro
• Akira

Can You Really Learn Japanese from Anime?

Because many people learn Japanese for the sole purpose of watching anime in its native language, it’s totally a valid resource! If you want to learn to understand anime, you should watch anime to learn.

But when it comes to applying what you learn in anime to speaking in real life… Well, that’s where it gets a bit tricky.

Anime dialogue ranges from fairly ordinary conversation to highly stylised “role language”. Writers may use dramatic sentence endings, pronouns, dialects, or levels of politeness to signal a character’s age, gender, status, or personality.

That still makes anime useful for listening and vocabulary. Before you copy a line into conversation, check it against a dictionary, a tutor, or unscripted Japanese so you know who would naturally say it and in what setting.

Before getting into the method, here’s one pronunciation point learners often ask about: how to say “anime” in Japanese.

It’s not an-knee-meh. It’s ah-knee-meh.

In Japanese, anime is short for animēshon (“animation”). Its first vowel is the Japanese a sound, close to the a in “father”, so anime and manga begin with ah, not the English sound in “may”.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s learn Japanese with anime!

The Benefits of Learning Japanese from Anime

Watching Japanese animation does have its benefits, and it can help you learn Japanese.

But you won’t be able to rely on anime alone to learn, and you’ll have to put in some hard work.

Simply watching with translated subtitles won’t make you fluent. English subtitles can help you follow the plot, but they also make it easy to spend more attention reading English than listening to Japanese.

Subtitles change the skill you’re practising. Japanese captions connect the sounds you hear with kana and kanji, while watching without captions puts more weight on listening.

Neither option has to be all-or-nothing. If a scene is too difficult, use a familiar episode, slow down, or work with a short clip that you can replay.

Use English subtitles when you need the meaning, Japanese subtitles when you want to match speech with writing, and no subtitles when you want to test your listening.

Pair anime with structured study and everyday Japanese. Learn phrases in context, check how they’re used, then practise them outside the show.

That said, there are some benefits to learning with anime:

• Even when watching passively, you’re getting more exposure to Japanese rhythm and intonation. Remember that voice acting is performed and may be more dramatic than everyday speech.
• It helps reinforce what you’ve learned.
• It can help you learn new vocabulary through repetitive use.
• You are enjoying engaging with the language, so it keeps your motivation high.

So here are some tips for learning Japanese with anime.

How to Learn Japanese from Anime in 6 Steps

Here are the best strategies for actually learning Japanese with anime. But first, if you need to know where you can find anime in Japanese, here are some suggestions:

• Netflix
• Crunchyroll
• Hulu
• Prime Video
• YouTube
• Disney+
• HBO Max

Anime catalogues, audio tracks, and subtitle options vary by country and change as licences move. Check the episode’s language menu before subscribing for one particular show.

Step #1: Pick a Category You’re Interested In

The easiest way to learn with anime is to have similar dialogue repeated often. The best way to do that is to pick one type of anime to watch starting out.

For example, sports anime to learn more about how to talk about sports. Or slice of life anime, to learn more everyday vocab.

Japanese has a lot of set phrases, and when you watch similar stories, you’ll hear them often.

Step #2: Do Some Prep Work

Jumping in when you know zero Japanese is going to be tough. So let’s do some prep work first.

First, it’s a good idea to have a solid foundation of the basics. Things like common Japanese phrases, the essential core 100 Japanese vocab, and how to read Japanese kana and N5 level kanji.

We’ve got articles and videos to help you with all those things!

Already got that down? Cool. Now, learn related vocab and grammar to the show.

For instance, if you’re watching a sports anime, learn how some words related to the sport, the location, and some verbs and verb conjugation, like te-form they might use.

Step #3: Strategically Use (and Don’t Use) Subtitles

If you’re an absolute beginner and it’s a show you’ve never seen before, watch an episode with subtitles first. Then, watch without subtitles and write down any words or phrases you pick out.

If you’re more experienced with Japanese (upper beginner to upper intermediate), start by turning subtitles off. Watch it through (or in short clips), and write down any words or phrases you pick out.

The key here is to REALLY tune your ear into the Japanese and try to understand as much as you can. This helps make watching anime an active listening activity.

Step #4: Use Japanese Subtitles

Next, we’re going to watch the show with Japanese subtitles on. This is where learning to read Japanese really helps.

There are apps and extensions that can help when a streaming service doesn’t offer Japanese captions. One option is Language Reactor for supported Netflix and YouTube videos.

Now, we’re going to watch the show (or in short clips) while reading the Japanese subtitles with what we hear. You can also practice reading them aloud, or reading along and shadowing the speaker, to get a better feel for it.

How much can you understand now? Take note of new phrases or words, and write them down.

Step #5: Add New Words to a Flashcard App

As you pick out new words to learn, add them to a flashcard app like Anki so you keep reviewing them.

Over time, your vocab will continue to grow and it’ll become easier to watch and understand.

I also suggest looking out for common phrases and word pairings so you can learn natural Japanese.

Step #6: Put It To Practice!

Now, take what you’ve learned and apply it to practical Japanese!

If you’re not sure how to use a word or phrase, here are some resources to help you:

• Tangorin
• Kanshudo
• Jisho

Each of these will allow you to look up words in romaji (English romanization), Japanese kana, or kanji. And they’ll provide example sentences to show you how to use it!

Once you know how to use the word or phrase, try creating your own sentences out loud and on paper. Even better, meet with a language exchange partner to practice and get feedback!

Put these steps together and anime becomes active practice rather than background viewing.

Bonus: 12 Must-Know Japanese Phrases from Anime

You probably already know words like baka (“idiot”), sugoi (“wow” or “amazing”), and kawaii (“cute”). So here are some other common Japanese phrases you’ll hear in anime:

• 何？！, nani?!: “What?!”
• 面倒くさい, mendokusai: “What a bother” or “This is a pain”
• 負けないよ！, makenai yo: “I won’t lose!”
• 許せない, yurusenai: “That’s unforgivable” or “I can’t forgive that”
• あらあら, ara ara: “Oh dear” or “Oh my”; the tone depends on the character and scene
• 止めて, yamete: “Stop it”
• うるさい / うるせえんだよ, urusai / urusē n da yo: “Noisy” or “annoying”; the rougher form can mean “Shut up!”
• 頑張ろう, ganbarō: “Let’s do our best!” or “Let’s do this!”
• やった！, yatta!: “I did it!” or “Yay!”
• おいおいおい, oi oi oi: “Hey, hey, hey”
• 大丈夫？, daijōbu?: “Are you okay?” or “Is it okay?”
• 行くぞ, iku zo: “Let’s go!” with a forceful, rough tone

Other Helpful Japanese Pop Culture Ways to Learn Japanese

Besides learning Japanese with anime, there are other pop culture ways you could learn.

It can expose you to everyday vocabulary, playful character voices, and some regional speech. Animal Crossing also provides furigana beside much of its kanji, which helps once you can read kana.

There’s also other great Japanese video games like Legend of Zelda and Pokemon. Select Japanese as your preferred language at the game’s start or download the language pack.

The type of game presents different challenges, just as different anime genres do.

If you play Fire Emblem, for example, you’ll deal with some very difficult kanji and older language than you would with Pokemon.

Another great option is using Japanese music and songs. Love the theme song to your favorite anime? Look up the artist!

Singing along can help you notice pronunciation and timing. If you translate lyrics, check your version against a reliable translation because song language often compresses grammar or uses unusual imagery.

Japanese manga and books are amazing for improving your reading, comprehension, grammar and kanji. Regular books will be harder than manga, but start with what interests you most.

Lastly, why not check out other Japanese TV shows or cool Japanese movies? Balancing anime with regular shows will help you improve your real-life Japanese dialogue.

The Best Japanese Resources to Supplement Your Learning

If your goal is to study with anime, you’ll need some other resources to help you get going. Here are the options I recommend:

• Genki I and Genki II give beginners a structured grammar and vocabulary sequence.
• Use Anki to review useful sentences you collect from anime. If you want help setting up an efficient deck, Anki Power Up walks through the process.
• Our interview with Drops explains how its short vocabulary sessions work. Treat translations as a starting point and confirm doubtful examples in context.
• Bunpo for Android and Bunpo for iOS offer short grammar explanations and practice organised by JLPT level. The free and paid features can change, so check the current store listing.

If you prefer a course-style resource with audio and dialogues, read our JapanesePod101 review before deciding whether it fits your study plan.

Use one structured resource for grammar, one review system for vocabulary, and anime for focused listening. That is a much stronger mix than expecting one app or show to cover everything.

Frequently Asked Anime Questions

Last up, I just wanted to address a few common questions people have about anime and learning with it.

Is Anime Japanese?

Yes. Anime, アニメ, is short for “animation” in Japanese.

In Japan, anime refers to any and all animation. But when talking about anime in English, it normally means specifically Japanese animation (or Japanese-inspired animation, like Avatar: The Last Airbender).

Sometimes people wonder if anime is Japanese or Chinese, and what Korean or Chinese cartoons are called.

Animation is produced around the world, and Japanese anime has its own history and conventions. In Japanese, anime can refer broadly to animation; in English, it usually means animation from Japan or work strongly influenced by it.

Do Japanese People Watch Anime? What is Japan’s Most Popular Anime?

Anime has viewers across many age groups in Japan, though the audience depends heavily on the genre, time slot, and title.

For example, many people of all ages watch Disney cartoons.

The word オタク (otaku) can be a neutral self-description in some settings and negative in others. Don’t assume it has one fixed tone every time you hear it.

There isn’t one definitive “most popular anime” because TV ratings, manga sales, cinema revenue, longevity, and international reach measure different things. Long-running titles such as Doraemon, Sazae-san, Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Pokémon are widely recognised, but the answer changes with the metric.

But that doesn’t include anime movies, like Studio Ghibli films. And certain shows, like Astroboy, Doraemon, and Sazae-san have had lasting impacts on anime and are household favorites.

Is Japanese in Anime Realistic? How Do I Know?

Some anime dialogue is close to everyday Japanese, while some is deliberately theatrical. Fantasy, historical, and comedy series tend to use more stylised language than a quiet modern drama or slice-of-life show.

There’s still tons to learn from anime. But be aware that the speech patterns, especially, can be very dramatic.

Compare a phrase with unscripted interviews, everyday dramas, dictionaries, and feedback from Japanese speakers. That will show you whether it is ordinary conversation, genre language, or a character-specific catchphrase.

Keep Learning Japanese with Anime

It’s difficult to learn with anime alone, but with these resources and tips, you can do it!

If you want a structured 90-day plan alongside your anime practice, the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp helps you build towards real conversations from the start.

Here are some more articles to keep you going:

• 63 Must-Know Japanese Slang Words
• 33 Things to Know About Japanese Culture
• Japanese Onomatopoeia: Use Sounds to Express Yourself in Japanese
• How to Read Japanese Manga [+ 10 Easy Manga Series for Beginners Learning Japanese]
• Japanese Learning Hub