Category Archives: Japanese

Transformers Animated Japanese Opening

I can’t stop watching it. XD Don’t get me wrong; I love the English opening b/c it was a great Remix of the Classic Transformers Theme – but all the animation is just taken from the series. So it wasn’t all that great.

And now TFA is finally getting ported to Japan – and they get this for an OP:

The animation is spectacular, the song is catchy and good grief they made Sentinel Prime look hard core. Sentinel people!

And who else wasn’t giddy at the thought of Arcee vs Blackarachnia? Or that freaking pan in on Ultra Magnus looking all sorts of bad ass? Heck, even Prime sparkling looked cool. Take that Edward Cullen! Then again, it’s freaking Optimus Prime. He could walk out in a pink Tutu and still make you cower in a corner. He’s just that rad. Even as a newbie maintenance bot. Yeah.

Man I love Transformers Animated. XD

Just about the only thing the Japanese opening is missing are the twins…who are strangely absent. Huh.

Maybe they’ll show up in a second opening…Come on Japan! Give us a new opening per season! XD

Kotoba – Best Flashcards Ever

Kotoba is a simple flashcard program designed to help the user learn Japanese by running through vocabulary that you set up in the lexicon/dictionary. It’s really easy – set up your dictionary with your own set of vocabulary (Or download one from their site that others have submitted. I used the professioncy test as a base and have been adding words as I think of them, personally.) and then press play. It’ll just start running flipping through each word first showing the Kanji, then it’s phoenetic spelling using kana, and finally the English translation.

Why so serious? Learning Words is Fun!

Why so serious? Learning Words is Fun!

As you can see above, I can just leave it running on my dual monitor. It’s a way to work without really working. ^^ Just the repetition of seeing and reading the words every once in a while is good to boost memory. It’s almost subconcious and also sort of works as a screensaver when my second monitor is just sitting there doing nothing…heh.

Screenshot of Kotoba Lexicon Editing Tool

Screenshot of Kotoba Lexicon Editing Tool

And as you can see, the Dictionary is easy to edit and maintain as well. Just click ‘Add’ and fill in the blanks. -Which also means that you can use any language you want! You could write in spanish and then fill in the translation leaving the ‘kana’ section blank. Kotoba works exactly the same way no matter what you fill in the blanks. ^_^ You could probably use it for just about anything that requires flashcards.

Sadly, this program is Mac-only. While normally that would have me shouting for joy – I’d love to have this program at work which is Windows Only. So, if any of you happen to spot a Windows equivelent please drop me a line! :D

P.S. This is my first post using the absolutley awesome WordPress 2.7 Beta 2. It’s so awesome. *_*

NeoOffice & Furigana

Since I’ve yet to get an updated copy of Microsoft Word, and my old copy hates my new Intel Processor – I’ve downloaded the free NeoOffice. Now, I’ve actually been quite happy with the program. It works as well, if not better, than word – it has a nice layout, and it does the things I tell it too.

Well, today I discovered something really awesome about the program that I’d been having issues with in word – it has an “Asian Phonetic Guide” feature that lets you easily add Rubi/Furigana to the kanji. It’s amazing and I love it to bits. And just because it is so cool – here’s a screenshot of it in action!

NeoOffice Asian Phonetic Guide

Flashcard System!

Hey, I discovered J-Talk on accident and have test run their Kanji Flash Card system. It’s amazing and I totally love it. ^_^ It keeps track of the Kanji that I know and I can continually add new words to different lists. Just about the only downfall is you have to register for a blog on their site.1

Go check it out!

  1. I’m aware this is so that they can save your data and statistics, but I’ve already got a blog. XD

I bought it…

JPQueen is a dangerous place. But oh how I love them. They’ve provided me with everything from the entire 13 Volume set of Haunted Junction (Which I highly recommend by the way if you can read Japanese…if not, buy the English Subtitled version of the anime from Bandai. Not as good, but still highly entertaining.) to doujinshi and my copy of Omishi Rei’s Artbook “Positive Girls.”

Today’s current purchase was a copy of the Haunted Junction Drama CD. I’ll have to report back if it’s any good. From what I understand it has a different vocal cast from the anime, which should be interesting.

That and I’ve also aquired a copy of a Loveless doujinshi (You and Me.) by Kouga Yun, herself. It looks so adorable. I can’t wait for it to show up in the mail.

Lesson: I can never own too many Japanese books. (Well, it probably has more to do with money and the value of a dollar, but…it’s manga. Gorgeous artwork, writing and plot. How can I not cave?)