Learn Japanese with Manga!

I have been working on a project for a while now called: Manga Option!
And I need your help.

Manga Option! is a game I made where you can learn Japanese with a manga/visual novel. When I was first learning Japanese I had always wanted something like this, so I make one for you guys! The format in the game right now will not stay the same. This is a test run I made using other people's images. I (and maybe you) will be drawing the rest.

I can't do this alone, I need everyone's help.
The whole point of this game is to teach Japanese, and Japanese culture all in one. So, when you guys help out with the story keep that in mind.

To play the demo please go to this page:
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/170974-manga-option

You have to download it, but it is not a big file. and I PROMISE there are NO viruses.

If you guys have anymore ideas for the story, or if you want to submit images, please comment below.

CONTEST!!! (in place of a bonus)
I am having a contest. Whoever draws the best Haruka and Aki (you can draw both or either) their image will be used in the final version of the game. I'll narrow it down, and then have everyone vote.
To enter, please e-mail your image to me at: japanaiblog@yahoo.com
Image MUST be original
If image is found to be unoriginal, you will be banned from the contest.
By submitting your image, I will have the rights to your image.

(don't be scared of that legal stuff, if you submit your image, and I don't use it, then you can 'have' all the rights to your image back. I won't hold it against you.) ; )
Thanks for reading!

***IMPORTANT UPDATE***
I just tryed to download it off of the site to make sure that it worked, but you might have trouble downloading it. If you have trouble downloading it, please use the following steps to play the game:

1. Download GameMaker 8 (NO VIRUS I PROMISE!)
http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/try

2. go back to this page:
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/170974-manga-option
Click download

3. When file asks you to "find" or "save" click "save", and select the folder you want to put it in

4. When it's done, something should come up that says "open"
Click open
If nothing comes up, find the file and click on it

5. You will be presented with a screen that asks you what you want to open the file with.
Click Browse.
Select "Game Maker 8"

6. Open the file using game maker 8

7. Click on the small green arrow at the top of the screen

8. Enjoy the Game!


©Manga Option!

Anime IS important when learning about Japanese culture

When I first started this blog, my first post was that "this is not an anime otaku site", and it isn't - but Anime IS important. Most people who are trying to teach people about Japan intentionally leave out Anime, Manga, Japanese Pop Culture. Anime may not be the main thing to teach someone when teaching about Japanese culture, but it IS important.
Think about our American singers, actors, and everything we have. If you were teaching someone about American culture of course your going to have to mention Lady Gaga's new song or that new movie, "Black Swan". Why? Because if you had no idea what they were, people would become confused very quickly.
If people didn't teach anyone about Anime/Manga, they would go into a Japanese store and wonder what all the strange books, and weird movies were on the shelves.

Everything in a culture is there for a reason,
 "For people saying it doesn't affect the culture at all, they are right but wrong. Anime is part of Japanese culture. Entertainment such as animation, music and film is an important part of many cultures, including Japan. Also, it's not entertainment that affects culture, it's culture that effects entertainment (for the most part.)"
              - Unknown

BONUS!!!!!
Although, learning Japanese from Anime is NOT something you should try to do....
This video isn't mine, it was made by Koichi at Tofugu (http://www.tofugu.com/)

Thanks for reading!

Live Raditation Monitor in Toyko, Japan

 http://www.ustream.tv/channel/%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%96%E7%94%B0%E8%B0%B7%E6%94%BE%E5%B0%84%E7%B7%9A%E3%83%AC%E3%83%99%E3%83%AB

http://gogonihon.com/en/tokyo-radiation-levels

Using the Playstation 3 to Study Japanese

Playastation 3... well... what can it do?

That's right... it only does everything.
Now it does everything plus 1, study Japanese!
If you have internet, then you can sign up for the Japanese Playstation Netowrk and download a lot of demos in Japanese. There is also something called "Playstation Home"

 It is a MMO that Playstation has created and you can interact with people in Japan on a daily basis. It also has a lot of things that coincide with the Japanese culture. This is probably more for people who are more advanced in Japanese, but I think anyone who is more advanced should do this because I've learned so many new words that I constantly aply over and over. You can also download videos for games and movies in Japanese. This also allows you to keep up with current Japanese culture. I have also had many oppurtunities to talk to native speakers about grammer and when to use certain things I wasn't 100% sure about when I should use.
The Platstation 3 is reigon free, so you can play Japanese games without having a Japanese Playstation 3.
You should definitly use the Playstation 3 to study Japanese!
The only downside to this is that there is barely any ふりがな (furigana) (the Japanese Alphabet written above Kanji)

More information:
http://playstationhome.jp/ (Japanese, but can be translated by Google)

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/irem-creates-japanese-festival-themed-home-space/

http://www.gameinformer.com/blogs/members/b/meta77_blog/archive/2009/12/24/is-it-just-me-or-is-the-japanes-home-better-than-the-us-version.aspx

BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Playstation Home cheats: http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/cheats/17534/playstation-home/

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why you should learn Kanji meaning before the Reading.

Meaning before Reading.
I have found, when studying Kanji that knowing the meaning before the reading has helped me much more than just seeing this:　本 and then the computer or textbook says THIS MEANS HON! THIS CAN BE USED IN THIS AND THIS AND THAT AND THIS.... and so on.
It's intimidating.
Your brain works better when you can connect things, and if you learn the meaning before the reading, then your brain can connect it better to other things and you will remember it longer.
I recommend:
Remembering the Kanji by James W. Heisig
Vol 1.: http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Kanji-Vol-Complete-Characters/dp/0824831659/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1302147088&sr=8-2
Vol 2.: http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Kanji-Vol-Systematic-Characters/dp/0824831667/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
Vol. 3: http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Kanji-Characters-Upper-Level-Proficiency/dp/0824831675/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302147215&sr=1-2

Kanji de Manga by Glenn Kardy and Chihiro Hattori
http://www.amazon.com/Kanji-Manga-Special-Box-Set/dp/492120506X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302147252&sr=1-2

Kanji in Mangaland by Marc Bernabe, Veronica Calafell, Alberto Aldarabi, and Gea Cassinelo
http://www.amazon.com/Kanji-MangaLand-1-Marc-Bernabe/dp/4889962212/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1302147252&sr=1-11

BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (*sigh* once again... I try.... I think everyone who reads to the end should get a reward)
Remembering the KANA!
http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Kana-Reading-Japanese-Syllabaries/dp/0824831640/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302147525&sr=1-1

Hope this helped anyone who wants to learn Kanji, and... Kana!