What was the first (non-textbook) book you read in Japanese? Paper or digital copy?
Did you pick it because of the level of difficulty, or because you already knew the story and would enjoy it?
How long did it take you to get through?
What process did you end up using to better learn while you read instead of treating Google Translate like subtitles?
I just picked up my first Japanese manga having already read the English version and watched the Japanese anime with subtitles. I grabbed a paper copy so I could write notes as needed as a way to help solidify learning. I knew it would start rough; while I’m on the last lesson of V1 Genki, I do not have much vocab under my belt (around 300 kanji via Ringotan, level 3 WK). As I work through, I’d like to develop a process that’s more efficient and effective in helping my learning. So far, using the picture function of PapaGo and handwriting notes. I’m sure there are better things I can be doing, perhaps an app on my (iOS) phone I can download to generate simple flashcards or something to review later. I was working on Anki on my laptop, but I don’t always have my laptop while reading.
While I gradually figure out a process that works for me, I was interested in hearing (1) how many people here actually *remember* the first book they ever worked through while learning? And (2) what processes did you find useful?
by DesignerFearless