I imagine a lot of you already know this, but Netflix opened up a Japanese version/region. While the bulk of the stuff is still Western, there is a good amount of Japanese stuff available. What is even better if that most of the Japanese movies have Japanese subtitles, so it's a good stepping stone for those who can't listen without the subtitles.
Best of course is that any Netflix account (from any country) can view the Netflix Japan as long as you are going through a vpn or proxy service; I know there are still a few free ones out there. I'm sure someone else can chime in with what is still available and safe.
Although I am one of those people that really doesn't go for Japanese dramas, I've been watching のだめカンタービレ, and it's awesome. Based off of a manga, and it plays like a manga - very over the top so and so dramatic that it no longer feels "fake" and insincere, since they seem to be making a lot of it as "over" done as possible. Probably not the best way to describe it, but it's definitely worth a watch. You'll know by the end of the first episode if it's something you'll enjoy.
I think it's a good deal. Heck, if you want, you could even watch English stuff in Japanese through Netflix. I personally am a stickler for watching something in its original format, but if you can, watching Supernatural in Japanese would certainly increase your vocabulary. :P
If you end up not having a c/c, by the way, or a Japanese one, you can get prepaid cards at any Bic Camera. Not sure why they wouldn't make them available at convenience stores with the rest of them, but regardless...
Personally I watch English shows with Japanese subtitles. This is mainly because my wife is Japanese and wants to practice her English listening but at the same time I can increase my Japanese reading speed. It is funny because we have found lots of translations that we personally find change the story ever so slightly to match the Japanese culture tastes.
Subtitles is fine - in fact, you should be used to those if you want to go to theaters here - but I could never watch an English show dubbed. I also don't watch Japanese stuff dubbed in English. It's horrible.
But in reading Japanese subtitles for an English program, you can spot areas where they changed what is being said just because Japanese wouldn't "get" the underlying message.
Subtitles is fine - in fact, you should be used to those if you want to go to theaters here - but I could never watch an English show dubbed. I also don't watch Japanese stuff dubbed in English. It's horrible.
But in reading Japanese subtitles for an English program, you can spot areas where they changed what is being said just because Japanese wouldn't "get" the underlying message.
It really depends. Older shows are dubbed very well..I turned my entire Netlfix account in Japanese so I get the dubbed versions by default. For shows like Black Mirror I advice to change the langauge setting to English, but shows like StarTrek are dubbed incredibly well. I'd say almost to original. Seinfield is doable too. The upside of watching dubbed is that the trabslation forces the Japanese to be in shorter sentences, which helps with learning a lot. Original Japanese shows on Netflix that are pretty good are anime like the Great Pretender and I particularly liked Scam. But I'm a massive fan of financial/economic based drama. Midnight dinner is also very nice. Especially if you have a bad day. The stories are short and sweet and the Japanese good to follow. Also the subs are good in English. In other shows they sometimes to fast or poorly displayed. Hope this helps.
I’ve tried to watch things like Harry Potter, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Star Wars dubbed and I just can’t do it. Not because the dubbing is poorly done, on the contrary, but it’s just too outrageous to see well known actors speaking Japanese. The better the dubbing, the deeper it gets into the uncanny valley.
Yeah, that's a good point. I could not watch Arnold Swazenegger dubbed either. At least I could not take him serieously. I have the advantage of not knowing many movies or actors so they're all firsts for me. Harry Potter I could prob not watch in Japanese either..I must say that Startrek Voyager, even the voices match. According to a very critical friend of mine only Tuvoc sounded off.
I've been watching Files of Young Kindaichi with ENG subs and JP dub (I don't know enough to go with JP subs too) and it's also very manga-ish. I recommend to whoever enjoys detective stories.
