Ive got some questions on living in Japan.

[Mehmet]

Ok so ive been thinking about my future for about a year now (Im 14 at the moment), I was thinking of jobs and where i want to live, And Japan keeps coming up.

So i want to ask a few questions on my decisions and all,

Firstly does this seem realistic?
...
I start studying japanese untill i get to University,
Then i get a degree in an area im intrested in,
Then ill get my visas and money all sorted and move to Japan,
Find a job (Most probably an English teacher),
Learn Japanese language and writing untill im fluent,
Start submitting my ideas of a manga into Shonen Jump ect.,
Repeat above step untill one of my ideas for a manga are accepted,
Live in Japan long enough to apply for a Japanese citizenship.

I know it might seem stupid to alot of people but honestly i am not good at anything else other then drawing and coming up with creative ideas for stories. And im not only doing it for the manga, i love everything about japan! Its historic sights, Its food, The people and just everything about it.

And would i be able to obtain a japanese citizenship by renewing a work visa untill i stay there for 5 years ( I think thats the required amount of time)

And i also want to start learning Japanese right now, Does anybody know of any good websites for a complete starter at learning Japanese? Id really appreciate it thanks,

Please shed some light!

[Wasabista]

Don't really know any starter sites but you can pick up a book with a CD or DVD in it at any bookstore. That should get you going.

[Mehmet]

Ok thanks Wasabista, anyone else?

[SHAD0W]

Originally Posted by Mehmet

i love everything about japan! Its historic sights, Its food, The people and just everything about it.

Awesome! We got another whaler! kawaiipockysugoi!

[saaxu]

1. Taking Japanese in high school is a good idea, taking more Japanese at a university is even better.
2. While getting a degree you could always consider minoring in Japanese, it's fairly easy and could land you better jobs.
3. You need a company to sponsor your Visa before you can go over to Japan, so basically you have to get the job before you come to Japan.
4. English teaching is getting over-saturated, it might be more difficult by the time you graduate from college. You have to apply before you can move to Japan.
5. You pick up languages easier when you're exposed to it and have to use it to survive rather than relying on your native tongue. One of the best ways is to study abroad in Japan through an exchange program.
6. There's about a 99.999% chance you will never become a manga artist in Japan, let alone for Shonen Jump. Only the best of the best survive in that business, that's why you never hear about any foreigners becoming famous mangaka in Japan. The only way would be if you were some type of genius at it.
7. Every week manga gets ranked by readers and the ones that aren't popular gets cut, so just getting published is not the end of it. Those that don't make a big hit will usually have another job because only the most popular mangaka can make a living off of just creating manga.
8. Forget about the citizenship for now, it's not really worth it for most foreigners living in Japan.


I know it starts to sound more harsh as you read on (especially about the mangaka part), but it's the truth. Most people that plan to live in Japan don't make it past taking courses in high school and college. Most of the foreigners I know that lives in Japan never planned to at all, but they either married a Japanese or their jobs relocated them there.

[Mehmet]

Originally Posted by saaxu

1. Taking Japanese in high school is a good idea, taking more Japanese at a university is even better.
2. While getting a degree you could always consider minoring in Japanese, it's fairly easy and could land you better jobs.
3. You need a company to sponsor your Visa before you can go over to Japan, so basically you have to get the job before you come to Japan.
4. English teaching is getting over-saturated, it might be more difficult by the time you graduate from college. You have to apply before you can move to Japan.
5. You pick up languages easier when you're exposed to it and have to use it to survive rather than relying on your native tongue. One of the best ways is to study abroad in Japan through an exchange program.
6. There's about a 99.999% chance you will never become a manga artist in Japan, let alone for Shonen Jump. Only the best of the best survive in that business, that's why you never hear about any foreigners becoming famous mangaka in Japan. The only way would be if you were some type of genius at it.
7. Every week manga gets ranked by readers and the ones that aren't popular gets cut, so just getting published is not the end of it. Those that don't make a big hit will usually have another job because only the most popular mangaka can make a living off of just creating manga.
8. Forget about the citizenship for now, it's not really worth it for most foreigners living in Japan.


I know it starts to sound more harsh as you read on (especially about the mangaka part), but it's the truth. Most people that plan to live in Japan don't make it past taking courses in high school and college. Most of the foreigners I know that lives in Japan never planned to at all, but they either married a Japanese or their jobs relocated them there.

Ok thanks for taking the time to tell me all this.. Now where to go with my life, The only thing that i was actually good at doing is now being proven useless,
Maybe i might visit there one day hopefully if i dont end up as a bum.

[saaxu]

Originally Posted by Mehmet

Ok thanks for taking the time to tell me all this.. Now where to go with my life, The only thing that i was actually good at doing is now being proven useless,
Maybe i might visit there one day hopefully if i dont end up as a bum.

If you think you have to talent, you could still try to be an OEL mangaka in your own country. If you're lucky, your work might even be brought over to Japan since there is a very small market for Japanese consumers who are interested in foreign manga. I know that there's an American manga that is finally getting published in Japan after 8 years.

[kyo_9]

wow, I admired for having such an ambition in a young age.. coz teenagers nowadays doesn't really think about their future.. all the think about is enjoy, party and stuffs.. it's like they never know when they gonna die, may be tomorrow so this is the time for them to get high and stuff so they will not regret it in the future.. haha/

my advice is to try your best to hold on with your ambition.. your chances of becoming a mangaka in japan is quite harsh at the moment, but who knows.. one day maybe you make a new style of manga that will make you popular.. japanese people will cherish you like your the next hayao miyazaki etc..

good luck mate..

[Mehmet]

Originally Posted by kyo_9

wow, I admired for having such an ambition in a young age.. coz teenagers nowadays doesn't really think about their future.. all the think about is enjoy, party and stuffs.. it's like they never know when they gonna die, may be tomorrow so this is the time for them to get high and stuff so they will not regret it in the future.. haha/

my advice is to try your best to hold on with your ambition.. your chances of becoming a mangaka in japan is quite harsh at the moment, but who knows.. one day maybe you make a new style of manga that will make you popular.. japanese people will cherish you like your the next hayao miyazaki etc..

good luck mate..

Thanks for that comment!
There is light at the end of the tunnel,

Ive thought this through, Im going to go research some jobs i might be intrested in and try and do whatever the job is in Japan. And on the side ill send my manga to random manga magazines and just hope it gets published and hope for the readers to like it as well!

[Mehmet]

Originally Posted by saaxu

3. You need a company to sponsor your Visa before you can go over to Japan, so basically you have to get the job before you come to Japan.

So that means a company like JET right?
It seems easy enough for english teachers, But what about another job? Like an engineer , graphic designer ect.

And i understand why they would sponsor people from other countries to become english teachers, But why would they get foreign people to do normal jobs?