Okay, so I'm new to the Japanese language. I'm only 16 and I already wanna move to the country! So my problem obviously is learning the language before i move. I was wondering if you guys could maybe refer me to a good learning source like books, movies etc... I know Rosetta Stone is supposedly really good, but its a lot of money, and if i give up then there goes $600. I have read a few posts on the site, and you guys say going to the country is probably the best, but obviously I would need to know some of the language before i leave.

Hello and welcome

I have heard Rosetta Stone is good
I think it depend upon the person which style of learning is most effective.
Our brains all seem to work a bit differently from each other
Listening to CD,s and following in the book worked OK for me right at the start..
I used a Berlitz one.

As for reading and writing.. learn katakana first!
because it is useful!

Sounds good, thanks for the help I appreciate it

find in amasone "living language Ultimate japanese" and if u will get interested in it - take the one with CD's - at least i am very satisfied by it (used as primay studying sorce, and now as secondary - took a language lessons).
the other good thing to have is "flash card manager" (if i spelled it correctly). this is usible if u sit at the PC for longer times. u can use a lathin ABC (normal) and, if u have, japanese - pretty good one

the roseta stone is not THAT good as it sounds. u see a picture of a boy kneeling and holding some stuff and u really dont have an idea what they have in mind for roseta stone u will need to get some basic grammar.

thats my opinion and its only subjective. i have found one lesson guide, that can be used for making self studying plans and ways of learning stuff, but i lost a link long ago

I myself have bin looking in to roseta stone and ...i belive i can get you a torrent >_> if you would like to try it out......just PM me your intrested ...( i havent look for one yet but there is bound to be one out there)

had it (torrent), downloaded and tryed. maybe they got better (i mean rosetta stone), becouse mine version was old. i would sugest that before using roseta, learn all the meanings of wa, no....etc... there are lots of em.
normally u start from 1 word for a picture, later it gets more and, belive me, if u dont know them but u know a meaning - you will not be able to find out which is which, unless u check that


PS.: if u can get used to that - very good. if u check those small words (well thats not even a words) the rosetta can help you. but you should use dictionarry for allmost each time you see more words, becouse it can be noun or verb or something else. later it gets even more interesting when u get the idea of learning and it sure can help if such way is suitable for u.