Learn Japanese with Pokémon

Anime by Japanese level › N4

How hard is the Japanese in Pokémon?

Ikkimi rates Pokémon at N4 (simple everyday talk). What sets its level: made for children, simple adventure talk. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 7 are easier and 176 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

Format, episodes, year and genres are from AniList’s entry, which may cover only the first season.

The words in the title

The Japanese title, ポケットモンスター, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

How to learn Japanese with Pokémon

Ikkimi lists Pokémon on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome

   Get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and sign in.

2. Play an episode

   Open Pokémon on Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.

3. Click the words you keep hearing

   The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Keep three to five words an episode, the ones that come up again.

4. Review them later

   Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

With 276 episodes on AniList’s entry, the same words get many chances to come back.

Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Pokémon, with the most genres in common first.

Easier

• N5 to N4My Neighbor Totoroとなりのトトロa film, 1 h 26, children talkingNetflix
• N5 to N4Ponyo崖の上のポニョa film, small children talkingNetflix
• N5 to N4Teasing Master Takagi-sanからかい上手の高木さんtwo speakers, short linesNetflixCrunchyroll

Also N4

• N4Kemono Friendsけものフレンズsimple cheerful speech, animal factsCrunchyroll
• N4Kiki’s Delivery Service魔女の宅急便a film, 1 h 43Netflix
• N4Soaring Sky! Pretty Cureひろがるスカイ！プリキュアmade for children, clear voices, catchphrases that repeatCrunchyroll

Harder

• N4 to N3Dragon Ballドラゴンボールsimple adventure talk, shoutingCrunchyroll
• N4 to N3Digimon Adventureデジモンアドベンチャーchildren talking, monster names that repeatCrunchyroll
• N3ONE PIECEloud and clear, pirate words that repeatCrunchyrollNetflix

See every N4 anime or all 192 anime by Japanese level, and read how to learn Japanese by watching anime from zero.

Questions

Is Pokémon good for learning Japanese?

Yes. Ikkimi rates it N4 (simple everyday talk). What sets its level: made for children, simple adventure talk. It is one of the easier shows, good for your first weeks.

What Japanese level is Pokémon?

N4, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 7 are easier and 176 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

Where can I watch Pokémon with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Pokémon on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

What does the title ポケットモンスター mean, word by word?

ポケット (poketto) means “pocket”; モンスター (monsutaa) means “monster; monstrosity”.

How many episodes does Pokémon have?

AniList’s entry lists 276 episodes of about 24 minutes, first aired in 1997. Later seasons may be listed separately.

What should I watch after Pokémon?

Shows a little harder, with genres in common: Dragon Ball (N4 to N3), Digimon Adventure (N4 to N3) and ONE PIECE (N3).

Sources: show details from AniList; meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See Credits. Spotted a mistake? Tell us at hello@ikkimi.app.