As a child, I remember my older brother constantly watching Dragon Ball Z. The screaming, the fighting, the characters -- straight up beastliness! As I got older, I became more and more attached to the show and started looking into its cultural nuances. Many things fascinated me: the Japanese definition of a hero compared to the American definition, the intelligence behind manga in general and how it differs from DC/Marvel, etc etc.
Before I knew it, I was dedicating a huge chunk of my time to exploring Japanese culture. During this period, I read a book by Robert C. Christopher titled "The Japanese Mind", and it basically sealed the deal for me. I enjoy learning about Japanese culture so much, and hope to someday be an ambassador to Japan. I began teaching myself kanji, reading Japanese fairy tales, and even watched a few Japanese dramas. Not to mention my favorite boy band is TVXQ! I just really, truly, genuinely enjoy the culture.
So, upon entering college, there was really no choice for me but to continue my journey and take Japanese!
P.S. I still LOVE Dragon Ball!!
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