Hulu Immersion: Level Up Your Japanese Listening Skills Watching Anime, TV & Movies

In this post, I share how and why to utilize Hulu as a Japanese language-learning tool and my favorite Japanese titles available for streaming.

Why Choose Hulu for Learning Japanese?

Immersive Learning Experience

While visiting Japan is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in Japanese, watching videos online is a solid alternative. TV shows, movies, and documentaries expose you to authentic Japanese language and culture, while rapidly and naturally improving your listening comprehension, vocabulary, and pronunciation right on the couch!

Diverse Content Selection

Hulu boasts a diverse selection of Japanese content catering to various interests and proficiency levels. Whether you're into drama, comedy, romance, or action, you'll find something that suits your preferences. From new TV shows like Shōgun to classic anime series like Cowboy Bebop, Hulu has something for everyone.

Convenient Accessibility

With Hulu's streaming service, you can access Japanese content anytime, anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection. Whether you're streaming on your laptop, smartphone, or smart TV, you can seamlessly integrate Japanese learning into your daily routine.

How to Use Hulu for Learning Japanese

Choose Your Content Wisely

Start by selecting Japanese content that aligns with your interests and language proficiency. If you're a beginner, opt for shows with simpler dialogue and clear pronunciation. As you progress, challenge yourself with more advanced content to expand your vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Utilize Subtitles Effectively

Take advantage of Hulu's subtitle options to enhance your learning experience. Begin by watching with English subtitles to understand the plot and dialogue (we learn best when we understand). But once you know the gist of what is going on, turn off subtitles (when possible) to improve your listening skills.

💡Pro Tip: Some series on Hulu like Cowboy Bepop have hardcoded English subtitles that cannot be turned off. To help you focus on listening and not peek, consider covering the lower part of the screen.

For more on using subtitles and captions, see my post Should You Use Subtitles & Captions When Watching Japanese Anime, Shows & Films?

Practice Active Listening

While watching Japanese content on Hulu, practice active listening by focusing on pronunciation, intonation, pitch accent, and rhythm. Pay attention to how native speakers articulate words and phrases, and try to mimic their speech patterns. Pause and rewind when necessary, and repeat key phrases aloud to practice pronunciation and improve retention.

Supplement with Additional Resources

Complement your Hulu learning experience with other language-learning resources, such as apps like LingQ, Duolingo, Skritter, and Drops, online courses like my Japanese Conversation Accelerator, and one-to-one online tutoring. Practice speaking and writing about what you've watched to activate vocabulary, reinforce your skills, and improve fluency. Create spaced repetition flashcards for new words and phrases using Anki.

Recommended Japanese Anime on Hulu

Hulu offers a wide range of Japanese anime series, including Crunchyroll's extensive catalog. But beware that many shows include both dubbed and subtitled version. For language learning purposes, make sure to choose episodes marked with "Sub" not "Dub" (see image below).

Akira

Akira (アキラ) is a genre-defining anime film set in a dystopian future city called Neo-Tokyo. The story centers on KANEDA Shoutarou (かねだしょうたろう, 金田正太郎), the leader of a local bousouzoku (ぼうそうぞく, 暴走族, “biker gang”), and his friend SHIMA Tetsuo (しまてつお, 島鉄雄), who emerges with powerful telekinetic powers after surviving a terrible motorcycle accident.

Rating: R | Genre: Anime / Sci-Fi |  Release Date: 1988 | Tomatometer: 88%

Cowboy Bebop

Set in 2071, Cowboy Bebop (カウボーイビバップ) follows the adventures of a small group of intergalactic bounty hunters. The award-winning show is regarded around the world as one of the best anime series of all time (Rotten Tomatoes gives it a score of 100%!), with a masterful combination of animation, character development, and music.

Rating: TV-14 | Genre: Anime / Sci-Fi |  Release Date: 1998 | Tomatometer: 100%

Hunter x Hunter

Like many anime, Hunter x Hunter (ハンターハンター) began as a comic and was later developed into an animated series. The show centers on young Gon Freecss (ゴン=フリークス) as he tries to pass the “Hunter Examination," a series of increasingly challenging skill tests that require brains, brawn, and cooperation/competition with other examinees, many of whom are trying to kill you…

Rating: TV-PG | Genre: Anime / Action / Fantasy |  Release Date: 2011 | Tomatometer: 100%

Samurai Champloo

Set in Japan’s Edo Jidai (江戸時代, “Edo Period”), Samurai Champloo (サムライチャンプルー) mixes fighting action, comedy, and Japan’s seemingly insatiable obsession with food! Okay, so maybe we Yanks have the same obsession, too... 😉

Rating: TV-14 | Genre: Anime / Action / History |  Release Date: 2005 | Tomatometer: 89%

Tokyo Revengers

Tokyo Revengers (東京卍リベンジャーズ) is a Hulu Original based on a manga of the same name. The story centers on HANAGAKI Takemichi (花垣武道), a depressed "freeter" (フリーター, "an underemployed young person subsisting on part-time work") who is accidentally pushed off a train station platform by a crowd of people. Thinking he is going to die from the impact of the train, he suddenly wakes up 12 years in the past.

Rating: TV-14 | Genre: Anime / Action / Drama |  Release Date: 2021 | Tomatometer: 85%

Trigun

Trigun (トライガン) is an anime series based on a novel of the same name (there is also an anime feature film titled Trigun: Badlands Rumble). set the 32nd century and cen. a man known as "Vash the Stampede" has earned a bounty of $$60 billion ("double dollar") on his head and the nickname "The Humanoid Typhoon" (人間台風) after accidentally destroying a city with his supernatural powers.. In addition to the series, .

Rating: TV-PG | Genre: Anime / Action / Fantasy |  Release Date: 1998 | Tomatometer: 100%

Recommended Japanese TV Shows & J-Dramas on Hulu

Because We Forget Everything

Because We Forget Everything (すべて忘れてしまうから) is a mysterious and bittersweet love story starring ABE Hiroshi (阿部寛) as M (エム), who desperately tries to find his girlfriend F (エフ), played by ONO Machiko (尾野真千子), after she disappears on Halloween.

Rating: N/A | Genre: Drama / Romance / Thriller |  Release Date: 2022 | IMDB: 7.2/10

House of the Owl

House of the Owl (フクロウと呼ばれた男), is a crime drama series about OO-GAMI Ta-rou (大神龍太郎), a shadowy character known to most only as "the Owl" (フクロウ). For decades, he has expertly influenced politicians and business leaders, working to keep potential scandals under wraps, punishing criminals, and deciding future prime ministers.

As he reaches old age and considers the legacy he will leave behind, he realizes that his efforts to serve and protect Japan have left his family in tatters. Despite being Japan's master fixer, he quickly learns that fixing a family will prove to be his greatest challenge yet!

Rating: TV-Mature | Genre: Drama / Crime / Thriller |  Release Date: 2024 | IMDB: 6.6/10

Shōgun

I have long awaited this 2024 remake of the 1980 mini-series of the same name. Like the original show, FX's new series is based on James Clavell's 1975 best-seller Shōgun: A Novel of Japan and tells the tale of:

• John Blackthorne (ジョン・ブラックソーン), a.k.a. Anjin (按針, "pilot/navigator"), an English sailor who gets shipwrecked in Japan. Played by Cosmo Jarvis.

• Lord Toranaga (虎永), a cunning and ambitious daimyou (大名, "feudal lord"). Played by SANADA Hiroyuki (真田広之), one of my favorite Japanese actors.

• Lady Mariko (戸田鞠子), a Catholic convert who speaks Portuguese and acts as a translator between Lord Toranaga and John. Played by SAWAI Anna (澤井杏奈), a.k.a. アンナサワイ.

💡Fun Fact: The character Blackthorne was inspired by an actual English navigator named William Adams, who became the second foreign-born samurai (and first English samurai) in Japanese history. He served under TOKUGAWA Ieyasu (徳川家康), a powerful daimyou who later became shōgun.

Rating: TV-MA | Genre: Historical Drama / Action / War |  Release Date: 2024 | Tomatometer: 99%

Recommended Japanese Documentaries & Movies on Hulu

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is one of my all-time favorite documentaries. The film, directed by David Gelb, centers on ONO Jirou (小野二郎), an 85-year-old sushi master (at the time of filming; he's now 98!), and his two sushi chef sons, Yoshikazu (禎一) and Takashi (隆士). Jirou is the owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro (すきやばし次郎), a 10-seat, reservation-only sushi restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station (not exactly where you’d expect to find a 3 Michelin star restaurant!).

Note: As of 2023, Yoshikazu now runs the restaurant since Jirou has had to step down from day-to-day operations due to health issues.

Rating: PG | Genre: Documentary |  Release Date: 2011 | Tomatometer: 99%

Shoplifters

Shoplifters (万引き家族) is about an impoverished family in Tokyo that relies on shoplifting to eke out a tenuous existence. The film stars Lily Franky (リリー・フランキー) as SHIBATA Osamu (柴田治), the protagonist, a day laborer who can no longer work after injuring his ankle.

Rating: R | Genre: Crime / Drama |  Release Date: 2018 | Tomatometer: 99%

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hulu offers a valuable platform for learning Japanese through its immersive content, diverse selection, and convenient accessibility. By incorporating Japanese shows, movies, and anime into your language-learning routine, you can enhance your listening comprehension, vocabulary, and cultural understanding. Remember to choose content that matches your interests and proficiency level, utilize subtitles effectively, practice active listening, and supplement your learning with additional resources. With dedication and consistency, Hulu can be an invaluable tool on your journey to mastering the Japanese language. So, grab your popcorn and start streaming.

Ganbatte ne! (頑張ってね！"Good luck?")

💡Fun Fact: The name “Hulu” is based on two Mandarin Chinese words with the same basic pronunciation but different tones:

1. húlú (葫蘆 · 葫芦, “bottle gourd”)

2. hùlù (互錄 · 互录 “interactive recording”)

According to Hulu’s site:

“The primary meaning interested us because it is used in an ancient Chinese proverb that describes the Hulu as the holder of precious things. It literally translates to ‘gourd,’ and in ancient times, the Hulu was hollowed out and used to hold precious things. The secondary meaning is ‘interactive recording.’ We saw both definitions as appropriate bookends and highly relevant to the mission of Hulu.”

Do you use other streaming services, too? Check out my Japanese immersion posts for:

• Amazon Prime Video

• Disney+

• HBO Max

• Netflix

Hungry for more Japanese resources?

My book Master Japanese: How to Learn Japanese Anywhere in the World shows you exactly how to learn Japanese using my Anywhere Immersion Method, and includes hundreds of John-tested, John-approved Japanese learning resources.