Well, we all know it’s really just “Monkey”. It’s great to see the new version on Japanese TV. I loved the show as a kid. Apparently the original Monkey was also in the first episode of the new series!

When I was an ALT, one JTE and I re-wrote the whole second year textbook to be the Monkey story, the kids loved it, especially playing video clips with all the dodgy English! I’ll have to see if I can find the files.

One of the techniques I use for teaching other languages to adults is to really super over exaggerate the accent of the language you are talking. For example, if you’re learning French, really go over board with the Inspector Clouseau impersonations. It works really well in curing people of their shyness! When I came to Japan I thought I’d try the same, and spent a fair few weeks trying to speak with a “Monkey” accent, which of course didn’t go down too well!

I also think Godaigo ( the people who wrote the Monkey magic song ), are some of the best English speakers in Japan. As a kid I always thought their song went “In Ghandara, Ghandara, I know Kuni Ghandara” and was convinced Ghandara was a person with the first name Kuni. It was only last year that I figured out they were actually singing in Japanese: “Ai no kuni Ghandara” – the country of love Ghandara!

Well anyway, if you’re in Japan, enjoy the series, and for the fans in the UK, Canada and Australia ( it never seemed to have made it to the US ), you can look forward to the new series over there soon!