Learning Business Japanese? Check Out These Manga, Anime, and Dramas
Last updated: September 10, 2025
Learning business Japanese doesn’t have to mean endless hours of textbooks and grammar drills. Here at Migaku, we’re all about blending language learning with entertainment by introducing the best Japanese manga, anime, and Japanese dramas to learn business Japanese.
From corporate battles in anime to office dramas and manga that unpack the unspoken rules of Japanese work life, we’ll break down key scenes, expressions, and moments tp increase your vocabulary and understanding of Japanese business culture.
Along the way, we’ll dive deep into keigo—explaining when and how to use it—and practical examples straight from the screen or page. Let’s get to business:
What is business Japanese?
If you’re planning to work in Japan, understanding business Japanese (ビジネス日本語) isn’t optional—it’s essential. Unlike English, where politeness can often be achieved by tone or simply adding “please,” Japanese requires a completely different set of vocabulary, grammar, and speech patterns when used in professional settings.
The way you speak with a boss, a client, or even a colleague is fundamentally different from how you’d speak with a friend.
In Japanese, this shift in language isn’t just about being polite—it’s about demonstrating social awareness. This is where the concept of wakimae (わきまえ) comes in. As linguist Sachiko Ide explains in her paper on wakimae, adjusting your speech according to the social context is an expected part of communication in Japan. It’s not something you can choose to opt out of because of personality; it’s simply how language works in society.
Mastering business Japanese, including keigo (honorific language) and things like the proper usage of honorifics, demonstrates respect and cultural fluency. It’s a core skill, not an extra. Whether you're job hunting, networking, or just trying to get along in a Japanese office, the way you speak can open doors—or close them.
Kenjougo (謙譲語) – Humble language
Kenjougo is used to lower your own status or the status of someone in your in-group (e.g., your team or company) in relation to the listener. It’s a way of showing humility and respect toward the person you’re speaking to.
When to use it:
- When talking about your own actions to a customer, client, or superior
- In emails or meetings when you’re offering help, making a request, or reporting your actions
- To defer to the listener and maintain proper social distance
And a few examples of kenjougo in use:
Polite: 私は今朝、部長に会いました。
I met with the manager this morning.Kenjougo: 今朝、部長にお目にかかりました。
I (humbly) met with the manager this morning.→ お目にかかりました is the humble version of 会いました (to meet), and puts the emphasis on your feels of having the honor to have met the manager. Rather than just having “met them,” you were lucky enough to lay your eyes on them. #Blessed.
Polite: この資料を持ってきました。
I brought these documents.Kenjougo: この資料をお持ちしました。
I (humbly) brought these documents.→ As above, the idea here is to lower yourself and show humility. This is done by using the stem form of the verb and adding the honorific ～お prefix, taking you from 持って to お持ち. In this example, you’re trying to say that you have completed an act without bragging that you were the one who did it.
Kenjougo (謙譲語) – Humble verbs you need to know! 🙇
Let’s take a look at the everyday, polite verbs and how they change for the kenjougo form.
Regular verb | Meaning | Kenjougo form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
行く / 来る | to go / to come | 参る | Very common in formal settings |
いる | to be | おる | Humble equivalent of いる |
言う | to say | 申す 申し上げる | "申す" is common for self-intro |
見る | to see | 拝見する | Used when viewing someone’s work, etc. |
聞く / 尋ねる | to ask / to hear | 伺う | Also means "to visit" humbly |
食べる / 飲む | to eat / to drink | いただく | Also used when receiving (from others) |
知っている | to know | 存じている 存じ上げている | 存じ上げている” is for people you know |
する | to do | いたす | Very commonly used in service settings |
会う | to meet | お目にかかる | Formal and polite |
あげる | to give | 差し上げる | Used when giving something to a superior |
Sonkeigo (尊敬語) – Respectful Language
Sonkeigo is used to show respect by elevating the status of the person you’re speaking to or about. You’ll use it when talking about a client, boss, or anyone of higher social or professional standing. It is used to describe the actions of others, not yourself.
When to use it:
- When referring to the actions of a customer, manager, teacher, or senior colleague
- In formal business emails, meetings, or phone calls
- To show humility and deference in hierarchical relationships
And some examples of it in use:
Polite: 部長は会社に行きました。
The manager went to the office.Sonkeigo: 部長は会社にいらっしゃいました。
The manager (respectfully) went to the office.While the first sentence is perfectly polite, it doesn’t raise the manager up to their deserved position as the respected manager. As you’ll see from the sonkeigo verb table below, いらっしゃる is the respectful form of 行く (to go), 来る (to come), and いる (to be). いらっしゃいました is the past respectful verb, meaning that they went.
Polite: 社長はこの本を読みました。
The president read this book.Sonkeigo: 社長はこの本をお読みになりました。
The president (respectfully) read this book.Here’s another common sonkeigo sentence structure you’ll need to know: お〜になる.
- You take the stem form of the verb 読む and add the honorific お before it, turning it into お読み
- Then, add になる and make past tense: になりました
- Now, you have a sentence that pays full respect to the president.
Sonkeigo (尊敬語) – Respectful verbs you need to know! 🧑💼
Let’s take a look at the everyday, polite verbs and how they change for the sonkeigo form.
Regular verb | Meaning | Sonkeigo form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
行く | to go | いらっしゃる おいでになる | Also applies to "to come" and "to be" |
来る | to come | いらっしゃる おいでになる | |
いる | to be | いらっしゃる | |
言う | to say | おっしゃる | |
見る | to see | ご覧になる | |
食べる / 飲む | to eat / to drink | 召し上がる | |
知っている | to know | ご存知だ | Nominal form, not a verb |
する (suru) | to do | なさる | |
聞く / 尋ねる (kiku/tazuneru) | to ask / inquire | お聞きになる | Less common than kenjougo counterpart |
読む (yomu) | to read | お読みになる | Verb in "o + stem + ni naru" form |
Can you actually learn Japanese from anime?
To actually improve your Japanese by watching TV shows, two things are essential:
- You need to spend enough time watching Japanese content (this is called input).
- You need to understand what you’re watching—without relying on English subtitles.
You don’t need to catch every word, and it won’t feel as effortless as watching something in English. At first, it’ll take real effort just to get the gist—and yes, you’ll miss a lot. That’s normal and totally fine.
As long as you can follow the general meaning, you’ll start to absorb patterns and vocabulary naturally. And as your Japanese improves, understanding will take less effort, and more content will become accessible to you.
3 manga for learning business Japanese
1. Kacho Kosaku Shima (課長 島耕作)
This long-running series follows Kosaku Shima, a mid-level manager at a Japanese electronics company, as he navigates office politics, promotions and international business dealings.
Why it's great for learners:
- Packed with authentic corporate dialogue, including emails, meetings and negotiations.
- Shows the evolution of Japanese workplace roles and keigo usage across ranks.
- Offers realistic exposure to hierarchical relationships, social protocols and workplace etiquette.
Excerpt from the manga:
In a Japanese workplace, 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu) is a common phrase used when entering someone else's space, such as an office or meeting room. It literally translates to “I’m being rude” or “Excuse me,” and it's a humble way of acknowledging that you’re interrupting or intruding.
When entering a room:
- If you're entering a superior's office or a meeting room, you typically:
- Knock first (usually 2–3 times).
- Wait for a response, like どうぞ (douzo), meaning "please come in").
- Open the door and say: 失礼します, often with a slight bow.
- Then enter the room.
It softens your entry and follows Japanese workplace etiquette.
2. Salaryman Kintaro (サラリーマン金太郎)
Kintaro, a former biker gang leader, enters the corporate world and challenges its rigid norms with heart, loyalty and boldness—while still climbing the corporate ladder.
Why it's great for learners:
- Features conversational business Japanese from both formal and informal perspectives.
- Highlights contrast between traditional corporate culture and more rebellious personalities.
- Useful for hearing workplace speech in both structured (keigo) and emotional settings.
An excerpt from the manga:
- 履歴書は拝見しましたが・・・お名前をどうぞ。
We have seen your resume, please tell us your name.
As featured in the Kenjougo table, the phrase 拝見しました (haiken shimashita) is a more humble version of 見る (miru, "to see").
Bonus: Did you see 失礼します appear again? See, business Japanese is already starting to make sense to you!
3. Investor Z (インベスターZ)
A genius middle schooler is recruited into a secret school investment club managing billions of yen. The series combines education, strategy, and financial literacy.
Why it's great for learners:
- Introduces business, finance, and economics vocabulary in accessible dialogue
- Explains complex topics like stocks, investment strategies, and risk in simple terms
- Ideal for learners interested in startup, money, or entrepreneurial Japanese
And excerpt from the manga:
- そうして先輩達が築いた運用資産は現在総額３０００億円！
And so, the assets managed by our predecessors have now reached a total of 300 billion yen! - 現在は年８％の利回りを目標とし毎年２４０億の利益を上げている。
Currently, we aim for an annual return of 8%, generating a profit of 24 billion yen every year.
- 運用資産 → Managed assets / Investment assets
- 運用 → Management, operation (especially of money or assets)
- 資産 → Assets, property
- 総額 → Total amount
- 総 → Total, overall
- 額 → Amount (especially money)
- 目標 → Target, goal
- 利回り → Yield, rate of return
- 利益 → Profit
- 利益を上げる → To generate profit
- 年X％の利回り → Annual return of X%
Putting several of those together:
- 年８％の利回りを目標とし
With an annual return of 8% as our goal
3 best anime for learning Japanese keigo
4. Violet Evergarden
Violet, a former soldier, becomes a ghostwriter known as an Auto Memory Doll, tasked with expressing the emotions of others through letters. Her journey explores how language connects people and how emotion can be conveyed through words.
Why it’s good for learners:
- Features formal and respectful Japanese in letter writing and client communication.
- Explores the nuances of polite expression, indirectness and empathy—core aspects of Japanese language and culture.
- Great for learners focusing on written keigo and emotional nuance in business or customer service contexts.
It’s a visually beautiful anime, making it a pleasure to watch and learn!
Screenshot from the anime:
- 差出人様のご住所をお願いいたします。
Sir, please write the receiver's and sender’s address on this form.
差出人様:
- 差出人 sender (of a letter or parcel)
- 様 an honorific suffix, more respectful than さん
- This elevates the status of the "sender" (the customer), showing respect.
ご住所:
- 住所 = address
- ご～ = honorific prefix (used for native Japanese words to show politeness)
- Together, this respectfully refers to the customer’s address.
お願いいたします:
- From the verb 願う (ねがう) = to request, to ask
- お願いする is the humble way of saying "please do..."
- いたします is the humble form of します (do)
5. Aggretsuko
Retsuko, a mild-mannered red panda, works in the accounting department of a traditional Japanese company. She faces annoying coworkers, overbearing bosses and the everyday grind—while secretly venting her stress through death metal karaoke.
Why it’s good for learners:
- Excellent example of realistic office speech: emails, meetings, phone calls, and boss-employee conversations.
- Highlights gender dynamics, hierarchy, and the struggles of young professionals in Japan.
- Lots of useful keigo and humble expressions, especially in Retsuko’s interactions with clients and higher-ups.
A screenshot from the anime:
- よければ私が加湿器の水を足しましょうか？
I’d be more than happy to get water for the humidifier, sir.
よければ If it's alright with you
This comes from the adjective 良い, meaning “good.” This is a softener to make a suggestion more polite and non-pushy, which is common in business to avoid sounding too forceful. You'll also here よろしければ (more formal) used in very polite contexts.
水を足しましょうか？ Shall I add water?
水を足す means "to add water," while the ending of 〜ましょうか？ is the polite volitional + question. This adds an indirect, deferential question of "Shall I...?" or "Would you like me to...?"
In this case, we can tell that this worker is somewhat of a kiss-ass weasel... even if he's actually a meerkat.
6. Africa no Salaryman (アフリカのサラリーマン)
This surreal comedy follows anthropomorphic animals—Lion, Toucan and Lizard—as they navigate office life in Japan. Despite the absurd setting, the characters face very real workplace challenges: power harassment, overtime, office hierarchy and more.
Why it’s good for learners:
- Presents real Japanese corporate language (including keigo) in a funny, accessible context.
- Exposes viewers to casual vs. formal speech within an office hierarchy.
- Good for hearing workplace clichés, boss-employee dynamics, and meeting lingo—without heavy technical jargon.
A screenshot from the anime:
Alongside the office antics, the show often uses a realistic—if dated—version of a computer screen to transition between scenes, giving you a glimpse into real Japanese computer vocabulary.
ゴミ箱 → Trash (bin) コンピュータ → Computer 報告書 → Report 定例 → Regular 会議 → Meeting 定例会議報告書 → Regular meeting report スクリーンセーバー → Screensaver ディスプレイの設定 → Display settings キャンセル → Cancel 適用 → Apply
3 best Japanese dramas for ビジネス日本語
7. Rikuoh (陸王)
A stirring story about a small sock company's CEO who risks it all to launch a running-shoe line. Starring Koji Yakusho and Kento Yamazaki, this drama offers rich business dialogue—board meetings, contract negotiations, production trouble—all full of respectful speech and industry-specific terms. It is especially great for hearing keigo, wakimae, and workplace strategies in action.
Screenshot from the show:
- 納期を延ばしていただくことは可能でしょうか？
Would it be possible for you to extend the deadline?
This is a very polite request using multiple layers of 敬語 (keigo) — particularly 謙譲語 (humble language) and 丁寧語 (polite language) — often used in business settings when speaking to a superior, client, or customer.
納期 → Deadline, delivery date
延ばしていただく
- Base verb: 延ばす to extend
- Form: 〜していただく
- いただく is the humble form (謙譲語) of もらう (to receive)
- → 延ばしていただく literally means: "to humbly receive the favor of you extending (the deadline)"
可能でしょうか？
Would it be possible?
- でしょうか is even more polite and indirect than できますか, adding a soft, deferential tone to the request.
8. Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman (きんたろう)
Follow elite sales rep Kantaro, who balances client meetings with secret dessert escapades. Aside from delicious treats, the show highlights polite customer interactions, sales calls, and corporate-formal speech—often using sonkeigo and kenjougo as he deals with colleagues and clients.
A screenshot from the show:
- 先日までシステムエンジニアをしておりました。
Until recently, I was working as a system engineer.
Both 先日 and しておりました are common in Japanese business settings, and they serve important roles in conveying respect, professionalism and clarity.
- 先日 → The other day, recently
- しておりました → the humble form of していました
In this scene, Kantaro is introducing himself to his new coworkers and explaining his previous role as a system engineer. He appears humble and respectful as a result of the language he’s using.
9. Atelier
Set in a high-end lingerie design firm in Ginza, this series tracks a new employee navigating client orders, production deadlines, and a demanding boss. It offers a realistic glimpse into Japanese work culture, including respectful speech, team dynamics, and etiquette used in presenting designs and communicating with supervisors.
Screenshot from the show:
南上社長によろしくお伝えくださいませ。
Please kindly convey my regards to Nanjou (the CEO).
Let’s break down what’s happening here:
- よろしく → From the broader expression よろしくお願いします, often meaning something like “best regards,” “thank you in advance,” or “please do something.”
- お伝え → the stem form of 伝える, meaning “to convey” or “to tell.” The お- prefix makes it respectful.
- ください → simply meaning “please do.”
However, add ませ on the end creates and more polite, formal version of ください. This form is common in business and customer service language.
Is anime Japanese real Japanese?
Anime often reflects real Japanese culture and language, showing daily life, etiquette and speech realistically. It includes polite forms like keigo, regional dialects and cultural customs such as school or work life.
However, if you run around shouting Naruto’s dattebayo! or ending your sentences with nyan like some kind of fantasy cat girl, expect to be stared out. Just like TV in your own country, some shows will be accurate to real life, while others are aiming for an otherworldly element.
Learn business Japanese by watching anime and J-dramas
Here’s how to learn business Japanese by watching anime and J-dramas on Netflix or Crunchyroll.
First, make sure Migaku is installed and ready to go—you’ll want our 10-day free trial.
Load up your show with the Migaku extension.
👁️ Heads up 👁️
You'll need a VPN to access Netflix Japan if you want Japanese subtitles. Alternatively, here's a guide to finding shows with Japanese subtitles available in your region .
While you’re watching, the subtitles will keep track of the dialogue.
When you come across a word or phrase you’re unfamiliar with, simply hover above the word for more information.
To help you remember a new word, you can make a multimedia flashcard.
From here, you can test yourself on this word or phrase over time, having instant access to:
- Your selected word
- The sentence it appears in
- A recording of the sentence's audio from the show
- A screenshot from teh show when the dialogue was uttered
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Conclusion
It’s time to close up shop for the day, but if there’s one thing we want you to take away from this meeting, it’s this:
If you consume Japanese media, and you understand some of the messages and sentences within that media, you'll make progress. Period.
So, grab your briefcase and hit the office in your next anime, J-drama or manga. Soon you’ll be swapping keigo with the best of them!