You gotta start somewhere when you start studying Japanese. When I began learning katakana many moons ago, my teacher was Hello Kitty. Yes, I first purchased a Sanrio writing book in a Tokyo bookstore. And this was after I had sex for the first time — with another person, even! So sad. Reader Lord Jezo sent this along:

I spotted this book at Mitsuwa (the premier East Coast Japanese supermarket in the New York City area) over the past weekend. It seems that Pikachu has moved on from selling people soda and is now trying to teach Japanese folks katakana.

Man, I should've shopped in New York City. Their katakana books are better than the crap we have in Japan. Brian Ashcraft

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