Manga and the Japanese Culture

Recently, I've noticed this happening to me, how reading a lot of manga over the summer really does help me learn more about the Japanese culture than from reading something like textbooks.
I mean, just reading translated manga won't do a whole lot, but reading it helps me learn more. Which is really cool. I've always wanted to visit Tokyo. Or Japan. But first I gotta know more about the country and culture. (I wish I took the Japanese class in my school...)

One big example: the honorifics! I'm still confused about this so correct me, please, if I'm getting this wrong. I'm still confused what honorific goes where, but here's some. All learned from translated manga...
Knowing these will help you, because sometimes, there will be jokes made based on these (like in Angelic Layer) and you won't get it unless you know these. First, they might seem awkward but then as you read more manga, it becomes natural.

1. -chan : used for younger girls than the speaker, or girls who are familiar to the speaker, like friends or family. Or also used to boys who are close to the speaker. For example, see Angelic Layer. Tamayo calls Kotaro Kotaro-chan, whereas he wants her to call him Kotaro-kun. And Tamayo would be called Tamayo-chan.
   
2. -kun: used for boys. Boys who are lower in the social ladder than the speaker is, or are friends with. For example, in Tsubasa Chronicles (by CLAMP), Syaoran, one of the four main protagonists, is called Syaoran-kun, by those around him.
   
3. -san: used for adults, and sometimes people who might be younger than the speaker but is higher in the social ladder. For example, see Fruits Basket. Even when Akito was a child, older people around him called him Akito-san.

Of course, there are more honorifics out there. Seems to me there're too many to memorize...T.T But I'll figure it out! (Sometime)

Another smaller example: tea! It seems, especially in Fruits Basket, there's a lot about drinking tea. Maybe it's a natural thing. Have tea with guests, maybe as an enjoyed drink. Honestly, tea isn't really my favorite drink but maybe something'll change if I go to Japan. Maybe. Oh, and this isn't only in Fruits Basket. Check out this cute anime (also manga, but a little confusing regarding order) CCC. Card Captor Sakura, also by CLAMP. It's cute. My new contributor (will introduce in next blog post) told me innocent and anime don't go together, but oh well. :) But it's not that I disagree....

Right now, that's all I can think of and this post is getting long. Better go off into intros!