Why Japanese?

I have always wanted to study the Japanese language (日本語), but I've never been able to devote enough time to make any sort of substantial headway. I'm just starting a doctoral program in French literature, and thanks to secondary language requirements set forth by the department I now have an excuse to finally learn the language I've so much wanted to study. Initially I met understandable confusion when I revealed my plans to study Japanese as part of my overall education in French literature. However, I feel that despite the fact that there is a significant (and seemingly under-researched at least from the Francophone perspective) Franco-Japanese cultural exchange, learning a non-Romance language will help me view language and expression in new and exciting ways that will only help me in my professional and intellectual development.

My first exposure to Japanese language (and perhaps culture) was watching Iron Chef obsessively as a child. My interest in Japanese culture has continued to develop; I consider Ryu Murakami and Yukio Mishima to be amongst my absolute favorite authors, and although it might be shocking to some of my most Francophile friends, I prefer the films of Satoshi Kon more than even of the best of the Nouvelle Vague. My goal in studying Japanese besides just being able to speak, read, and listen to a language that I adore from an aesthetic standpoint is to gain direct access to a rich culture that I have so far in my life only had the opportunity to experience in translation. With reading knowledge (technically) as my goal, knowing that the writing system is notoriously difficult to master makes me a bit apprehensive at times. I hope/believe that with enough study and patience I will eventually be able to read with relative ease. Overall I'm optimistic and can't wait to learn more.