Japanese is a fast and agile language the way people actually speak it. Most words are 1-2 syllables and catching what each syllable means relies on practice and context. This is 'casual register'. We recommend that you learn Japanese this way.

Polite register is what you use with shops, hotels, what you hear on the News, etc. Words become longer and get decorated with endings like ‑masu and desu. Most textbooks teach this, but it feels stiff. If you get comfortable with casual form it's easy to attach the polite endings.

When you're in Japan you'll hear a variety of voices, ages and accents. Some people speak fast, others slower; some loud and clear, some quietly, some pausing to look for words. Geeks in Kyoto is recorded with varied, natural voices so you can practise understanding all of them.