Questioning the traditional reading instruction that overly emphasizes literal comprehension of texts, one of the authors conducted action research and revised her advanced-level Japanese reading course at a university by incorporating some principles from critical literacy. The "critical reading" course aimed at developing students' ability to analyze linguistic features of texts and making students cognizant of the effects of the writer's language choices. This article is based on interviews with six students conducted after the course and reports on their perspectives regarding the critical approach adopted in the course. The data show that all the students felt some challenge in engaging in critical reading activities, yet they found it to be intellectually stimulating and beneficial in many aspects. The positive effects and difficulties of implementing a critical approach are discussed. (Contains 6 footnotes and 1 table.)