Just in case this is useful to people thinking of starting and not sure how it will go (I was one of those people).
I wasn’t sure how this method would suit me, I hate mnemonics, I hate cute names for radicals, and I was pretty sure I already knew the first 200 kanji upside down and inside out.
Well it turns out, I knew barely any on’yomi readings at all. I never bothered learning them, when I drill myself with my flashcards (physical ones, I am old school) I put the card in the ‘learned’ pile if I know the kun’yomi reading, and if I happen to know the other one, bonus. So at first it was very frustrating typing in answers to kanji I ‘know’ and getting back a ‘sorry, we want the other reading’. So I had to learn them. And now I know them! I also never really learned how to count days properly so having to do that was a right pain but hey, it’s something I really should know. My god how I hate the number 8.
It also turns out that I have developed my own mnemonics and radical names over time (who knew), and being able to add them to the user synonyms list and notes was a big plus. Without that I think I might have quit because it’s hard to remember to put in what wanikani is calling something, when I have been thinking of it as something else for years.
It took me 4 weeks exactly to pass level 3 so the ‘free trial’ of 3 levels is a good length, it was enough time to see if I do in fact keep coming back every day. I also like the humor of the site and the fact that they seem responsive to users wants and complaints (take notes, Duolingo) and as a developer myself, this is exactly how I think all programs should be, communicative and open, and with API access. I am happy to give a company like that my money.
Here’s my 4 week humble-brag screenshot. See you again in 57 more levels I guess!
