Considering changing the font-weight of radicals, kanji, and vocabulary

[viet]

We are considering updating the font-weight of radical, kanji, and vocabulary. The reasoning behind this is it can be hard to see the details in kanji containing many strokes.

Below is a screenshot of what we have been text rendering since the existence of the app:

And here is a screenshot where the font-weight is set to normal:

We think it is an improvement in legibility. The above two screens are probably not the best example since these are level 1 kanji.

I want to run it by you all first before taking the next step. Thoughts?

[trunklayer]

@viet

it can be hard to see the details in kanji containing many strokes.

Exactly! I think changing the font-weight is a great idea, thank you!

[plantron]

I want Comic sans!

[viet]

Is there a CJK equivalent to Comic Sans?

[plantron]

@plantron

@Gorgophone

I also wonder if there’s a Japanese equivalent to Comic Sans

Yes, it’s called Manga Sans.

  

[SleepyOne]

I think it definitely improves legibility, so I’d be all for the change. I think it could also help to post a preview of the change with some more complex kanji, since that’s where it’ll be most noticeable.

[TheCodingFox]

I think it really helps see the strokes better. It would be interesting to see some of the more complex kanji in a lighter font.

[depressed-axolotl]

I would love to see this change.
Here are some more examples for your consideration:

Current (bold)

Normal

Lightest (100)

[viet]

Before:

After:

[seanblue]

@viet

The above two screens are probably not the best example since these are level 1 kanji.

Let’s see the comparison for level 60.
(The level 51 picture definitely shows it better.)

@viet

Is there a CJK equivalent to Comic Sans?

Armed Banana?

---

Overall I think it looks better with the thinner font.

[TheCodingFox]

It’s beautiful! I’m in favor of the change.

Thanks for always working to improve Wanikani.

[afunian]

I think the new thin font looks much better

[morteASD]

Yes please! The thinner font is what you mostly see in books anyway, and is much more legible.

[depressed-axolotl]

@viet

legibility

In other news, I learned a new word today

[lucon1]

That sounds like it would help. I’ve noticed in the examples, I can parse out some of the strokes better with the lighter font., and see it as a unique kanji, rather than a blob.

[plantron]

I especially like the “weigh” one (量る)

Masaaki Hiromura Merged Japanese Typography With Signs and Symbols

http://archive.is/SOGez

[weirdconnie]

I’m all for a lighter font.

[thechilltrain]

Thinner font looks beautiful!

Could you also consider letting users adjust the font size?

Using WaniKani on my PC is uncomfortable for me. The kanji look so huge in my browser. It stresses me out for some reason.

[d-hermit]

Lighter font looks a bit better, so not a bad idea

[Belthazar]

Ah, but they’re all so cute and squishy right now.

I confess I’d first thought the topic to mean that you were going to use different font weights for radicals, for kanji and for vocab…