@bagofdragonite Alllllright then flexgod.
To OP, though your goals are primarily focused on input, conversation practice will greatly improve your reading and listening as well so it’s great that you decided to practice with iTalki. For question 3, even if your goal was complete fluency of Japanese, writing kanji isn’t a necessity. Learning stroke order, however, will make it easier to recognize handwritten Japanese.
Transitioning from Tae Kim to Bunpro should give you a solid basis for basic grammar, and given your WaniKani level you can actually start reading manga already. You’ll still have to look things up but it likely won’t be every other word or grammar point you encounter. If you look through WK community you can find past reading threads that are often labeled “beginner” or “intermediate,” and I believe they all have vocabulary lists compiled by the participants of the thread.
From what I’ve read it doesn’t seem like you’re currently using anything to acquire vocabulary. While the best method is actively noting vocabulary from the material you read or listen to, knowing a few thousand common words can make working through Japanese all that much easier. I recommend the Core 2k/6k decks for Anki or the Torii vocabulary SRS app created by a member of the WK community.
I wholeheartedly agree with this.
Lastly, once you start reading manga and watching Japanese subbed anime, that is reaching the most basic form of your goal. You’ve already come really far in your Japanese journey so it’s time to experience the fruits of your labor!