I am looking for an app or a website that functions similarly to WK and will allow me to add my own vocab to the list.
I am not very good with computers, so I need something that is easy to use.
I have tried Houhou, and it was great for a while but suddenly it doesn’t let me add any item to the SRS system, so looking for something else. I saw there was a Self Study userscript but couldn’t figure out how to use it. I also tried Anki but the interface is too distracting, and I couldn’t figure out how to use the template that made it look similar to WK.
Another +1 for Kitsun. If ease of use is your primary concern, it’s definitely the way to go. It’s got a built in dictionary for adding cards, and the default layout (which the dictionary uses) is clean and easy to understand.
Thank you. I have found my way to kitsun on my own, I am just not sure I can afford the price at the moment since I haven’t been working for a while due to the pandemic. I will try its free trial and see if it’s good enough to pay for, but I’d still rather find something that’s free/cheaper
Anki definitely has a learning curve, but is a standard for a reason. Once you tweak the interval settings, you have a lot of control to fine tune your retention. Making the cards pretty is a matter of basic CSS styling. If you’ve never done any web design, that could be a problem.
If you want to mimic WK in Anki, you can download the WK Electric Boogaloo deck, delete all of the notes, and add your own. Might still need some tricky editing to get it right, though.
There are also easy to use add-ons to generate readings and audio. I would go this route if I were you (I did, actually). Spend a day or two figuring out how to design a card you like and set the intervals, and you’ll forget all about pretty colors and subscription fees :).
If you’ve never done any web design, that could be a problem
I’ve never done any web design. I’ve been trying to customize Anki but all the tutorials out there are more confusing than helping, so I guess this is not my thing.
Yeah, I definitely understand not wanting to get into some technical exercise. If you use Anki as it is, it will be perfectly usable, just an uninspiring black on white (or vice versa in dark mode). All you would (optionally) need to do in install the Japanese plugin if you want to generate automatic furigana readings, and/or the TTS plugin if you want robots to read the words out loud for you (useful). Otherwise, out of the box it works just fine.
The hardest part is understanding the SRS intervals and adapting them to your preferences. I got this all figured out from one 30min Youtube video, and basically copied the settings presented, as they more or less match some popular research on memory. It’s an interesting thing to watch either way, especially the last bits on review frequency and retention. I ended up spacing out my intervals quite a bit compared to WK, so we’ll see if it works.
I did not match Wanikani as the intervals are supposedly too frequent, according to this video. My learning steps are 30 1440 8640. Then the grad interval is 15 days.
I also use these settings, and they have worked great for me. My retention is a bit on the low side, but I don’t really mind, as I tend to add a lot of words from the books I’m reading (and leeches automatically get suspended). Almost 4k words in the last half a year.
I’m actually really happy with Kitsun’s pwa, it’s a alot more functional than WK on a browser and I use it all the time. But the new app previews look really good, I look forward to it.
I spent 1 year struggling with Anki. Then I started Kitsun and since then I’ve learned more than 20000 cards.
