Just wondering how you guys learn kanji and what specifically is your method.
Based on my research, it seems like some of the most popular methods are using:
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I started out using WankKani, but I actually swapped to MaruMori because it also has grammar lessons and a bunch of extra learning tools which are helpful.
Tadoku has also been really useful, I have been planning on trying out Satori Reader too, but I keep putting it off 
I like that it has the option to disable furigana for kanji you already know
How about you?
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Hi!
I recommend two apps: Kanji Study and Ringotan.
Kanji Study to learn the reading and meanings of kanji.
Ringotan to learn to write the kanji, which has proven incredibly helpful for me so far.
Good luck with your studies!
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I thought I might make a comprehensible input suggestion since I donāt see one in the thread. The method by which I study kanji is watching videos with Japanese subtitles. I havenāt tested my ability to write, but it has been immensely helpful for recognition and reading.
Hi everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to respond!
@hanna How do you like MaruMori so far?
I have tried the free version of Satori Reader before, but as they mention on their website, itās really meant for intermediate learners. As a beginner, I was bored because I was constantly clicking on the translationsā¦
@diana Thanks! Iām going to check out those apps (especially since Ringotan is still free at the moment).
Good luck with your studies as well!
@alexander Interestingly enough, I recently started watching a video game longplay with Japanese subtitles and I have found that I am already starting to recognize some of the frequently used kanji. Thank you very much for your suggestion.
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Iāve found MaruMori to be good! The grammar explanations are detailed without being over complicated and there are lots of good examples. The community there is also very friendly and there is new content all the time. Iād recommend giving the trial a go 
And yeah I think Satori Reader is maybe still a bit hard for me too, but I am enjoying reading the level 0 books on Tadoku!
I use WaniKani. For me, its been amazing. And fun, actually, which is not something I ever would have thought kanji could be for me lol. You can use it for free through 3 levels, which is quite a lot of kanji and time, so itās worth trying to see if it works for you.
I personally use jpdb
As far as SRS (Spaced Repitition System) goes I prefer WaniKani but I canāt afford it, and between subscribing to CIJ and WaniKani I would rather choose CIJ.
jpdb is real nice though, lots of premade decks made from various books+textbooks, manga, anime, and even some games. You also have the ability to make custom decks like you can with Anki. jpdb is also an online dictionary I think first and foremost.
Most of my retention Iāve noticed comes from obviously the most common words I hear. Also I intentionally add words to a custom deck that I havenāt learned yet but have heard/seen a few times in my listening and have come across in reading graded readers and posts on bluesky lol. Stuff I couldnāt figure out just through listening.
Between jpdb and WaniKani, I really donāt like jpdbās mnemonics and kanji/radical names at all. However you can write your own in instead, which is real useful.
I donāt really spend tooooo much time on SRS but it does feel like making myself aware of these words and kanji through SRS kinda prepares my brain to hear and understand them when I listen.
Edit: You might know this already but just in case: something to keep in mind with SRS method is that even with example sentences, a lot of words probably wonāt stick in your mind in a way that matters unless you hear them in the context of a video or read them in a book or something. In my (limited lol) experience SRS seems to be at best a supplement to your listening and reading practice.
@hanna Thanks for the review on MaruMori! I might check it out if I ever need a new learning resource. I thought the most interesting part was the reading practice.
@mark888 WaniKani seems to deserve its popularity based on how many learners have mentioned how itās managed to make learning kanji fun.
Personally, I didnāt like it when I signed up because I didnāt like how they didnāt explain radicals properly (but thatās probably because I learned Chinese in school and my teachers were very insistent on having the students learn and understand the radicals properly to make it easier to learn the characters. Unfortunately, Iāve forgotten most of my Chinese so I need to learn kanji the regular way lol).
But thank you; I appreciate the recommendation and Iām sure people lurking on this community page will too!
@couchlazy Thanks for the detalied answer.
I have seen people recommend jpdb! Iāll have to check it out to see what the hype is about. I like the idea of premade decks from sources that learners are generally interested in.
Speaking of SRS, @diana recommended Ringotan earlier in this thread. Itās currently a free app that is meant to help you learn how to write kanji and uses SRS. The SRS has really made a difference in my ability to recognize and remember kanji!
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I did RTK at the beginning, following AJATT advice.
After this I never studied readings, but sometimes check them out using the kanji study app and specifically the outlier kanji addon. Knowing about how the kanji came to be and where the reading comes from is fascinating and useful.
Iāve been to occasionally (very inconsistent) use the KLC graded readers to practice my reading of the kanji. This fits with my overall approach which has mostly been extensive reading.
I used Tadoku and Sakura when I was a beginner, Satori and āeasyā manga when I was more intermediate, and now I read whatever Iām interested in (novels and/or manga)
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@kasasto Thanks for the answer. Itās not a big surprise, but it seems like people who have the discipline to go through RTK tend to do very well when it comes to reading.
Iād really like to try the Kanji Study app, but itās only available on android at the moment. People tend to recommend Renshuu as an alternative for iOS users which is nice because I can use it to look up mnemonics and vocabulary/pitch accent, but Iād still like to try something like Kanji Study.
Yeah itās a good app, unfortunate itās not on apple.
And also I agree, when I first started RTK I thought āif itās not that important to do, then why did so many people with great Japanese do it?ā But I think itās more just that the overlap of people willing to put in thousands of hours and the people willing to do RTK to completion is very large.
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When I started learning Kanji it was with WaniKani I think. But after reaching around level 20 I felt it was much too limited and slow.
After a lot of research I did RTK with like 20 Kanji a day for a few months + review. After I finished it I dropped it and just learned new words in context and with a 6K + mining deck.
After RTK I never wrote Kanji by hand again as I donāt need it without living in Japan.
Learning new Kanji in context after around 3 years learning japanese is now very easy. The more Kanji you know, the easier it gets.
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