My Kana Adventure: How I Survived the Squiggle Apocalypse

Current Mood: Still dreaming in curvy lines and pointy angles

So, I finally did it. I looked at the Japanese language and said, “You know what? I’m gonna learn you.”
Famous last words.

Little did I know I was about to enter the wild, wiggly world of what I now call “The Squiggle Apocalypse.”

🌀 Phase 1: The “What Have I Gotten Myself Into?” Phase

It all began with JapanesePod101’s promise:

“Learn all the Hiragana and Katakana in just two hour!”

Links for the brave:
👉 Hiragana Video
👉 Katakana Video

I thought, “Pfft, I’ve binge-watched entire Netflix seasons in one sitting — how hard can this be?”
Spoiler: harder than I thought.

My Review:
These videos are like that overly supportive friend who believes in you way more than you believe in yourself. The teacher is cheerful, patient, and somehow manages not to cry as you mix up ぬ (nu) and め (me) for the fifth time. The mnemonics actually help — though I’ve invented some questionable ones of my own (for me, へ (he) will forever be a haystack).

My first impression of ひらがな (Hiragana) was basically:

“Did someone let ants crawl through ink and across the page?”

My brain’s first impressions:

• あ (a): “That’s just a guy doing a cannonball. Easy.”

• ぬ (nu): “Is that a snail? A rollercoaster? Someone in downward dog?”

• め (me): “Okay, same as the last one — but with commitment issues.”

✍️ Phase 2: The “My Hand Has Betrayed Me” Phase

Just when I thought I was starting to recognize these squiggles, I found out I had to write them.
👉 Learn Japanese Channel: Hiragana Strokes
👉 Learn Japanese Channel: Katakana Strokes

My Review:
These videos are the strict-but-fair sensei you didn’t know you needed. No fluff, no chit-chat — just clean, precise stroke order and perfect penmanship. Watching them feels like oddly satisfying calligraphy ASMR.

Pro tip: Watch at 0.75x speed unless you’re some kind of writing deity (I’m not).

At first, I thought: “How hard can writing be? I’ve been doing it since kindergarten.”
Famous. Last. Words. (Again.)

My き (ki) looked like a broken DNA strand. My そ (so) resembled a deflated balloon. And れ (re)… let’s just say there was collateral damage involving erasers and deep sighs.

My handwriting evolution:

• Day 1: Drunk chicken scratches

• Day 3: Slightly less drunk chicken

• Day 7: Sober chicken, still confused but trying its best

💀 Phase 3: The “Anki Made Me Its B*tch” Phase

Then I met my match — Anki.
The flashcard app that knows your soul and will remind you how forgetful you really are.

My Review:
Anki is that brutally honest friend who says, “Nope, you don’t know that one.” But it works. Like, really works. Making my own flashcards with weird mnemonics was surprisingly effective — apparently, my brain likes chaos.

My inner monologue during reviews:

• ね → “NE! NEKO! CAT! I’M A GENIUS!”

• わ → “Uh… wa… WALUIGI! YES!”

• を → “Looks like a guy falling off a chair… oh right! ‘WO!’ Nailed it!”

🎮 Phase 4: The “Tofugu Quiz Addiction” Phase

Next, I stumbled into Tofugu’s Kana Quiz (kana-quiz.tofugu.com) — and oh no… it’s digital crack.

My Review:
This quiz is deceptively simple but wickedly effective. It gives you instant feedback, tracks progress, and somehow makes repetition feel like a game. I found myself saying “just one more round” at 1:00 AM like a true addict.

The first time I scored 100% on both Hiragana and Katakana, I did a victory dance.
My cat was unimpressed. I was euphoric.

💡 What I Learned (Besides the Kana Themselves)

1. シ (shi) and ツ (tsu) are not the same. It’s a psychological test. You will fail it at least once.

2. Writing practice is gym for your hands. Painful at first, but worth the flex later.

3. Anki never forgets. You can’t ghost it — it will find you.

4. Mixing methods is key. Videos + writing + flashcards + quizzes = the ultimate kana combo.

🧾 Resource Report Card

Resource	Grade	Pros	Cons
JapanesePod101	A-	Fun, beginner-friendly, great mnemonics	Too cheerful for pre-coffee mornings
Learn Japanese Channel	A	Clean, precise, calming	May destroy your self-esteem temporarily
Anki	A+	Customizable, scientifically effective, free	Miss a day = immediate regret
Tofugu Quiz	A+	Addictive, responsive, simple UI	May ruin your sleep schedule

🏁 Final Thoughts

Two weeks later, I can proudly say:
I can read both kana scripts (most of the time).
I can write them (if you squint).
And I’ve accepted that my そ (so) will always look a little… special.

But honestly? It feels amazing. I went from “these are pretty squiggles” to “I can actually understand these pretty squiggles.”

Now it’s time to meet my next challenge: kanji.
I hear 木 (tree) is easy. Just a tree, right?
…Oh no. I’ve said it again.

Current Kana Count: ~106 (give or take a few mental breakdowns)
Pens Sacrificed: 3
Sanity Level: Questionable
Next Goal: Conquer the Kanji Forest 🌲

またね! (Mata ne! — see you later!) ✨

⚡ TL;DR for Lazy Learners (No Judgment):

1. Watch JapanesePod101 videos for the basics 
2. Use Learn Japanese Channel to not write like a toddler 
3. Make Anki cards and suffer through the reviews 
4. Get addicted to Tofugu Quiz 
5. ??? 
6. Profit (in Japanese knowledge!)