I’ve found 3 main mindsets in learning Japanese. The first is treating it like any other academic subject. You go to classes, you have textbooks, there is a specific structure of progressing, there are quizzes, tests, and papers, and you track your improvements. The second is to learn Japanese naturally, like a Japanese person would, and just get used to it. I prefer the third mindset, which is kind of a combination between the two:
You are the main character in a video game, and Japanese is your special power.
Video games (especially RPGs) possess great components that can be extremely useful in transferring over to the development of your Japanese. This includes elements like skill stats, weapons, enemies/bosses, and leveling up. These games are incredibly addictive based on their design. Use this design to your benefit.
Why do you think people spend hours doing mindless tasks in these types of games? They want to build up their character. There is great pleasure in your character getting stronger, faster, acquiring better weapons, kicking ass and gaining power. Next time you dread thinking about spending a few hours doing Anki reviews, think of it as the same as spending a few hours killing repetitive monster spawns to gain experience points for your character.
Be as creative as you want, and organize the way you want your character to be based on whatever elements you enjoy most from your favorite video game. I’ve narrowed it down to four main areas:
1. Character Stats
Come up with specific stats to whatever you personally want to accomplish. Your current stats might look like:
Mafia Slang: 7/100
Karaoke: 8/100
Famous Ancient Proverbs: 35/100
Puns: 95/100
Celebrity Impersonations: 20/100
Ninja Vocabulary: 15/100
2. Experience Points
Put experience points on the tasks that you like doing, and especially on the tasks you don’t like doing:
100 Anki Reviews: 250 exp.
1 Anime Episode: 25 exp.
1 News Article: 50 exp.
30 Minutes On Skype With Random Lonely Japanese Person: 80 exp.
3. Quests/Enemies/Bosses
Make these the big obstacles you really want to overcome, and give yourself big exp. point returns:
Massive Backlog of Anki Reviews: 1,000 exp.
JLPT Test Level 2 Beast: 10,000 exp.
Japanese Job Interview: 8,000 exp.
Arguing Your Japanese Electric Bill: 7,500 exp.
4. Levels
This is one of the most rewarding and important parts of any video game. I’ve worked hard in developing the level chart on the right sidebar of this website. Level increases get exponentially harder, so going from level 1 to 20 may take as long as going from level 65 to 67.
Recently I’ve been power leveling myself from level 65 to 70.
Find What Suits You Best
If you are too lazy to keep track of everything by writing it out, internalizing it in your head works just as well. That’s mostly what I do. But I know some people like to see everything in written form, so go wild.
And now you finally know the origins of the title of this website: “Japanese Level Up”
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Photo by: Agustin Rafael Reyes
This has been one of the most entertaining blogs I’ve seen you post. And this is something that I will definitely use when I’m during my low points of Japanese study. ^)^ ありがとうごさいます。 これはすごいだよ
ありがとう！この方法で頑張ってください！
I refuse to accept this system without the sound effect and swirly light when I ding the next level
That I’d have to charge for.
This is a very powerful technique. I’ve been experimenting with the same idea since last September and it really does give you a sense of improvement. Only, I’ve given my Japanese a physical character. (Click my name to see what I’m talking about.) I’m still on the 赤ちゃん[baby] phase according to my experience, so whenever I feel a little down about my Japanese I think about my Japanese Goal Monster’s level/phase and I think, ‘My monster is a helluva lot better than a Japanese baby would be at this point.’ And that brings a lot of encouragement and motivation.
Yea I’ve checked out your site and like what you’ve done. It does have a lot of similarities to the way I do things.
Why did I never think about something like this??? Dude this technique sounds really fun and motivational! I am a huge gamer and RPG’s tend to be some of my favorite types of games. I had to stop MMO’s because the daily grind became so much that I would spend hours and at the end of the day feel like I had wasted my day and didn’t really gain anything. With something like this, I could get that video game feel, AND be improving my Japanese at the same time. It will make me feel accomplished everyday. I happen to be a comic book artist so I’m gonna go the full route and design myself as a character, design a D&D style character sheet, bosses, monsters, quests/goals and work from there. I’m pumped! Thanks! I need to determine my starting level though… I’m thinking that since I’m wrapping up N3 grammar I’m about 20ish?
I used to play MMORPGs as well so that’s why I took the idea behind it and used it to something actually worthwhile to your life. I like the idea that you are going fully flesh it out. I’d be curious to see what you come up with. Might give other readers here some ideas as well.
I plan on doing a post very soon as to an explanation of what the levels coincide to, so just wait a little while longer.
Yeah I’d appreciate it if you would post what kinds of leveling/experience scale you use to level. I spent about 6 hours or so fleshing out the basics of what I think I want to do, unless your leveling system is better than mine of course. (I’m not so good with numbers lol) I’ll let you know when I get it up and running. I think you are right and that something like this could motivate others and it would even motivate me knowing that It’s helping others.
Okay I posted the level scale. I’ve never actually come with an actual number based experience scale, since for the most part I’ve internalized the process.
That’s ok. I think I’ve come up with a system that will work for me. In fact, maybe it’s better that people make their own scales because it makes it more of “their own” so to speak.
WOW!! Just… incredible. Once I get back into my japanese studies I will place this post as my homepage hehehe
Really, very very creative idea you had. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! And very nice guide you have there about learning kanji using the Heisig method.
ありがとございました
Writing a kanji a few hundred times? Mining that planet.
Not getting discouraged because I *still* don’t know katakana the way i should? Penguin race.
Powering through no matter what? Bongo Bongo!
Lulu is back and is going to practice some nihongo magic every step of the grid.
Oh, yeah, and somehow work in obsessively playing galaga and tetris like the Pong player I was.