A little over a year has passed since the founding of Japanese Level Up, yet I have never really introduced any real background about this website.  What started as random short articles introducing techniques and tips on learning Japanese has evolved into a full fledged method, with the unparalleled power to take you from zero to fluent to legendary. But to accomplish this, I want you to understand first what exactly you are dealing with.

 

The Mental Mind Set

From your first visit, you were probably able to guess the theme of this site.  If you had never heard the phrase “level up,” you probably are viewing this site on a typewriter.  The mentality behind the Japanese Level Up method is to turn your entire Japanese learning experience into a video game (or movie, anime, chronicle, quest, adventure) where you are the main character and Japanese is your source of power.  The origins of this outlook are found in Japanese Quest: The Legend Of You.  As you go through your quest and train, you level up, achieving new abilities.  To aid you on your travels, you have the Japanese Quest Guide, which is a constant update of all the posts on this website in an easy to follow, organized fashion.

Practical Use Of Japanese Level Up

Japanese Level Up has no Japanese textbooks or lessons.  It has no teachers.  It has no media (besides a few video blogs).  How could you possibly learn Japanese?

The method relies on you creating your own journey, which you must embark on yourself. Japanese Level Up doesn’t teach you Japanese.  It teaches you how to learn Japanese: 1) what textbooks to buy, 2) what programs to use, 3) what equipment to employ 4) what books to read, 5) what TV/movies to watch, 6) what websites to go to, and most importantly 7) what tactics to employ.  Japanese Level Up will be with you from the beginning of your first story arch to the end of your saga.

Why not actually teach Japanese?

There are already so many great and creative Japanese lessons in books and websites out there that any additions I could possibly make would be minor.  More importantly though, Japanese lessons only scratch the surface of what is required to master Japanese.  The need for them fades rather quickly, and you soon reach the entry portal where you are really ready to start your adventure.

How to actually become fluent by using the Japanese Level Up method

Go through all the posts in the Japanese Quest Guide, generally in the order they are presented.  This is the most up to date, and accurate way to use this website most efficiently.  Follow the advice, go to where it guides you to, and begin to merge this with your own, self-developed strategy guide.

To further aid you, a Japanese Level Up book is in the works.  This will take the Japanese Quest Guide and turn it into a full fledged walk through, interweaving all the posts together of this website in a journey like fashion, making everything the clearest it could possibly be.  The goal is to prevent you from having to work hard on learning how to learn Japanese, and let you focus all your time on actually learning Japanese.  The release date is tentatively scheduled for the end of 2012.

The Future of Japanese Level Up

Despite many other endeavors right now, this website will be constantly updated with new information. There are many areas I want to expand on such as:

- An online store with original products.
- A jobs section with opportunities for aspiring translators.
- Media guides including manga, novels, comedy, and anime.
- New contests to encourage competition pushing yourself to new limits.
- Possibly taking on guest writers.

I still feel like there is a lot left for me to pass down.  And readers like you are constantly providing me with new ideas and troubling areas that are worthy of posts.

Thanks.

To everyone who reads, follows, and shares this site: you make it all worthwhile.  Meeting people who are as enthusiastic about learning Japanese as I am is what keeps me going.  As always, keep battling forward and remember that I’m waiting for you at the next level.

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Photo by: YoTuT