renshuu - Japanese learning ٤+

Renshuu is an amazing way to start learning Japanese, and continues to be helpful as you get better. It’s fun and interactive, and the developer is kind and easy to contact. You can choose exactly what you want to work on and the games help you learn new words alongside digging up old ones you haven’t thought about in a while. The question center has you write based on a prompt, and output isn’t something you see often in language learning programs. My only issue is that it doesn’t seem like you can make all the Japanese to English multiple choice questions show the kanji instead of the furigana when the lesson isn’t specifically on kanji, but that might just be a setting I’m missing and it doesn’t take away from the usefulness of this app. From learner to learner, you won’t be able to learn everything from a single source, no matter how amazing renshuu is, so if you’ve been looking for something that will teach you Japanese by itself, like I did when I was first getting started, that’s not going to happen. I highly suggest doing other things alongside renshuu, like watching videos and plays originally in Japanese without any subtitles, talking to fluent Japanese speakers, writing short stories in Japanese, and recording yourself talking about something you like in Japanese. All in all, I recommend renshuu to any beginner who wants a steady way to learn Japanese. Just don’t use this or anything else as your only resource.

First off, thank you so much for your extensive review - it is really appreciated!

Next, I have good news for you! Just about everything in renshuu can be adjusted, and kanji is no exception. renshuu's "default mode" is to show you furigana for kanji you haven't studied in renshuu, so you are not hit with kanji you don't yet know.

If you want to change that, though, you can! Pop open the menu, tap the settings icon, then go to the Vocabulary category. You should see a "What do you with kanji you don't know" setting - change that so it is the far right "kanji only" option. This will ignore your kanji level, and show them to you regardless.

Should this not be a fit for what you're looking for, please reach out to me so I can consider updating the setting! I'm always here at michael@renshuu.org or the ? button at the top of the app.

This app is one of the best learning apps I have ever used. Hands down. Super good learning system, enforces learning consistency over efficiency, easy review systems, nice interface, just superb overall. I'm giving 5 stars even though there are a few things I don't like because only TWO people are developing this app (just wow!). I think the interface feels a bit too much like a webpage/website and less an intuitive app design, although this is expected with a small developer. Also, sometimes quests about searching up words in the dictionary don't automatically complete when I do them, although I'm only 90% sure I'm actually completing the quest. I really enjoy the manga page and gacha system when doing lessons! Mnemonics and drawing practice help make it easier to learn. I suggest if you have already used Duolingo to learn >25% of the characters, this would benefit you significantly. Using a Japanese textbook will be most likely the easiest process and most learning, but not everyone has that (so obviously there is an option for both). Despite all that I said above this, I really really enjoy this app, and anyone learning Japanese; complete beginner, intermediate, or nearing complete proficiency; it's still a great app and resource to at least try out!!!

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

Keeping a similar look and feel across the apps and the web version of renshuu is, as you guessed, due both to me as a solo-dev as well as my desire to keep renshuu (the company) small so we can offer as much for free as we possibly can!

As to the quest issue - I'd love to get a bit more info from you about that so I can fix it :) I'm always here at michael@renshuu.org, or the ? button at the top of the app.

Initially, I was hesitant to give this app a high rating due to its overwhelming and unattractive UI. It felt like 2004 AOL dial-up internet threw up all over Duolingo. However, after dedicating a full day to customizing the seemingly endless, granular, user settings, I managed to make it somewhat visually appealing and user-friendly.

What truly sets this app apart is its fantastic community. The forums are filled with helpful and friendly people who are eager to engage in Japanese-related discussions. When I encountered a technical issue, the app's creator promptly addressed it and pushed an update within minutes – a testament to their exceptional support.

Moreover, this app replaces several others I used, such as Bunpro, WaniKani, HelloTalk, Ringotan, Drops, Duolingo, TEUIDA, and Kitsun, making it a nearly all-in-one solution for Japanese learning. My only suggestion is to add the functionality to type in word definitions as answers, similar to Kitsun. Despite this minor missing feature, the app’s comprehensive offerings, supportive community, and responsive developer make it a must-have. I started my Japanese journey from scratch just to go all in on this app. For the love of god, just make it look more polished. Invest in revamping this app visually without sacrificing any functionality and it will be the next ‘Japanese Duolingo’.

Thanks for the review, and the feedback!

You can type in most answers - tap the settings link below the schedule, and you should see some "type in" options available.

While I (literally only me - the company is just my wife and I) am continuing to work on improving renshuu's UI, there will ultimately only be so much I can do. The ability for it to replace, as you noted, several different apps is going to require a higher level of complexity. It can come across as quite a stark contrast with so many apps that focus on one thing, and really make that work, but the same complexity allows much more freedom and customization that isn't available in any other app.

Because I'm a solo dev, I have to make a few sacrifices, including keeping a unified look across iOS, Android, and the web. Thanks to that, though, I'm able to offer so much for free :)

If you have any other questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me! I am always here at michael@renshuu.org, or the ? button at the top of the app.