Tanoshimi FAQ

General

Q: What is Tanoshimi?
A: An IRC channel dedicated to learning Japanese through visual novels and Kiseki.

Q: Do I have to read eroge?
A: No. Do whatever you like and stick with it. We here just think eroge is a good motivation. Also, Kiseki.

Q: How skilled are people here in Japanese?
A: This channel is filled with people of all different levels. We have beginners, intermediates, and skilled people.

Q: Do you need to memorize kanji first? Do you use the Heisig method or any variant?
A: As far as this controversial topic goes, a good share of us discourage people learning kanji by itself. We see the benefit, but it feels not enough. Some kanji by itself don't have any meaning. It is safer and easier for people to memorize words as opposed to kanji itself. You can kill two birds with one stone. However, it is a touchy subject so you may regard this as an opinion.

Q: Do I have to study or/and read every day?
A: No, do it whenever you are free. It'd be cool if you have a schedule though.

Q: Is it normal to not understand everything? And is it normal to read really slow? I feel like I'm not improving and I think I understand about 50% of what I'm reading, even though it looks rather easy...
A: Yes, so do not feel bad. Everyone goes through this phase, even if they don't read eroge. No one is perfect in the beginning and nobody will still be perfect in the end. If you are afraid of not understanding it completely, you can finish it and then return to the visual novel at a later date.

Q: Can I bring my friends in?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I ask questions?
A: Yes, feel free to!

Tools

Q: What are tools to read eroge?
A: A text hooker (ITH or AGTH and used to grab text from the game), MeCab (furiganas kanji), JParser (easy access to dictionary entries by hovering), and Translation Aggregator (the tool that uses all these tools). Documentation for text hookers can be found in https://code.google.com/p/interactive-text-hooker/wiki/UserManual and  https://sites.google.com/site/agthook/ respectively. MeCab is found in http://sourceforge.net/projects/mecab/ while  EDICT (the dictionary that supplies JParser) is in http://www.edrdg.org/jmdict/edict.html.

Q: What is a hook code?
A: Something that helps you grab text if the normal, automatic mode doesn't work. Google the game with "hook code" in the bar. It should look like /3120AB% and all you do is enter it in the text hooker. Some games that require hook codes include White Album 2 and Tsuriotsu.

Q: I feel like I'm on crutches with these tools...
A: First, that isn't a question. Second, tools are meant to help you.

Q: When should I drop text hookers?
A: Whenever you feel like you know a lot of words.

Grammar

Q: What grammar guides are recommended?
A: Tae Kim's grammar guide (http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar) is the go-to place for beginners. A word of caution: it is somewhat riddled with mistakes and oversimplifications. Imabi (http://www.imabi.net/) is a good source for intermediate learners (people who have read at least three or four visual novels) who want to get a step up and require more information. Anyone who wants to go beyond that or/and use it as a reference for Imabi may use J-J dictionaries like 大辞林 (Daijirin) and Hashimoto Grammar guides such as http://xn--vcs415akpfnn7a.com/ and http://www.geocities.jp/niwasaburoo/shuyoumokuji.html.

Q: Are there any guides that you recommend us to stay away?
A: Ixrec's Japanese guide. However, as a satire, I personally recommend it.

Q: What is Hashimoto grammar?
A: A complicated but orderly way to teach Japanese grammar. Taught in Japanese schools, it provides understanding for bases and so on and is pretty much required to comprehend 古典 (or Japanese classics). Refer to two questions ago for guides. However, it is not required for eroge readers, let alone beginners, to know. It is extraneous information if you're not interested in going that far.

Vocabulary

Q: What kind of words should I prioritize in remembering?
A: The common words. If something sounds technical, then it's probably not important to learn.

Q: What is EDICT?
A: Touted as a reference guide but nowadays used as a Japanese-English dictionary, it's one of the most popular tools for learning the language. Everyone more or less uses it in the beginning. However, it is flawed and should not be treated as gospel. It has flawed entries that do not elucidate certain words and phrasings (check 否応 on EDICT).

Q: Do you recommend Anki for vocabulary?
A: Until you know how to use J-J dictionaries, we recommend not using them. For most people, they would be using EDICT or a J-E dictionary. Many Japanese learners who Anki'd EDICT find it a waste of time. If you use J-J entries, then we think it's fine to start memorizing them. Use a custom deck filled with words you've encountered instead of default decks.

Q: Why do you favor J-J dictionaries over J-E dictionaries?
A: For the simple answer that J-J dictionaries only get the nuance right. It is clearer to what the word means and are used.

Q: What are the best J-J dictionaries and where do we find them?
A: 大辞林 (Daijirin) and 大辞泉 (Daijisen) are the Merriam-Websters of Japanese dictionaries, in that they put the commonest definition first before everything else. Mac users have these dictionaries installed in their Dictionary app (look under Preferences). Anyone else could use http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/, which hosts entries from the most popular dictionaries.

Q: When should we try J-J dictionaries?
A: When you feel ready. You may still use EDICT or any English recourses as a reference since it is a tough transition.

Q: What are ways to search a kanji without using text hookers?
A: Radical search. If the line is voiced, hear it closely and try to type it.

Choosing a VN

Q: What are some good beginner's games that I can read?
A: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dl18lmk5isyr5hw/oizday.png

Q: Do I have to read a moege?
A: No.

Q: Of all the moege, which is the easiest? Which is the hardest?
A: Hanahira and Parfait respectively.

Q: Of all the games with plot, which is the easiest?
A: From that chart, it would be Aiyoku no Eustia or Harumade, Kururu.

Q: What is 汉化硬盘版? I keep finding this on Nyaa.
A: Chinese translated edition. You do not want that.

Q: Aren't Baldr Sky and Subarashiki Hibi supposedly hard to read?
A: No, Baldr Sky and Subarashiki Hibi are rather easy to read. Their lines aren't lengthy. Of course, the difficulty relies on comprehension; both games are inundated with somewhat technical infodumps. But we find their difficulty overrated. Translating them will be hard, but reading them is rather easy.

Q: Are there any writers that beginners should avoid?
A: Fumiaki Maruto (except Parfait), Shumon Yuu, Hino, Masada, and Romeo Tanaka.

Q: May I have a taste of Shumon Yuu?
A: Enjoy Asairo's intro: http://pastebin.com/32QnnFVx

Q: I am a chuu2 faggot. Lemme try some Masada.
A: An "easy" passage from Dies Irae: http://pastebin.com/J0WqiLV1

Q: Do I have to play White Album 1 to play White Album 2?
A: Please refer to https://twitter.com/whitealbum1tho.

Misc. (or anything to do with Japanese that isn't eroge in general)

Q: When can I translate?
A: Anyone who wishes to translate anything substantial like a visual novel should at least be able to pass JLPT N1. They should also have a good grasp on the target language. Most people would find this desire to translate wane rather quickly as they learn how different the languages are.

Q: How difficult are video games like Atelier in general?
A: Rather easy. If we don't count outliers like Kiseki, most works are meant for everyone to play. Atelier is a well-known franchise that is easy to pick up and play without requiring much vocabulary from the player. Most items would be in katakana. As a side-note: games released on the Famicom do not have any kanji due to the limitations of cartridge size, hence the English and full-kana. Super Famicom games are where kanji begins to appear, but games like Majin Tensei 1 may still use full kana. Even Pokemon today still uses full-kana because of the audience.

Q: Speaking of Atelier, can you give me the intro for Atelier Marie? I will like to see how hard Atelier is ^_^
A: http://pastebin.com/8Wvz0xJ7

Q: What about literature?
A: Depends on what we're talking. If we're talking about 古典 (classics), then you will need to learn Hashimoto grammar. But most contemporary works are very easy to read the same way bestsellers in your own language are. One such contemporary writer who is popular with the West is Haruki Murakami -- he is considered light novel-tier -- while Romeo Tanaka, an eroge and light novel writer, has tougher language than most contemporary literature writers. Also, Horizon. After all, light novels are books with anime pictures.

Q: Manga?
A: Shounen and shoujo manga are often full furigana. Seinen and josei have some. Surprisingly, Aria (shounen) is a harder work to read despite the full furigana while YKK (seinen) is not.

Q: I hear Yotsuba! is easy to read. Is that a good idea?
A: Unless you have developed a sense of humor from watching anime and reading manga like Azumanga Daioh, it is not. There are threads on 4chan where Japanese learners painstakingly analyze a Yotsuba joke. Yotsuba! especially has the titular character mispronouncing certain words, which will prove troublesome to any Japanese learner.

Q: So are comedy works just not recommended?
A: Include 4komas too because they rely on puns.

Q: When can I watch anime unsubbed?
A: As soon as possible. The best way to get good at listening is to watch anime unsubbed. Start with kiddie shows like Aikatsu or a Precure series.

Q: Are JLPT tests hard?
A: If you play Eustia, you would know some JLPT N1 words. The hardest test is described as middle-school level Japanese. If you can read a visual novel without much trouble, it is likely you will pass the test. It's that bad.

Q: I am euphoric. I bet I know Japanese. Give me the hardest thing in visual novels.
A: Do not look if you are easily intimidated or your handle name is Kastel: http://pastebin.com/vY3C25pE