==================================================================== 2 0 0 M A N N I N N O K A N K E N T O K O T O N K A N J I N O U + English-Language User's Guide + ==================================================================== "Kanji is hard." - Random Japanese Person ==================================================================== F A Q I N F O R M A T I O N ==================================================================== Begun: 5/21/07 Last update: 5/21/07 This FAQ covers how to use this Japanese kanji training program for Nintendo DS as well as a number of questions about the program itself for potential owners. This file has been written to aid non-Japanese speaking players in getting the most out of the program. It's designed, when possible, to be user-friendly to those who don't read/understand Japanese, but given the nature of the program, I'm going to assume you have at least an elementary grasp of Japanese. This guide is not intended to compete with or replace any other published game guides. I can be contacted about this FAQ at tsurara(a-t)gmail(d-o-t) com free to email with suggestions/corrections. Please note that I will not give help to people reguarding further translations, bootlegged copies, or technical support. If you find any mistakes (I'm sure there are a lot) please let me know. I'm happy to credit you for any corrections made. ==================================================================== V I E W I N G J A P A N E S E T E X T ==================================================================== Since the #1 Frequently Asked Question about my FAQs has been "How can I see the Japanese?!" I figured this addition was in order. First right-click anywhere on the browser window with your mouse, choose "Encoding", Choose "Japanese (Shift JIS)" or "Japanese (Auto Select"). If that doesn't work, you probably don't have Japanese character support installed on your browser. Try the following websites for more information about installing Japanese support for Explorer other browsers. http://language.uaa.alaska.edu/Japanese/support/installing.html http://weblog.delacour.net/archives/2003/07/japanese_text.php http://penguinppc.org/~hollis/linux/nihongo.shtml http://www.msu.edu/~sunmingy/japanese/font.html ==================================================================== P R O G R A M I N F O R M A T I O N ==================================================================== "200 Mannin no Kanken ~ Tokoton Kanji Nou" is a brain training program designed to drill kanji in preparation for the "Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kentei Shiken". It covers levels 10-1 and, while geared toward a Japanese audience, is potentially quite helpful to anyone learning kanji who already has a decent grasp of Japanese. The game runs "book style" on the DS and is played exclusively with the stylus on a DS system held sideways. It was developed by IE institute and published on 11/8/2006 with a CERO rating of "All Ages". The game retails for 2,499 yen. The game, like all DS software, is not region-locked and will run on non-Japanese DS systems without a hitch. The interface is entirely in Japanese. There is no English-version available. The programs' webpage is located (in Japanese) at http://www.kankends.jp/ The program is not currently liscenced outside of Japan. ==================================================================== T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S ==================================================================== I. User's Guide A. About Kanken B. Getting Started C. Using the Program D. Technical Issues II. FAQ III. Credits ==================================================================== I. U S E R ' S G U I D E ==================================================================== A. ABOUT KANKEN While nearly all non-native learners of Japanese have heard all about the "Japanese Language Proficiency Test" (日本語能力試験), many are unfamiliar with the Kanji Kentei or "KanKen". The Japanese Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定試験) is an exam designed for native Japanese-speakers to discern their ability to properly read, write and understand kanji. There are 10 levels and two "half" levels varying in number and difficulty of kanji covered. Level 10 - elementary 1st grade - 80 kanji Level 9 - elementary 2nd grade - 240 kanji Level 8 - elementary 3rd grade - 440 kanji Level 7 - elementary 4th grade - 640 kanji Level 6 - elementary 5th grade - 825 kanji Level 5 - elementary 6th grade - 1,006 kanji Level 4 - junior high 1st-2nd grade - 1,300 kanji Level 3 - junior high 2nd-3rd grade - 1,600 kanji Level pre2 - high school 1st-2nd grade - 1,945 kanji Level 2 - high school 3rd grade - 2,229 kanji Level pre1 - 3,000 kanji Level 1 - 6,000 kanji As the tests increase in difficulty, they introduce other elements of kanji usage: stroke order, radical names, opposites, synonyms, idiomatic usage, compound words, unusual readings, etc. Someone who has passed Level 1 of the KanKen is a ridiculous kanji genius, knowing about three times as many kanji as "the average Joe" Though these tests are intended for native Japanese-speakers, it's just fine for non-Japanese to take them. Though the application forms, instructions and test materials are not available in English nor are they written with non-native learners in mind. Chances are, you will need a higher functional grasp of Japanese than you will of kanji to take each level of Kanken. ie. even if you know 600 kanji, you may find your level of Japanese has only prepared you to understand and answer the questions for level 10 or 9. The test can be taken on paper, but is most popular in it's computerized form: Registration can be done at ~ http://www.kentei.co.jp/index.html Kanken's official homepage ~ http://www.kanken.or.jp/index.html A children's "Kanken" page is located at ~ http://www.kanken.or.jp/target/shogaku.html B. GETTING STARTED The first thing you need to know about this game is that it runs in book format. The first thing you're going to need to do is turn your DS on it's side (with the touchpad on your right). + The Title Menu + タイトル　　メニュー (title menu) はじめる (begin) かんたん漢字力チェック (easy kanji check) 通信 (connect) Each button on the title menu also has a "?" speech balloon attached. When touched with the stylus, an explanation of each feature will appear in Japanese on the lefthand screen. The righthand side will have buttons reading: すすむ　(continue) and 終了　(quit) + Begin (はじめる) + Choosing the "begin" mode for the first time will trigger a few questions about you. The first being, if you are right or left handed. Please choose the appropriate writing-hand. 右　(right) or 左　(left) You will then be given a writing box and be instructed to input your name. There is no input for Western characters, so non-Japanese users will need to input their names in katakana or choose a Japanese handle... When inputting characters, similar characters will appear in the コウホ (candidate) box. Touch the correct character to input it into your name (which will appear on the top line). You're limited to 5 characters. The option けす　(erase) will erase the last character inputted into the top line when touched with the stylus. When you've finished inputting your username, press けってい　(decide) to finalize your decision. You will now be asked if you are male or female: 男　(male) or 女　(female) After inputting your gender, you'll have to make another, life altering decision: シンプル　(simple mode) or ストーリー (story mode) Choosing simple mode will get you the bare-bones studying portions without any story to tie them together. Story mode will follow a little pixel character's quest to become a kanji-master with cute little illustrations to compliment the storyline. After choosing your mode, you'll be asked whether you'd like to leave the automatic kanji recognition (自動認識)　on or off. Choosing "on" will result in the character you right being automatically inputted after a certain amount of time while turning this option off will make the program wait until you press the confirmation button yourself. - Story Mode (ストーリー) - Story mode will begin with a rather frightening encounter with the Goddess of Kanji, an unstable diety who seems to think your sorry ass is going to be able to pass the 1-kyuu. You can progress through the story screens by choosing すすむ　(continue). After a bit of introduction, you'll be taken to the "User Menu" (for how to navigate the user menu, please see "Using the Program") - Simple Mode (シンプル)- Simple Mode will bring you directly to the "user Menu" without any sort of story introduction. (for how to navigate the user menu, please see "Using the Program") + Simple Kanji Check (かんたん漢字力チェック) + Before your placement test, you'll need to choose which hand you use to write... 右　(right) or 左　(left) After choosing your stylus-hand, the test will begin. You will be presented with 10 random questions about the kanji included in the program's database. Depending on how many you get right, you will be recommended a level (from 1 to 10). Each question has a 30 second time limit to answer. The questions themselves will appear on the left screen while answers are to be inputted on the right. Questions appear in two batches, each with a different set of directions. The first 5: カタカナを漢字にしよう。 (changing katakana to kanji) 漢字の読み方を書こう。 (writing the reading of the kanji in hiragana) Both style of answers will be inputted using the stylus and the game's handwriting recognition. Many answers in the latter section require several characters to answer... so keep inputting as many as you need. Pressing 終了　(quit) during the test will bring up the options: つづける　(continue) and 　　やめる (stop) After your kanji check, you'll get a score, based on your 10 answers along with your recommended level of Kanken. NOTE: it's kind of a joke to have only 10 questions on a placement test for a program that spans 6,000 kanji so I would take your recommended level with a grain of salt. Don't be devistated if you're sent back to the first grade with your tail between your legs. + Connect (通信) + Choosing the "connect" button will pull up the following options: ミニゲーム (minigames) ダウンロード (downloads) As I don't have a wi-fi connection to exploit to this end, I'm pretty clueless as to what these features accomplish. According to the manual "You can train by challenging yourself and others to a variety of downloadable minigames" In any case ~ the submenus translate as follows: - Under ミニゲーム (minigames) 　　　　親機 (for adults) 　　　　子機 (for children) - Under ダウンロード　(downloads) ふたりで協力　(2-player co-op) ふたりで対戦　(2-player versus) 体験版配布　(test distribution) C. USING THE PROGRAM ...coming soon... D. TECHNICAL ISSUES ...coming soon... ==================================================================== III. F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S ==================================================================== Q. Is there an English menu? A. No. This is a Japanese release of software targetted exclusively at a Japanese audience. Menus, interface and the manual are entirely in Japanese. Q. I want to learn Japanese? Will this program teach me? A. This is not a Japanese-instruction program. It assumes pre-existing knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and both phonetic writing systems (hiragana and katakana). While useful for drilling kanji this program will not "teach you" Japanese. Nor is it recommended for total beginners. Q. How much Japanese do I need to know to be able to use this program? A. You need to be able to navigate the menus and speak/read Japanese on, at the very least, the same level as a Japanese 1st grader. You should know hiragana and katakana, basic grammar and enough vocabulary to understand the context and meaning of the characters you're going to drill. Q. Will this program come to the US/EU/AUS in English? A. I doubt it. While English is compulsory in Japanese schools, Japanese is still rather rare as a second-language in the US, Canada, Australia and England. There isn't a great demand for Japanese educational software on handhelds and the demand that does exist is largely for materials catering to total beginners. Q. Will this program run on my DS? A. DS software is not region-coded. This program will run on a DS from any region. ==================================================================== IV. C R E D I T S ==================================================================== FAQ and translations by tsurara. This FAQ has been written up with the help of the original program instruction manual. I would like to thank Nintendo and the IE Institute (over and over and over) for glossing said manual in furigana.