Hey, thanks so much for this, what a fantastic overview. After hearing about it on Japanese Pod I thought I'd give it a try. I'm just a few days into it a free trial, but I'm very impressed so far - I like how it seems to be based very firmly on the most up to date cognitive research and on real learners experience. I'm just starting, but my views so far are very similar to yours so far. I've been dabbling with Japanese for a few years without making real progress, so I was looking for a good way to get back to basics and get more structure to my studies, and NS seems to do that (I've been very unimpressed with some of the language products out there). It definitely has a 'beta' feel to it but I love that it is using 'real' Japanese even from day 1. I'm pretty sure I'll subscribe to it, but I'll still try to keep up with my other studies (mostly using Miku Real Japanese products and Satori Reader).
@@Mithrilda Thanks! I haven't taken part in the community there yet, but I'm looking forward to getting to know people in there as soon as I've the time to explore more.
I learnt so much Katakana from even reading english translations of manga and seeing the onomatapoeia. I'd read out the sound effects and it just made reading so much fun!
Thanks for covering this! Just discovered it and you were the only one I could find actually reviewing the app! I noticed there aren't a whole lot of recent updates easily findable so I was curious where their progress is at and if its still tracking along?
@@sakuvanninen3839 Hey! Since making that earlier comment I've been using the app for the past couple months+ and can give some info. They now have 482 units made as of the writing of this with Phase-2 nearly complete out of the 4. They are still putting up around at least 4 new units every week as they have for over 18 months now. Phase 1&2 covers all the grammar concepts contained in N1-N3 with a smattering of N2&N1. Both phases cover almost all the common use kanji. Currently it seems they are also trying to rebuild the app, which basically means no new features for a stretch of time but after that's finished future updates should be easier and faster for them. I found this info through the blog but originally I went to it through a link from their email. You can get free trials or deals if you give them your email so that can be helpful if you're interested 😄
Hi Mithrilda, thank you for this video, it’s exactly what I was looking for. This video was uploaded in March and it’s now May; how do you feel about nativ shark now?
I'm glad you did this. Do they have Tagalog lessons? I was planning on practicing it, but never got around because I got busy with Evolve. But that is really cool if you only do 15 minutes a day. EDIT: Went to the website, I guess it's only Japanese.
Yeah, unfortunately for other languages, they are focused on Japanese and finishing this curriculum first and it'll be a few years before they add other languages I believe
Is there a place where NativShark puts out notifications for new content? I kinda wanna get an idea of the frequency at which new content is added. Thanks
Hiya, I don't think there's anywhere they notify you of new units, but you can keep an eye on the "NativShark Stats" on this page: www.nativshark.com/roadmap. Right now for reference, there are 180 completed units (166 in Block 1, 14 in Block 2) which contain 256 core lessons. I believe the number mismatch is from how some units have multiple lessons. So as you see the number tick up, that means more units are being added.
お疲れさまでした Wow Nativshark looks pretty cool. Glad it is working for you! I had never seen 明々後日 before, now I am wondering if I just didn't notice it or what lol. This always happens where I learn a new word then realize it is everywhere I just never noticed it lol. So I will be on the lookout for it in my day to day life now. It would be cool if they had a deck of pitch accent cards where you train your ears to hear the accent. I did that with anki using Dogen's pitch accent deck and it really helps you hear the correct sounds so you are more likely to pick them up. Also just being aware of the different patterns helps a lot. So I hope they implement something like that. For progress videos it is tough. I really don't like all the AJATT progress videos people make because just hearing "I studied x amount of new cards, I did x amount of hours of immersion" doesn't really tell us anything or show how much you progressed. Although I did like this video, hearing about how you noticed your progress in your daily life, so that is fine I think. I guess you could record a video chatting with native speakers? Or trying to read a manga or something? I dunno just some random ideas. Ultimately as long as you feel like you happy with your progress, then that's all that matters though! 頑張ってね
I definitely agree on the AJATT progress videos, I feel like I'm exhibit A of doing a lot of "stuff", but not getting a lot out of it. Maybe I should take JLPT practice tests for fun? I think trying to translate stuff would be fun too like reading the same manga every month and seeing how much better I get each time and splicing that all into one video. I learned about pitch pretty early on so I feel like I do a decent job in picking it up as I listen to the flashcards although being able to recall the pitches of everything in the moment is a definite struggle. I'm sure it just comes with time and practice though. How did you learn japanese and why for?
@@Mithrilda I started with AJATT but I could never go as hardcore as those guys do. I did RTK way back then too. Then I quite for a while and when I restarted I just started doing the sentence method slowly using Anki and doing lots of immersion. After coming to Japan I realized I was not as good as I thought so I studied a lot of grammar and studied for the JLPT for few years but I failed N2 by a few points on the reading section. So last year I decided to just take off from studying and read as much as possible. So now I just watch lots of anime/dramas and read a lot. There is a foreign language reading challenge called the Tadoku challenge, where people read and report their pages read. So I do that a lot too. The website is tadoku.app/landing As for the why? It started with anime. I was watching a series that was taking forever to come to the US and fansubs at the time had very unreliable release schedules so I figured I would try to learn Japanese so I can go straight to the source. So I guess I accomplished that goal. My goal now is to be able to read novels that I want to read in Japanese and also to improve my speaking which is my weakest skill.
Glad to hear! As long as you can make a confident and informed decision on whether you like NativShark, it's not a big deal :) I felt like 7 days was enough for me to feel confident in the system.
Thanks for this nice overview and review! Really hard to find anything quite like this for obvious reasons since it's relatively new. I'm glad that it has helped improve your speaking as well. That was a large reason as to why I wanted to use it. I currently live in Japan and it's always stressful to have to try and talk to anyone because I have trouble forming sentences along with having to concentrate intently on what someone is saying. Some days I'm alright but more often than not I walk away from a conversation feeling really stupid. Really wanted something that could help with the transition of the gobbly gook of stuff I already know and mold it into something I can actually use consistently. Looking at the phases, I'd say the end of phase 2 is probably where I'd really like to be, but I hope to one day become entirely fluent. I think the price was definitely a bit high in comparison to other resources I've used, but if it is all inclusive then that should make up for it. The fact that they don't have all the phases is a little bit of a scare though. Not that I don't think they'll finish it, but moreso that I think I will run into a wall because I wonder how much of Phase One I'll just push through quickly and then finish up before they have more content. I suppose that might be overly ambitious though and I should just jump in and go for it and cross that bridge if and when I get there.
Honestly, it's super, SUPER expensive. 1500 USD? No thanks. Wanikani lifetime costs 199 on sale and they teach you way more in therms of kanji and vocabulary, and way easier, And WAY MORE EFFECTIVE. Honestly, I prefer Tofugu's free guide to study japanese, and from there find good resources, many of them free or way cheaper. 189USD per year is a lot, too. Unless they charge less, it's a big NO.
Hiya, this video isn't sponsored by nativshark and they had no control over anything I said. I have no business relationship with them outside of being an affiliate
Tried it for a month and couldn't be bothred to continue. It's basically a glorified textbook while sprinkling in some "secrets" (sort of what you would discover from listening to a Jpod 101 podcast or whatever) to keep you paying more. I think Bunpro combined with youtube lectures for addtinonal study with Bunpro is the winner here, especially with it being vastly cheaper than Nativshark.
Hey, thanks so much for this, what a fantastic overview. After hearing about it on Japanese Pod I thought I'd give it a try. I'm just a few days into it a free trial, but I'm very impressed so far - I like how it seems to be based very firmly on the most up to date cognitive research and on real learners experience. I'm just starting, but my views so far are very similar to yours so far. I've been dabbling with Japanese for a few years without making real progress, so I was looking for a good way to get back to basics and get more structure to my studies, and NS seems to do that (I've been very unimpressed with some of the language products out there). It definitely has a 'beta' feel to it but I love that it is using 'real' Japanese even from day 1. I'm pretty sure I'll subscribe to it, but I'll still try to keep up with my other studies (mostly using Miku Real Japanese products and Satori Reader).
Very glad to help! I'm excited to see how much progress you'll be making!
@@Mithrilda Thanks! I haven't taken part in the community there yet, but I'm looking forward to getting to know people in there as soon as I've the time to explore more.
I learnt so much Katakana from even reading english translations of manga and seeing the onomatapoeia. I'd read out the sound effects and it just made reading so much fun!
Yes! Lately I've been seeing the katakana sound effects getting translated into english? Which is unfortunate for me as a japanese learner haha
How far did you end up going with NativShark? And how is your Japanese now?
Thanks for covering this! Just discovered it and you were the only one I could find actually reviewing the app!
I noticed there aren't a whole lot of recent updates easily findable so I was curious where their progress is at and if its still tracking along?
@@sakuvanninen3839 Hey! Since making that earlier comment I've been using the app for the past couple months+ and can give some info. They now have 482 units made as of the writing of this with Phase-2 nearly complete out of the 4. They are still putting up around at least 4 new units every week as they have for over 18 months now.
Phase 1&2 covers all the grammar concepts contained in N1-N3 with a smattering of N2&N1. Both phases cover almost all the common use kanji.
Currently it seems they are also trying to rebuild the app, which basically means no new features for a stretch of time but after that's finished future updates should be easier and faster for them.
I found this info through the blog but originally I went to it through a link from their email. You can get free trials or deals if you give them your email so that can be helpful if you're interested 😄
Thank you so much for this in depth review and analysis of NativShark!! Just the video I was looking for!
Glad to help!
Hi Mithrilda, thank you for this video, it’s exactly what I was looking for. This video was uploaded in March and it’s now May; how do you feel about nativ shark now?
Loving it still! I've made a lot of progress!
@@Mithrilda Thanks for replying so fast!! I’m gonna sign up for a free trial once I get paid.
@@seventhsheaven there's no payment method needed for the trial so no risk! Just btw :) and you get a 2 week trial with my link
How did you progress after this? Did you complete the course?
are you still using it ? i just had a look at the site and they have extended the study material well into phase 3 now by the looks of it
Are you still using it?
Out of curiosity, are you still learning Japanese? I don't see any other videos from you on Japanese since this one.
I am! I want to make more videos, but I'm having trouble thinking about what to say or how to convey my progress haha
have you stuck with it? how are the lessons going
Great overview. Thanks!
I'm glad you did this. Do they have Tagalog lessons? I was planning on practicing it, but never got around because I got busy with Evolve. But that is really cool if you only do 15 minutes a day. EDIT: Went to the website, I guess it's only Japanese.
Yeah, unfortunately for other languages, they are focused on Japanese and finishing this curriculum first and it'll be a few years before they add other languages I believe
I think they want to add Korean and Spanish in the next year.
Is there a place where NativShark puts out notifications for new content? I kinda wanna get an idea of the frequency at which new content is added. Thanks
Hiya, I don't think there's anywhere they notify you of new units, but you can keep an eye on the "NativShark Stats" on this page: www.nativshark.com/roadmap. Right now for reference, there are 180 completed units (166 in Block 1, 14 in Block 2) which contain 256 core lessons. I believe the number mismatch is from how some units have multiple lessons. So as you see the number tick up, that means more units are being added.
@@Mithrilda Thanks!
They’ve one single Tweet in 2023. It’s about their rickety “infrastructure”. Maybe stay away.
It asks for a referral code :(. I clicked the link but I'm scared it will register me without giving me the 14 day trial.
Hmm, I believe you can enter "mithrilda". If anything doesn't work out, let me know and I can message them!
@@Mithrilda Not sure if it had to do with your link or entering in "mithrilda" but it worked; thanks!
16 minutes a day? Are you planing on spending thousands of dollars over the next 10 years? 😀
When I saw “free trial” I wanted to jump off a building..
Hi! So how's your Japanese now? Still enjoying it?
お疲れさまでした
Wow Nativshark looks pretty cool. Glad it is working for you! I had never seen 明々後日 before, now I am wondering if I just didn't notice it or what lol. This always happens where I learn a new word then realize it is everywhere I just never noticed it lol. So I will be on the lookout for it in my day to day life now.
It would be cool if they had a deck of pitch accent cards where you train your ears to hear the accent. I did that with anki using Dogen's pitch accent deck and it really helps you hear the correct sounds so you are more likely to pick them up. Also just being aware of the different patterns helps a lot. So I hope they implement something like that.
For progress videos it is tough. I really don't like all the AJATT progress videos people make because just hearing "I studied x amount of new cards, I did x amount of hours of immersion" doesn't really tell us anything or show how much you progressed. Although I did like this video, hearing about how you noticed your progress in your daily life, so that is fine I think. I guess you could record a video chatting with native speakers? Or trying to read a manga or something? I dunno just some random ideas. Ultimately as long as you feel like you happy with your progress, then that's all that matters though! 頑張ってね
I definitely agree on the AJATT progress videos, I feel like I'm exhibit A of doing a lot of "stuff", but not getting a lot out of it. Maybe I should take JLPT practice tests for fun? I think trying to translate stuff would be fun too like reading the same manga every month and seeing how much better I get each time and splicing that all into one video. I learned about pitch pretty early on so I feel like I do a decent job in picking it up as I listen to the flashcards although being able to recall the pitches of everything in the moment is a definite struggle. I'm sure it just comes with time and practice though. How did you learn japanese and why for?
@@Mithrilda I started with AJATT but I could never go as hardcore as those guys do. I did RTK way back then too. Then I quite for a while and when I restarted I just started doing the sentence method slowly using Anki and doing lots of immersion. After coming to Japan I realized I was not as good as I thought so I studied a lot of grammar and studied for the JLPT for few years but I failed N2 by a few points on the reading section. So last year I decided to just take off from studying and read as much as possible. So now I just watch lots of anime/dramas and read a lot.
There is a foreign language reading challenge called the Tadoku challenge, where people read and report their pages read. So I do that a lot too. The website is tadoku.app/landing
As for the why? It started with anime. I was watching a series that was taking forever to come to the US and fansubs at the time had very unreliable release schedules so I figured I would try to learn Japanese so I can go straight to the source. So I guess I accomplished that goal. My goal now is to be able to read novels that I want to read in Japanese and also to improve my speaking which is my weakest skill.
Do you think NativShark is better than Pimsleur? I am having a hard time deciding which one to buy.
I saw your affiliate link for 14d after I was 4 days into my trial. :( Still liking it over doing Genki books and winging it on my own.
Glad to hear! As long as you can make a confident and informed decision on whether you like NativShark, it's not a big deal :) I felt like 7 days was enough for me to feel confident in the system.
I really like it so far. I work on handwriting the material as I go so I get used to it, but it is really helpful so far.
52 days in and still loving it.
Woo glad to hear! I'm on day 116 now!
@@Mithrilda WOO!
I can't find phase 3 and phase 4
Thanks for this nice overview and review! Really hard to find anything quite like this for obvious reasons since it's relatively new. I'm glad that it has helped improve your speaking as well. That was a large reason as to why I wanted to use it. I currently live in Japan and it's always stressful to have to try and talk to anyone because I have trouble forming sentences along with having to concentrate intently on what someone is saying. Some days I'm alright but more often than not I walk away from a conversation feeling really stupid. Really wanted something that could help with the transition of the gobbly gook of stuff I already know and mold it into something I can actually use consistently.
Looking at the phases, I'd say the end of phase 2 is probably where I'd really like to be, but I hope to one day become entirely fluent. I think the price was definitely a bit high in comparison to other resources I've used, but if it is all inclusive then that should make up for it. The fact that they don't have all the phases is a little bit of a scare though. Not that I don't think they'll finish it, but moreso that I think I will run into a wall because I wonder how much of Phase One I'll just push through quickly and then finish up before they have more content. I suppose that might be overly ambitious though and I should just jump in and go for it and cross that bridge if and when I get there.
Very nice and informative video. Just what I was looking for. Thank you so much!
Can you do another review?
This video is amazing! Definitely here to stay
Amazing video, I am sold!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy :)
Honestly, it's super, SUPER expensive. 1500 USD? No thanks. Wanikani lifetime costs 199 on sale and they teach you way more in therms of kanji and vocabulary, and way easier, And WAY MORE EFFECTIVE. Honestly, I prefer Tofugu's free guide to study japanese, and from there find good resources, many of them free or way cheaper. 189USD per year is a lot, too. Unless they charge less, it's a big NO.
Asian Velma type vibe, very nice.
Btw guys, this vid was sponsored by Nativshark
Hiya, this video isn't sponsored by nativshark and they had no control over anything I said. I have no business relationship with them outside of being an affiliate
Tried it for a month and couldn't be bothred to continue. It's basically a glorified textbook while sprinkling in some "secrets" (sort of what you would discover from listening to a Jpod 101 podcast or whatever) to keep you paying more. I think Bunpro combined with youtube lectures for addtinonal study with Bunpro is the winner here, especially with it being vastly cheaper than Nativshark.