My failed and never tested stacks are empty, and there are 2042 cards in the other four stacks. Hurrah.
I realize this is only a momentary breather and a lot of review lies ahead to get all those cards into the final stack ? but for now, at least, it's a chance to stop and thank everyone who put great stories on this site, shared in the forums, and Fabrice, of course, who can't be thanked enough. There's also my new group of friends ? Mr. T, Spiderman, Johnny Depp and Mick Jagger ? I love you guys ? hopefully we can work together again when RTK3 time comes around. It feels great to finish the book in my targetted two months, though I made a great push over Christmas and now I feel a bit like a snake who just swallowed an elephant. However, since there are no new cards to add, I know I'm cresting the hill. See you guys on the way down, and thanks a million once again. I honestly could never have done it without this site and everyone involved with it.

Congrats on finishing to all. The number of finishers is picking up, ne?

Bravo, timcampbell! Congratulations!

Congratulations on a major milestone on a wonderful journey!

Wow you guys! I never ever ever thought I would get to post in here that I have finished the book, but I have! Started in July before I came to Japan on Jet and finished in January! I definitely stumbled a long the way, but somehow managed to pick myself up. Still got those nasty failed card stack, but that's another story.

Honestly honestly honestly I would never ever have been able to finish the book without all of your great stories! Plus just simply knowing that there are other people out there studying and having the same problems as me!

Thank you so much Furaburisu for putting so much time into this site and providing a tool that is so priceless.

Congrats timcampbell! I know how ya feel!

congrats for persevering skinnyneo, well done

Nice one skinnyneo. Glad to see you pushed over the final hill!

I finally reached kanji no. 2042 today. I started on January 1st 2008 so in total it has taken me 24 days, this is studying full time between 8 - 12 hrs a day. I've already studied around 500 Kanji before starting Heisig.

I did most of my Heisig reviews with Anki and still have many reviews scheduled. I used up 225 sheets of paper (450 sides) writing Kanji and went through 4 biro pens.

I went back to my SRS for sentences which I have only returned to 3 times since the new year and I have 500 + sentences out of 1000 to review.

I'm glad to have reached the end of this book. The writing of the Kanji doesn't seem to hard now, sentences I had in my SRS now make more sense. Thanks to Fabrice for setting up and maintaining this website, it has been extremely helpful.

Congrats, genbaku. I think this could be a record!

Thanks Codexus but I have some previous Kanji knowledge so not sure it can count to any record. It would have taken me a lot longer from scratch. Anyway I am seriously burned out! I can't believe I did it.
Anyway the concentration required for reviews is minimal compared to learning new Kanji from scratch so from here on I should be ok.

1500 kanji in 24 days?!??!?? Holy moly...please report for psychiatric examination post haste!

genbaku Wrote:I finally reached kanji no. 2042 today. I started on January 1st 2008 so in total it has taken me 24 days, this is studying full time between 8 - 12 hrs a day. I've already studied around 500 Kanji before starting Heisig.

bikkuri shimasu yo!! ganbatte kudasai...

genbaku, good job for kicking those kanji's butt.

Well done genbaku!
I am looking forward to posting on this thread when I finish - but it's nice to see when it pops up; reading other success stories helps me to keep on 'keepin on.
Thanks for a little inspiration. Congrats!

I knew back in November I would post here twice. This first one (in November) was to say I finally did initial reviews on all the RTK1 (the common milestone to count for finishing). Now I officially think I've finished RTK as 90% of the cards are now in the 4th stack or higher.

Obviously, I will keep up with reviewing on this site and look forward to using Trinity when it comes out.

Congratulations to the new finishers!

Congratulations Nukemarine on another significant milestone!!! I'm so glad you posted that, because I was waiting to post something similar, and you made me realize that I might be close. 90% of 2042 is 1838. Well, OMG, I didn't realize but I've got 1873 in the top stack! I'm there, man! And I realized it because of your post! I wonder if I'll ever have all 169 of the other kanji into the top stack too? 100%? It could happen...

Nukemarine... Congratulations! And like CharleyGarrett, you made me realize that I am doing much better than I thought. I have 1955 in the top stack and I have been feeling pretty bummed about it... But now I realize that this is better than 90%!! I am really glad that I saw your post!

I'm actually pretty happy at realizing that 90% is 1838 kanji too. I was actually almost at 2000 before christmas, but then didn't do any reviews for two weeks (I know, I know) and had 500 to do when I got back. Since then my fourth stack has been continually dwindling by a few everyday as I work the failed cards back through the lower stacks. I know it'll jump up again when they do, but knowing that I'm still at around 90% gives me a boost!

26 days after adding the last card I've got these statistics.


Period Cards Deck%
1 day 1 0.05%
3-5 days 15 0.73%
6-8 days 15 0.73%
9-21 days 124 6.07%
21-45 days 434 21.25% *
1.5-3 months 759 37.17%
3-6 months 692 33.89%
6-12 months 2 0.10%

I'm pretty happy, it didn't take very long to move stuff up. I think from (*) onwards its similar to 4th stack on RevTK so 92.42%. The number of reviews I have per day now is 40~50.

I made it! I got home from work today and had me a marathon. Half a bottle of wine and half a pack of cigarettes later, I'm done. Of course, I still have lots of review in store, but, by God, I'm not adding any new material to the stacks so I'm posting now. If my learning patterns remain as they have been I should be at 90% in a month, maybe a month and a half.

It took five months and a few days, with a dangerously long 3 week haiatus to study for the JLPT.

I switched to anki halfway through and, frankly, I don't think it was worth the trouble. Not that there's anything wrong with the program (it's wonderful), but I made the switch before I could transfer all of my data and had to spend a ton of time catching up on my reviews.

At any rate, thanks to all of you for the support. I'm sure I would have bailed had I not known that there were so many others having all the same problems as me. Thank you Fabrice for the website. And Thank you, dingomike for all of the great mnemonics.

And congrats to all others who have finished.

Hurrah, blackstock! Your story inspires all of us! Be sure to celebrate recklessly today...just be sure your drinking binge doesn't kill the brain cells where the kanji are stored!

Congrats! I really like this thread, it's a great way to get motivated!

Done! It took me 18 months or so. Thank you Fabrice for this site, and thanks to you all for sharing so many good stories.

Alexandre