I turned my Anki side project into $15K raised on Kickstarter(alt-romes.github.io)
alt-romes.github.io
I turned my Anki side project into $15K raised on Kickstarter
https://alt-romes.github.io/posts/2026-01-30-from-side-project-to-kickstarter-a-walkthrough.html
7 comments
I've put weeks of effort on the post and months on the project. I think it's worthy of being in HN and the votes so far seem to imply the same. I have been improving the title and posting at the time period HN allows. It's not a repost in the sense that it hasn't gained any attention. It just hasn't reached a critical enough mass. What does it mean to you? If you think the post is just not high quality perhaps you can comment on that, rather than the number of times it has been posted.
Lots of us put weeks/months into our projects. As somebody who's definitely had their fair share of "Show HN"s be swallowed into the murky depths, take the "L" and just give it a few weeks before reposting again.
Now onto some feedback:
**** What I like ****
The article is well-written and I really appreciate the candid nature of the journey to see this project through to the finish line.
**** What I don't like ****
There's literally dozens of JLPT flashcard sets (online and physical).
It's a bit hard for me to understand the point of the physical card aspect of this kickstarter. It pushes SRS/Leitner/etc - but I can't even fathom anyone trying to organize and set this up with physical cards.
The "no silly mnemonics" feels like a solution in search of a problem. Most of the flashcards that I've used for Chinese and Japanese had no such thing on them.
**** Questions ****
Did you work with a native Japanese speaker to vet your cards?
How can I rely on your expertise as a non-native speaker? Did you major in Japanese? What level of the JLPT have you passed?
I see no mention of 部首, are you incorporating radicals into the learning process?
**** Constructive ****
If it were a work of art, such that I could display the cards decoratively then I think I might be more inclined to invest. For example, if you'd gotten a Japanese calligrapher to do the kanji.
Now onto some feedback:
**** What I like ****
The article is well-written and I really appreciate the candid nature of the journey to see this project through to the finish line.
**** What I don't like ****
There's literally dozens of JLPT flashcard sets (online and physical).
It's a bit hard for me to understand the point of the physical card aspect of this kickstarter. It pushes SRS/Leitner/etc - but I can't even fathom anyone trying to organize and set this up with physical cards.
The "no silly mnemonics" feels like a solution in search of a problem. Most of the flashcards that I've used for Chinese and Japanese had no such thing on them.
**** Questions ****
Did you work with a native Japanese speaker to vet your cards?
How can I rely on your expertise as a non-native speaker? Did you major in Japanese? What level of the JLPT have you passed?
I see no mention of 部首, are you incorporating radicals into the learning process?
**** Constructive ****
If it were a work of art, such that I could display the cards decoratively then I think I might be more inclined to invest. For example, if you'd gotten a Japanese calligrapher to do the kanji.
Thanks vunderba, that's a good point about the time and that's a better comment than the parent one.
The mnemonics really were the main feature driving me away from existing resources and to make my own.
On the questions: I am not an expert, but I didn't make anything up. All data is picked from dictionaries like JMDict/jisho.org. The layout and choosing which information to display how I found best was according to my studies.
On 部首: They're highlighted for each Kanji (back side) and annotated on the bottom right in the full form, but there are no individual cards for radicals.
All in all, the deck features and what makes it different is better described by the guide that I link in the post (which, while interesting, is better suited for the audience which cares about Kanji).
The post itself focused on the building and business part which I think is well-suited for the HN crowd.
Anyway, thanks.
The mnemonics really were the main feature driving me away from existing resources and to make my own.
On the questions: I am not an expert, but I didn't make anything up. All data is picked from dictionaries like JMDict/jisho.org. The layout and choosing which information to display how I found best was according to my studies.
On 部首: They're highlighted for each Kanji (back side) and annotated on the bottom right in the full form, but there are no individual cards for radicals.
All in all, the deck features and what makes it different is better described by the guide that I link in the post (which, while interesting, is better suited for the audience which cares about Kanji).
The post itself focused on the building and business part which I think is well-suited for the HN crowd.
Anyway, thanks.
Np. Thanks for the details. And FWIW I might just not be the target demograph for the product, but it does seem like you have an audience for it because the Kickstarter is gaining support~~
Good luck!
Good luck!
Looks pretty nice, but isn't the physical product going to be worse because it can't do the spaced repetition logic?
You can do the spaced repetition logic yourself with a leitner box. Details here: https://ncase.me/remember/
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