Kanji Atlas

What is Kanji Atlas?

Kanji Atlas is an educational browser game built around stroke order. Each character becomes a small level, and every stroke is a path laid over water. The path rises one step higher than the last, so the act of writing becomes a short walk across a physical route. Midorii the kappa follows a firefly along each stroke in the direction the character would be written. Stepping off the path drops the kappa into the water.

The result is a language-learning game that treats kanji as places to traverse rather than diagrams to copy. The free content covers 92 kana, 212 radicals, and JLPT N5 and N4 kanji, nearly 600 characters with grades 1 to 3. Readings are voiced, and each completed character comes with a mnemonic. A 3D photo mode and printable postcards add a quiet creative layer.

The game runs in HTML5 and saves progress in the browser. It is in development, with premium JLPT N3 to N1 sets on the way. The included material already gives a learner a broad range of kana, radicals, and beginner kanji to walk through.

How to play

Play begins with a single character presented as a level. The firefly marks the route, and the kappa must follow each stroke in the correct writing direction. The path is narrow: stepping off it sends the kappa into the water, so the walk itself teaches care and sequence.

Each stroke finishes with the gesture that matches its ending: tome stops, hane jumps, and harai slides. Those gestures are not separate modes; they are the closing action of the stroke. Finish the strokes and the components appear, followed by the whole kanji. The completed character is shown with its stroke order, voiced readings, and a mnemonic.

Easy mode is available for players who would rather not fall. The Esc menu holds stroke order, a kanji sheet, photo mode, and difficulty, so review and adjustment sit one step away from the level. The rhythm is calm, but the order is strict: walk the stroke, land the ending, and let the character assemble.

Controls

Keyboard controls are direct. Arrow keys walk, Space jumps for hane, Shift slides for harai, and Esc opens the menu. That menu contains stroke order, the kanji sheet, photo mode, and difficulty. On phones and tablets, on-screen buttons provide the control route.

The small set keeps attention on writing order: walking advances along a stroke, jumping handles a hane ending, sliding handles a harai ending, and the menu opens review options. The menu is also where Easy mode can be selected if falling interrupts the lesson.

Because the controls map to the stroke gestures, a player can practice the same stop, jump, and slide actions while learning the shape. The keyboard layout stays simple, with movement on the arrow keys and the two gesture actions on Space and Shift.

Tips for your first run

First runs go better when the firefly is treated as the guide rather than a target to chase. Watch the direction of each stroke before moving, then pair the final gesture with the stroke's ending: stop for tome, jump for hane, slide for harai. If the path feels punishing, switch to Easy mode from the Esc menu.

Use the kanji sheet to review shapes, and revisit stroke order when a character refuses to settle. After the strokes are complete, listen to the voiced reading and read the mnemonic; both reinforce the character after the physical sequence. Photo mode and printable postcards are optional rewards, not steps in the lesson. Because progress is saved in the browser, a session can be short and still count.

• Follow the firefly's direction before walking a stroke.
• Match the ending gesture: stop, jump, or slide.
• Open the Esc menu for stroke order, kanji sheet, photo mode, and difficulty.
• Use Easy mode to avoid falling while learning a new shape.
• Finish the character to hear its reading and see its mnemonic.

Content and replayability

The free library is broad for a browser game. It includes 92 kana across hiragana and katakana, 212 radicals, and JLPT N5 and N4 kanji, nearly 600 characters with grades 1 to 3. Readings are voiced, and completed characters carry mnemonics.

A 3D photo mode and printable postcards give finished characters a second use beyond review. The game supports English, French, and Japanese. Easy mode changes the difficulty for players who want to study without the fall consequence. Progress is saved in the browser, so returning to a set does not require starting over.

Premium JLPT N3 to N1 sets are on the way, which points to a larger path after the included N5 and N4 material. A newsletter offers a new kanji every two weeks for players who want a steady drip of characters between sessions.

Presentation and performance

Kanji Atlas uses a cozy pixel-art look with cute, relaxing walking imagery. The core scene is a water path: strokes become raised routes, the kappa follows a firefly, and a missed step ends in the water. That visual rule makes stroke direction legible without a diagram.

Completed characters bring voiced readings, and the menu includes a kanji sheet, stroke order, photo mode, and difficulty. The 3D photo mode and printable postcards extend the presentation beyond the level, while the three language options cover English, French, and Japanese.

The game is HTML5, so it runs in a browser, and progress is saved there. The tone is calm rather than arcade-fast, with sequence and falling providing the challenge. Midorii the kappa and the firefly give the lesson a small character focus, and the pixel-art style fits the quiet, study-friendly mood.

Who should play it

Kanji Atlas suits players who want stroke order taught through movement. Beginners can use the kana and radical sets before moving into JLPT N5 and N4 kanji, and Easy mode removes the fall penalty for cautious study. Players who already know some Japanese can use the kanji sheet, voiced readings, and mnemonics for review.

The cozy pixel-art style and kappa-led walks make it a fit for relaxing study sessions rather than timed drills. Support for English, French, and Japanese helps learners who want instruction in a familiar language. The free content covers a large starting range, while the planned premium N3 to N1 sets signal where advanced study will go.

Anyone who likes language-learning games, walking-based levels, or printable postcards has a clear reason to try the browser version. The game is still in development, so players should expect the included sets and features to be the current scope.