Some readers have told me that 1 week is not enough time to learn both hiragana and katakana. And I kind of agree—the thing is, you don't need to perfectly memorize both hiragana and katakana in one week. However, you do need to kind of memorize them.

This is why I also recommend printing out worksheets of hiragana and katakana (there are tons online, in addition to the ones I included in Phase #1). Then, you can totally ditch romaji after one week of cramming with Ninja Tool #1 (an app or program for learning the characters).

In Weeks #2 onward, each time you come across a hiragana or katakana character that you can't recall, you can just (1) bust out your hiragana/katakana worksheet, (2) scan it until you find the appropriate character, (3) mildly freak out that you've “learned” that character 49 times and you still can't remember it, then (4) continue on with your studies.

Ninja Brain Prep #1

(Estimated Time to Completion: 30 Minutes)

1. Read the Pronouncing Japanese section a few times.
2. Keep that information in mind as you proceed to Brain Prep #2.

Ninja Brain Prep #2

(Estimated Time to Completion: 1 Week)

1. Get a free app or program for learning hiragana and katakana.
2. Learn the reading and pronunciation of every single character.
3. Learn to write the characters (recommended, but you don't really need to if you don't feel like it; personally, I never handwrite any Japanese).
4. Keep using your chosen app or program every single day until you know all of the characters like the back of your hand.
5. (Optional) Print out hiragana and katakana charts and use them for reference whenever you encounter forgotten characters throughout future studies.