You Can Kana - Learn Japanese Hiragana & Katakana

You Can Kana - Learn Japanese Hiragana & Katakana

Released Aug 2021

Learn and master the japanese phonetic alphabets at your own pace with this meditative language learning tool.

98% positive · 348 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence

Where to buy

Steam $9.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
We couldn't confirm these stores carry this game.
Green Man Gaming Steam key Search IndieGala Steam key Search
Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site

Evaluation

You Can Kana launched on August 11, 2021 and received a steady stream of free post-launch updates from the developer. In the first months after launch, the developer shipped several feature additions including JLPT Challenge Mode (August 30, 2021), Training Mode (November 26, 2021), a 2022 update with touch screen support and new colour palettes (June 3, 2022), the Word Explainer and improved translation system (July 17, 2022), and graphics tablet support (December 24, 2022). The most recent update, released on May 15, 2023, brought macOS support with Steam cloud save syncing between platforms. Since that May 2023 release, no further developer communications or updates have been posted. Notably, in a November 2021 post the developer mentioned being "very busy working on a new game" — signalling that the developer's primary focus had moved elsewhere. The update cadence, which was reasonably active from launch through mid-2023, has been completely silent since May 15, 2023 — over three years ago as of June 2026. There are no unreleased DLC listings, no outstanding roadmap commitments, and no announced future content. The developer explicitly stated in the August 2021 JLPT Mode update that they had "no plans" to add a vocab-teaching mode, indicating a deliberate scope limit. The game appears to have reached its natural completed state with the macOS port in May 2023.
Evidence
Developer released macOS support with Steam cloud save sync between macOS and Windows — the most recent update and last developer communication on record.
news post · May 15, 2023 source content shipped
high
Developer mentions being busy working on a new game and hoping to announce it the following year, indicating focus was shifting away from You Can Kana.
news post · Nov 26, 2021 source development ending
medium

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
James Moulang
Achievements
11
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

You Can Kana is a game for japanese learners of all abilities. Learn the characters in a series of quick and engaging lessons, or jump straight into Challenge Mode to train your reading comprehension.

What are Hiragana and Katakana?

They are the phonetic Japanese alphabets. If you want to learn to read Japanese, there's no better place to start than with hiragana and katakana!



Features:

  • Quick and engaging lessons introduce you to Katakana and Hiragana characters.
  • Learn pronunciation with audio provided by Learn Japanese Adventure.
  • Learn stroke order interactively for each character to help with memorisation.
  • Lessons adapt to your progress, showing difficult characters more frequently.
  • Practise by reading real Japanese words and seeing their English translations.
  • Practise with vocab from the JLPT - the standardised proficiency tests created by the Japanese government.
  • When you're ready, improve reading speed and accuracy in Challenge Mode.
  • Jump straight to the end of the lessons with a quick test, if you're feeling confident.
  • Suitable for beginners and experts alike!

Last evaluated Jun 26, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content