Review of Kanji Pict-o-graphix by Charles Eicher

Basic level. A very beautiful book, with wonderfully illustrated visual mnemonics for all the katakana/hiragana characters, and about 1000 kanji. Some of these visual aids do not necessarily illustrate the true meanings of the radicals, but are quite memorable anyway.

The Kanji Pict-o-graphix book teaches groups of kanji centered around the meaning of the radicals.. That is, the book is divided into 'theme' chapters like The World: Sun, Moon, Trees; Food: Rice, Wine, Meat; People: Man, Woman, Marriage, Family, etc.. This allows you to study kanji with similar radicals and the diagrams help you distinguish between the similar kanji. The best aspect of the book is the wonderful illustrations.. The book won awards for its graphic design and illustration. They are quite good, and occasionally humorous.

However, I find that I don't use the book much anymore at my intermediate/advanced level of study. You will probably find it more useful at beginning levels, when these radicals are less familiar to you. And, I find the presentation of the readings rather incomprehensible.. The book focuses on the symbolic meanings of the kanji, as opposed to the words using these kanji. Thus, it should be used as a supplement to other learning materials that focus on readings and vocabulary. Also note that the book only presents the kanji, and doesn't have stroke order or any other learning aids other than a brief breakdown of each radical in the whole kanji, and the readings (On/Kun)..

The only Kanji study book I've found to be consistently useful for all levels and comprehensive is the wonderful and author@Hadamitsky@ 'Kanji and Kana' book, everyone I know uses it, I couldn't live without it (especially when I've got to learn the stroke order of a particularly difficult kanji). Buy SandH first, rather than the Pict-o-graphix book. SandH does present the material in an extremely dry manner, more befitting a reference book, so people who want a more fun approach will enjoy the pictografix book as well.

☆ See all reviews by Charles Eicher.