How would you rate your Japanese skills?

[termis]

Being the nerds that we are, I see that a disproportionate number of folks who have some Japanese ability on pcenginefx compared to most other groups (retrogaming or not).  Not that surprising since many of us are in to PCE (not just TG16), and that often means that some level of exposure to the Japanese language. So I thought I'd put this poll up to actually get an idea of how people rate their Japanse. 

I'm probably in the option 4 category, though that's probably starting to deteriorate as years go by, but at least I've learned enough of the language where I don't think I'll ever completely forget the basic workings of the language (like what's happened to me with Spanish).  I learned Japanese when I did the JET program for a year between 2005-2006, living in a small mountain town in Tokushima-ken of Shikoku.

For those of you that know some Japanese, what's the story?  How did you pick it up?  Plan to further your knowledge in it? 

For those of you that don't have any Japanese skills, you have any interest it it?  (i.e. Just learning how to read katakana, which can be done in one day if you put your mind to it, can make things quite a bit easier for a lot of import games.)

[BlueBMW]

I took Japanese in High School (1998 - 2002) but it has deteriorated quite a bit since then.  As it is now, I can still read Katakana and Hiragana, and a handful of Kanji, but I doubt I'd survive trying to speak it exclusively.  If they offer Japanese at the University I'm transferring to in a few years, I'll probably try and take it again.  Not sure how useful it is for me personally outside of playing games

Let me see if I get this right...

Yo nen, kou kou de nehongo wo benkiyo shimashita.

[chany60126]

Aside from know what the names of some aikido and karate maneuvers and counting from one to ten, I don't know squat. LOL

[cornacchia]

I can't read, speak, understand a word of Japanese.

[SignOfZeta]

I've been into import model kits, toys, manga, laserdisc, mooks, etc for a long time. Ever since Battle of the Planets (1979). I got my first Jump comics back when Hokutonoken, Kinikuman, Dragonball, and City Hunter were the big titles (around 1985 I think) thanks to a friend who went back and forth to Japan a lot. After that it was import LDs, art books, video games, etc.

I've ssslllooooowwwllly picked up what I now of the language through language books, tapes, etc. I learned all the kana some time in the mid 90s (play enough Super Robot Wars games and you'll never forget it). I even took a class a couple of years ago. Actual vocabulary and such, as well as real kanji knowledge still eludes me.

I picked "starting to get there" since I figure by the time I'm 50 I'll be able to have an actual conversation with someone

[Tatsujin]

If there weren't kanjis, I probably could pass 1-kyu

[Arkhan]

Im decent.  I do ok at reading it.  Try talking to someone and im f*cked though.

I am more interested in the reading than the speaking/hearing...

aside from cutscenes.  but hey, SUBTITLES MAN!

[termis]

...Not sure how useful it is for me personally outside of playing games

I find that you have to have some personal "fun factor" interest in a language to keep it in your head somewhat.  I'd love to have business-level Japanese, but that takes pretty serious level of commitment, and I'm not sure if I'll ever get there.  In the mean time, old school import games, and the random Japanese movie and anime will keep my Japanese from completely wasting away.

Let me see if I get this right...

Yo nen, kou kou de nehongo wo benkiyo shimashita.

Close enough! 

Im decent.  I do ok at reading it.  Try talking to someone and im f*cked though.

I am more interested in the reading than the speaking/hearing...

aside from cutscenes.  but hey, SUBTITLES MAN!

Reading's the hardest part because of all the kanji! 

Though I hear there are supposedly techniques you can use to learn all the necessary ones (about 2000) in a few months time.  (James Heisig's method -- one person I knew swore by it.  I tried it out for a few weeks when I was in Japan, but then gave it up as I was too busy learning how to speak/listen as that was a lot more useful in real life at that moment rather than knowing how to read some random kanji character.  I wish I studied the technique BEFORE I went to Japan, though.  Heisig actually recommends that you learn the kanji before you learn all the grammar stuff too!)

[SuperDeadite]

If there weren't kanjis, I probably could pass 1-kyu

Me too.

[TGX16]

One word: Nill!!
Or: I know jack shit! Can´t read, speak or understand one single word of the Japaneese lingo period.
BUT I love the games and there are faq's and patches for some games and trial and error has not hurt anyone yet!!

[DragonmasterDan]

I took Japanese language for one year when I first started college 1999-2000. A decade later I retain almost none of what I was taught.

[Senshi]

I'm currently taking an non-credit intro Japanese class once a week and having a good time with it. I'd like to be able to play and understand the games with heavy japanese text that I've missed out on.

[Necromancer]

It's nothing but chicken scratches to me.