TL;DR
An online year‑end roundup by Autumn Skerritt names winners across categories for Japanese study tools in 2025, from browser pop‑up dictionaries to Anki decks and mobile apps. Standouts include Yomitan (best overall), Renshuu (best phone app), Jidoujisho (best Android) and Manabi Reader (best iOS), with many tools emphasizing Anki integration and media‑based learning.
What happened
Autumn Skerritt published a curated “award show” listing the top Japanese learning tools of 2025, organized into categories that include overall tools, phone apps, Android and iOS apps, Anki decks, note types, add‑ons and specialised utilities. The article highlights Yomitan as the best overall tool — a browser‑based pop‑up dictionary that supports multiple dictionaries, Anki, native audio and claims usage by more than 90,000 learners. Other winners include Renshuu for phone apps, Jidoujisho for Android, and Manabi Reader for iOS. The post also singles out Game Sentence Miner (GSM) as a toolkit that turns media into Anki cards with audio and gifs, and Kaishi as the recommended beginner Anki deck. Several Anki‑adjacent projects received attention, notably the Kiku note type and Priority Reorder addon, and the roundup points to specialised tools for manga, visual novels and video playback.
Why it matters
- Highlights which tools are popular or recommended across different platforms and use cases for 2025 learners.
- Shows the central role of Anki and Anki‑compatible workflows in current Japanese learning toolchains.
- Identifies cross‑platform solutions and media‑driven approaches (games, video, manga) that broaden immersion options.
- Signals a growing ecosystem of interoperable tools and note types that extend Anki’s functionality.
Key facts
- Best overall winner: Yomitan — a pop‑up dictionary usable in major browsers and mobile browsers, supporting many dictionaries, Anki, native audio, and said to be used by 90,000+ learners.
- Best phone app: Renshuu — described as an app that adapts to learner level and offers varied practice including kanji writing, flashcards and games.
- Best Android app: Jidoujisho — an all‑in‑one immersion suite that supports AnkiDroid, dictionary lookups, media mining, manga reading and flashcard creation.
- Best iOS app: Manabi Reader — iOS reader that lets users look up words, send items to Anki, use OCR or pasted text, and provides page‑level comprehension statistics.
- GSM (Game Sentence Miner) won Best for Games/visual media — it can create Anki cards with real audio and gifs, offers 30+ graphs and goal planning, works offline and is free.
- Best Anki deck: Kaishi — a 1.5k modular deck aimed at beginners focusing on common vocabulary found in media.
- Best Anki notetype: Kiku — modern note type using JavaScript with features like multiple contexts per card, themes, plugins and interactive fields.
- Best Anki addon: Priority Reorder was named the top addon (other popular addons include Kanji Grid and Local Audio Server).
- Specialised winners include tools for manga (Mokuro, Mokuro Reader, MangaTan), video players (Migaku, ASB Player, Yomine) and texthookers (LunaTranslator, Kizuna).
- The author framed the feature as a playful, self‑styled award show summarising tools the author would pick or recommends for learning Japanese in 2025.
What to watch next
- Manabi Reader — the author of the roundup notes the developer is working on upcoming features such as word highlighting and enhanced comprehension stats (confirmed in the source).
- Kiku adoption and plugin ecosystem — Kiku arrived late in 2025 as a modern notetype with themes and plugins; broader uptake and new plugins may be notable to follow (confirmed in the source).
- Further cross‑tool integrations and usability improvements for GSM — the toolkit acts as glue between tools but has a high barrier to entry; expansion of guides or simplified UIs could change adoption (confirmed in the source).
- not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Anki: A spaced‑repetition flashcard program that schedules reviews to help users retain information over time.
- Pop‑up dictionary: A tool that lets users click or hover over words in text or media to view instant definitions, readings and related information without leaving the page.
- OCR: Optical character recognition — software that converts images of text into machine‑readable text for lookup or copying.
- Note type (Anki): A template in Anki defining the fields and structure for cards; different note types determine how flashcards are generated and displayed.
- Texthooker: A tool or technique that extracts or intercepts text from apps, games, or other media so it can be looked up, translated, or converted into study materials.
Reader FAQ
Who curated these awards?
The roundup was written and presented by Autumn Skerritt as a playful, self‑styled award show summarising 2025 tools.
Which tool won the overall prize?
Yomitan was named best overall in the 2025 roundup.
Is GSM free to use?
Yes — the article states GSM is 100% free and works offline (confirmed in the source).
Does Manabi Reader support Anki?
Yes — the article says Manabi Reader can send lookups to Anki and offers OCR and comprehension statistics.
Are these official industry awards?
No — the author describes the feature as a ‘fake award show’ intended to summarise and recommend tools (confirmed in the source).
japanese Best Japanese Learning Tools 2025 Award Show 🏆 Autumn Skerritt 08 Dec 2025 • 33 min read Photo by Su San Lee / Unsplashkuiz Best Overall 🏆Yomitan Anki GSM…
Sources
- Show HN: My app just won best iOS Japanese learning tool of 2025 award
- Best Japanese Learning Resources for Self-Study That Work
- 17 Best Apps to Learn Japanese (Which Tool Fits Your …
- Best Language Learning App for Japanese in 2025
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