Instead of traditional drilling, the Japanese symbols (Hiragana) are ‘picked up’ as you read the story. Appearing in meaningful moments, carefully placed mnemonics enrich the plot, characters, twists and clues so you can connect with them, not just learn them.

There’s no ‘educational’ vibe to Hiragana Noir, it’s just a story for you to enjoy, it just so happens to teach you something along the way. By the last page, all 46 characters will be there.

With over 250 illustrations and an immersive soundtrack by renowned composer Kevin MacLeod, every detail of the story is designed to pull you into the world of River City and away from traditional rote learning.

Most language textbooks are abandoned by independent learners after a few chapters. Not because learning is hard, but because textbooks don't care either way.

Unlike textbooks, Hiragana Noir hides the vegetables in the food. The readers only job is to follow private detective Damian Day as he digs through an impossible locked-room mystery.

As a Japanese teacher, I feel like I am constantly around people who want to learn the language. When I looked at the available materials though, I felt like the onus was on the student to do all the heavy lifting instead of the person who created the resource.

One thing I pride myself on as a teacher is knowing how to open a door to something new without overwhelming the person walking through it. Hiragana Noir was my attempt to make that first step as approachable as possible.