A quick re-fold
If you missed our last note, hey 😄
Friendly reminder that Kumi’s closed beta is still happening, and we’re in the “make it smoother, make it simpler” phase right now.
This week we’re tightening the flow so getting in feels easy and low-stress. Fewer weird moments. Fewer “wait, what do I click” moments. More “oh, I’m in.”
How to get in
Quick reminder of how to join our beta:
Join our Discord: discord.gg/learnkumi
Head to beta-request-access, introduce yourself a bit, and ask for access
We’ll give you the Closed Beta Tester role, which unlocks the Closed Beta category
Create an account using the link in closed-beta-url (the channel will be available starting May 4th)
In closed-beta-url, you’ll also see instructions on how to access the standard tier subscription during testing
Go crazy. Break things. Tell us everything.
Community check-in
One small thing that’s been making us really happy lately: we’ve been seeing more traction in Discord and the vibe has been growing in a really fun way.
Nothing wild, nothing hype-cycle-y. Just more people showing up, hanging out, and actually yapping about Japanese learning. Sharing what’s tripping them up and what they wish existed. Real stuff from real learners.
We’re not trying to spin it into anything bigger than it is. It’s just genuinely nice to see folks roll in and express legit interest in what we’re building, instead of the usual “cool, ping me at launch” energy. People are curious, people are talking, and a few of you have already started leaving little breadcrumbs of feedback before we even asked. That rules.
If you haven’t dropped in yet and want to:
No pressure to be active. Lurking is a valid lifestyle. Yeehaw 🤠
What we’d love to hear from you
This is the part that matters most.
If you join, we’re not looking for “perfect student” feedback. No pressure to use Kumi in any specific way. No homework vibes.
We want paid-user brain feedback. Pretend you’re paying for this. Pretend it’s Sunday night and you’re deciding if Kumi earns a spot in your week.
Tell us:
Feature fit: Does the feature set feel worth it? What feels instantly useful. What feels like “nice, but not enough”?
Friction: Where do you get annoyed fast? What feels slow, confusing, or overly fussy?
Gripes you’d complain about: If you were paying, what would you vent about after day 2?
Missing pieces: What would make you say “I’d 100% keep this”?
Moments of doubt: Where do you pause and think “am I using this wrong”?
The most helpful feedback is specific and a little blunt. “This part made me stop.” “This part felt amazing.” “I expected X and got Y.”
What’s changing this week
We’re still finalizing closed beta details, but the focus right now is simple:
Make the onboarding steps clearer
Reduce the number of decisions you have to make up front
Make “first successful session” happen faster
Tighten the rough edges so it feels like a clean fold, not a crumpled one
If you bounced off something in the last instructions, that’s exactly what we’re trying to fix.
How to share feedback (simple is best)
Throughout the beta, send us:
What feels surprisingly good
What feels confusing or annoying
What you expected to exist that didn’t
Short notes are totally fine. Screenshots help. A quick “I got stuck here” is perfect.
That’s it for this week.
What’s the most important utility that helps you learn Japanese?
— The Kumi Team