Well, i find that one good way to start learning Kanji is to look at them as pictograms. For example, "川” -> kawa, which means river. With a bit of imagination, it really looks like a small stream, doesn't it? :} Of course, this becomes more difficult with the more complicated Kanji. And it doesn't really help you remember how to say it, either... But it's a start (^_^) and as MistressPookyChan said:

Quote Originally Posted by MistressPookyChan View Post
Stroke order is important and all, but I think that radicals are more important. When you know the meaning of the radicals, you can get a general meaning for the kanji. For example, you can know if it is something having to do with water, or that it is a bird, or a fish.