how to remember katakana

I can remember hiragana and a lot of kanji with no problem...they always look like pictures. But I can't seem to remember katakana. I don't know how to make them look like pictures and most kana looks nothing like their hiragana counterparts.
Any advice?

Kel,

I don't think trying to make them look like pictures will be very effective with katakana, but some of the often-quoted methods for memorizing them are:
- Practise writing them over and over
- Use flashcards
- Stick a kana chart on the door of your toilet

What Dave said.....that's how I did it. Flash cards on the bus, train, at home......write it over and over, make words.
ロドニ
still have to look hard at
メ@ノ　ン

Yes those katakana look the same when viewed singulary and somepeople write really fast, but the key is, if you can tell the difference of "SO" and "N" or "NO" look at the whole word it is being used in. N is left to right, So is right to left.

Some Katakana is easy to remember because it looks almost exactly（though slightly different) like their hiragana or kanji counterparts.

For example:
ka か　カ
he へ　
ri りリ　pretty much similar most times it wouldn't matter when writing in hand.

For me, the best way, just writing it over and over.

Write the hiragana, then see if you can write the katakana.

When I learned hiragana and katakana all I did was systematically write it over and over and over and over at nausea, and I would test myself each day. Now its like second nature. I see and use katanaka alot on a daily basis, if you are in Japan its easier to look around see and pratice, if not in Japan a little harder to see Katakana on a daily basis.

I try not to remember a picture, it doesn't always help with kanji either, but thats another story and only my opinion but thats another topic.

I think I know what you mean. Years ago, when I first learned hiragana and katakana, the books I was supposed to use for my class took each character and drew a little picture around it. The books were designed for kids, but at that time there weren't many other options available, plus the teacher liked this approach. (If I recall correctly, she even wrote the book herself.)

I personally did not care for the approach, but I fully understand that people learn in different ways, and for some people, associating each character with a concrete visual image is just perfect. Nothing wrong with that.

The book I used might meet your need (as long as you don't mind child-targeted art), but it is out of print. You can locate copies online (for example, in the U.S. through Amazon.com) if you're really interested.

The title is Katakana for Fun, and the author is Noriko Yoneji. (She also wrote a companion book Hiragana for Fun.)

If you have a DS you should get "Tadashii Kanji Kakitorikun Kanken Taisaku." Like others have said, you have to practice writing it for katakana to stick. It isn't all that fun to sit down and write it over and over again, but in a game format that you can use on the go, like "Tadashii...", you may have better success.

http://www.2think.org/japan-ds.shtml

Actually, the Katakana for Fun book may still be in print. I found it listed at sasugabooks.com and it seems to be a relatively recent addition to their catalog.

The copies available through the U.S. amazon.com portal are all through the used book sellers, and they range in price from $2 plus shipping (for a new copy) to over $100 (for a used copy).