I don't agree with >>11 at all. Either do it 100% all the way or leave it alone. Language course won't get you anywhere, you'll have half-assed skills (speaking from personal experience). Sure, full-time study is intimidating and time-consuming as fuck, but at least after a year you're pretty much set (also speaking from personal experience). Set to do the rest by yourself, I mean. All you have to do after that year full-time studying is learn the remaining kanji and go to Japan for a few weeks if possible now and then. Learning Japanese = a laborious (yet fun) experience.