I'm happy that I know English, because automatic translation from Japanese into my native language is even more terrible than translation into English *shudders*. Also, good online Japanese dictionaries like Jisho are all in English, as well as good Japanese grammar textbooks. So, I think if not for my knowledge of English, I wouldn't be able to study Japanese and read Japanese visual novels properly. After learning basic Japanese grammar, I read VNs with the help of Visual Novel Reader. And when VNR doesn't hook text, I use Hook Any Text+Translation Aggregator. Using the latter is a bit troublesome, but unlike VNR it can hook text of console games emulated in programs other than PPSSPP. PCSX2, for example.