i've gotten to the point where i can regularly go several pages only having to look up maybe one word or something. sometimes i can even guess the reading and meaning from the kanji (though i still usually confirm it). like 星空. or i can figure out the kanji for a word i know from spoken japanese from context and learn the kanji that way, like with 焼肉.
it does kind of get easier and easier to learn in a way, which is nice
