Pimsleur has moved away from its expensive CD-set model to a more affordable : Pimsleur Premium (Japanese Only) : Approximately $20/month .
At some point, you need to read. Japan has signs, menus, train tickets. Pimsleur leaves you functionally illiterate. You’ll finish Level 1 unable to read sushi on a menu because it’s in kanji.
Use or Anki (with a pre-made Core 2k deck) for 15 minutes a day. Learn to read exactly what Pimsleur taught you to say. When Pimsleur teaches Ikura desu ka (How much?), write it in Hiragana.
Pimsleur. Winner for reading: Duolingo (barely). Winner for holistic: A combination of all three.