Kitsu API
Free Kitsu API with no key: anime and manga with synopses, ratings, episode counts, genres and poster images. JSON:API format. Tested curl example.
Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-20
What is the Kitsu API?
The Kitsu API is a free, key-free API providing anime and manga data — titles, synopses, ratings, episode and chapter counts, genres, categories and artwork — following the JSON:API specification.
Kitsu offers a well-structured alternative to Jikan for anime data, with the advantage of being a first-party API rather than a scraper of another site, which makes it more predictable and less prone to upstream breakage.
It implements JSON:API strictly, which means bracket-syntax parameters like `page[limit]` and `filter[text]`. Those brackets need URL encoding in most HTTP clients, and forgetting is the most common reason a first request fails.
Quick facts
- Base URL
https://kitsu.io/api/edge- Authentication
- No API key for public reads. User library access requires OAuth.
- Rate limit
- No published hard limit; fair use expected.
- Pricing
- Free and open source.
- CORS
- Not enabled — call it from your server
- Official docs
- Read the docs
How to use the Kitsu API
Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-20, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.
1. Fetch anime records
GET https://kitsu.io/api/edge/anime?page%5Blimit%5D=1
curl 'https://kitsu.io/api/edge/anime?page%5Blimit%5D=1'const res = await fetch("https://kitsu.io/api/edge/anime?page%5Blimit%5D=1");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);import requests
res = requests.get("https://kitsu.io/api/edge/anime?page%5Blimit%5D=1", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json()){
"data": [
{
"id": "1",
"type": "anime",
"links": {
"self": "https://kitsu.io/api/edge/anime/1"
},
"attributes": {
"createdAt": "2013-02-20T16:00:13.609Z",
"updatedAt": "2026-08-19T18:00:11.667Z",
"slug": "cowboy-bebop",
"synopsis": "In the year 2071, humanity has colonized several of the planets and moons of the solar system leaving the now uninhabitable surface of planet Earth behind. The Inter Solar System Police attempts to keep peace in the galaxy, aided in part by outlaw bounty hunters, referred to as \"Cowboys\". The ragtag team aboard the spaceship Bebop are two such individuals.\nMellow and carefree Spike Spiegel is balanced by his boisterous, pragmatic partner Jet Black as the pair makes a living chasing bounties and collecting rewards. Thrown off course by the addition of new members that they meet in their travels—Ein, a genetically engineered, highly intelligent Welsh Corgi; femme fatale Faye Valentine, an enigmatic trickster with memory loss; and the strange computer whiz kid Edward Wong—the crew embarks on thrilling adventures that unravel each member's dark and mysterious past little by little. \nWell-balanced with high density action and light-hearted comedy, Cowboy Bebop is a space Western classic and an homage to the smooth and improvised music it is named after.\n\n(Source: MAL Rewrite)",
"description": "In the year 2071, humanity has colonized several of the planets and moons of the solar system leaving the now uninhabitable surface of planet Earth behind. The Inter SolParameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
anime / manga | path | Required | Which resource to query. anime |
page[limit] | integer | Optional | Results per page, max 20. Brackets need encoding. 10 |
page[offset] | integer | Optional | Pagination offset. 20 |
filter[text] | string | Optional | Search by title. cowboy bebop |
sort | string | Optional | Sort field; prefix with - for descending. -averageRating |
Response fields
data[].idstring- Kitsu resource id.
data[].typestring- anime or manga.
data[].attributes.canonicalTitlestring- Primary title.
data[].attributes.titlesobject- Titles in multiple languages.
data[].attributes.synopsisstring- Plot summary.
data[].attributes.averageRatingstring- Community rating out of 100, as a string.
data[].attributes.episodeCountinteger- Number of episodes, null if ongoing.
data[].attributes.posterImageobject- Poster artwork at several sizes.
What you can build with the Kitsu API
- Build an anime tracker or watchlist app
- Search anime and manga with rich metadata
- Display posters and ratings in a media library
- Provide a first-party alternative to scraper-based anime APIs
Common errors and how to fix them
400 on page[limit]
Square brackets were not URL-encoded.
Fix: Encode as page%5Blimit%5D — the most common first-request failure.
Data nested under attributes
Kitsu follows JSON:API.
Fix: Read data[].attributes.canonicalTitle rather than data[].title.
Rating is a string
averageRating comes back as text.
Fix: Parse before comparing numerically.
Kitsu API — frequently asked questions
Is the Kitsu API free?
Yes, public anime and manga data requires no API key. Accessing a user's personal library requires OAuth.
Why do my requests fail with a 400?
The bracket-syntax parameters like page[limit] need URL encoding — send page%5Blimit%5D. This is the most common problem.
How does it compare with Jikan?
Kitsu is a first-party API with its own database; Jikan scrapes MyAnimeList. Kitsu is more predictable and has a looser rate limit; Jikan has MyAnimeList's larger community ratings.
Why is everything under attributes?
Kitsu implements the JSON:API specification, which nests resource fields inside an attributes object.
Tools that pair with this API
JSON Formatter
Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.
JSON Validator
Free online JSON validator: validate JSON and find syntax errors with the exact line and column. See root type, key counts and depth — instant and 100% private.
Kitsu is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-20; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.