# AnimeNewsNetwork Scraper - Anime & Manga Encyclopedia (`lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper`) Actor Scrape anime and manga data from AnimeNewsNetwork's public XML API. Get ratings, genres, themes, plot summaries, staff, voice cast, episodes, and related works. No auth required. - **URL**: https://apify.com/lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [lulz bot](https://apify.com/lulzasaur) (community) - **Categories:** E-commerce - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $10.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## AnimeNewsNetwork Scraper - Anime & Manga Encyclopedia Extract comprehensive anime and manga data from [AnimeNewsNetwork](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com) (ANN) using its free public XML encyclopedia API. No authentication or API key required. ### What does AnimeNewsNetwork Scraper do? This scraper lets you extract detailed anime and manga information from AnimeNewsNetwork, one of the longest-running and most authoritative anime/manga news and encyclopedia sites. It uses ANN's official public XML API for reliable, structured data extraction. **Key features:** - Search for specific anime or manga titles by name - Extract ratings (weighted and Bayesian scores), vote counts, genres, and themes - Get plot summaries, episode counts, air dates (vintage), and cover images - Find related works (sequels, prequels, spin-offs, adaptations) - Optionally fetch extended details: full staff credits, voice cast (all languages), episode titles, production companies, opening/ending themes, and official websites - Handles rate limiting and retries automatically - Supports both anime and manga media types ### Input | Field | Type | Description | Default | |-------|------|-------------|---------| | `searchQueries` | string[] | Anime/manga titles to search (e.g. "Naruto", "Steins;Gate") | Required | | `mediaType` | enum | `anime` or `manga` | `anime` | | `maxListings` | integer | Maximum results to return (1-5000) | `100` | | `scrapeDetails` | boolean | Fetch staff, cast, episodes, credits | `false` | | `proxyConfiguration` | object | Proxy settings (usually not needed) | - | #### Example input ```json { "searchQueries": ["Naruto", "Steins;Gate", "Attack on Titan"], "mediaType": "anime", "maxListings": 50, "scrapeDetails": true } ```` ### Output Each result contains the following fields: #### Base fields (always included) | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `id` | integer | ANN encyclopedia entry ID | | `title` | string | Main title | | `type` | string | Media format (TV, movie, OAV, manga, etc.) | | `alternativeTitles` | string\[] | Alternative titles in various languages | | `genres` | string\[] | Genre tags (action, comedy, drama, etc.) | | `themes` | string\[] | Theme tags (time travel, mecha, school life, etc.) | | `plotSummary` | string | Full plot summary | | `numberOfEpisodes` | integer | Number of episodes (anime) | | `numberOfVolumes` | integer | Number of volumes (manga) | | `vintage` | string\[] | Air date / publication date ranges | | `weightedScore` | number | Weighted user score (0-10 scale) | | `bayesianScore` | number | Bayesian average score (0-10 scale) | | `voteCount` | integer | Number of user votes | | `relatedWorks` | object\[] | Related entries (sequels, prequels, adaptations) | | `imageUrl` | string | Cover/poster image URL | | `url` | string | ANN encyclopedia page URL | | `searchQuery` | string | The search query that found this result | | `scrapedAt` | string | ISO timestamp of when data was scraped | #### Extended detail fields (when `scrapeDetails` is true) | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `staff` | object\[] | Staff credits (director, writer, animator, etc.) | | `cast` | object\[] | Voice cast with character, actor, and language | | `episodes` | object\[] | Episode numbers and titles (multi-language) | | `credits` | object\[] | Production companies and their roles | | `openingThemes` | string\[] | Opening theme songs | | `endingThemes` | string\[] | Ending theme songs | | `officialWebsites` | object\[] | Official website URLs | #### Example output ```json { "id": 11770, "title": "Steins;Gate", "type": "TV", "alternativeTitles": ["シュタインズ・ゲート", "命運石之門", "Врата Штейна"], "genres": ["adventure", "comedy", "drama", "mystery", "science fiction", "thriller"], "themes": ["butterfly effect", "conspiracy", "technology", "Time travel", "tragedy"], "plotSummary": "Rintaro Okabe is a self-proclaimed \"mad scientist\" who believes...", "numberOfEpisodes": 24, "vintage": ["2011-04-05 to 2011-09-13"], "weightedScore": 9.0325, "bayesianScore": 9.0287, "voteCount": 4916, "relatedWorks": [ { "id": 15891, "relation": "related to", "direction": "previous" }, { "id": 13542, "relation": "sequel", "direction": "next" } ], "imageUrl": "https://cdn.animenewsnetwork.com/images/encyc/A11770-1864351140.jpg", "url": "https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11770", "searchQuery": "Steins;Gate", "scrapedAt": "2026-04-25T12:00:00.000Z" } ``` #### Example output with details ```json { "id": 11770, "title": "Steins;Gate", "staff": [ { "role": "Director", "name": "Takuya Satō", "personId": 593 }, { "role": "Series Composition", "name": "Jukki Hanada", "personId": 16408 } ], "cast": [ { "character": "Rintarō Okabe", "actor": "Mamoru Miyano", "personId": 10397, "language": "JA" }, { "character": "Kurisu Makise", "actor": "Asami Imai", "personId": 9744, "language": "JA" } ], "episodes": [ { "number": "1", "titles": [{ "lang": "EN", "title": "Prologue of the Beginning and End" }] } ], "credits": [ { "role": "Animation Production", "company": "WHITE FOX", "companyId": 6989 } ], "openingThemes": ["\"Hacking to the Gate\" by Kanako Ito"], "endingThemes": ["\"Tokitsukasadoru Jūni no Meiyaku\" by Yui Sakakibara"] } ``` ### Rate limits ANN's XML API is free but rate-sensitive. The scraper automatically: - Adds 1.5s delays between requests to be respectful - Handles 429 (rate limit) responses with progressive backoff - Uses exponential backoff on failures (up to 3 retries) ### Use cases - **Anime databases** -- Build comprehensive anime/manga databases with ratings, staff, and cast data - **Recommendation engines** -- Use genre/theme tags and related works to build recommendation systems - **Industry research** -- Analyze anime production trends, studios, voice actor careers, and genre popularity - **Content aggregation** -- Combine ANN data with other sources (AniList, MyAnimeList) for richer datasets - **Seasonal anime tracking** -- Monitor new anime releases and their scores using vintage date filtering - **Voice actor research** -- ANN provides multi-language cast data (Japanese, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, etc.) ### Tips - ANN's search uses fuzzy matching with `~` prefix internally, so partial titles work well - Enable `scrapeDetails` only when you need staff/cast/episodes, as it makes one extra API call per entry - The ANN XML API returns both anime and manga in search results; use `mediaType` to filter - Related works IDs can be used for follow-up scrapes to build franchise graphs - ANN's Bayesian score accounts for vote count, making it more reliable for comparison than weighted score - The API is free and public, so proxy configuration is usually unnecessary # Actor input Schema ## `searchQueries` (type: `array`): Anime or manga titles to search (e.g. "Naruto", "Steins;Gate"). At least one query is required. ## `mediaType` (type: `string`): Type of media to search for. ## `maxListings` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of results to return across all search queries (1-5000). ## `scrapeDetails` (type: `boolean`): Fetch extended details for each entry: staff credits, voice cast, episode titles, production credits, themes, and official websites. Slower due to extra API calls per entry. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Optional proxy configuration. ANN's XML API is free and public, so proxies are usually not needed. ## Actor input object example ```json { "searchQueries": [ "Naruto", "Steins;Gate" ], "mediaType": "anime", "maxListings": 100, "scrapeDetails": false } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "searchQueries": [ "Naruto", "Steins;Gate" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "searchQueries": [ "Naruto", "Steins;Gate", ] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "searchQueries": [ "Naruto", "Steins;Gate" ] }' | apify call lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=lulzasaur/animenewsnetwork-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "AnimeNewsNetwork Scraper - Anime & Manga Encyclopedia", "description": "Scrape anime and manga data from AnimeNewsNetwork's public XML API. Get ratings, genres, themes, plot summaries, staff, voice cast, episodes, and related works. No auth required.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "Amax38jGppOHiVRrs" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/lulzasaur~animenewsnetwork-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-lulzasaur-animenewsnetwork-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/lulzasaur~animenewsnetwork-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-lulzasaur-animenewsnetwork-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/lulzasaur~animenewsnetwork-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-lulzasaur-animenewsnetwork-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "searchQueries" ], "properties": { "searchQueries": { "title": "Search Queries", "type": "array", "description": "Anime or manga titles to search (e.g. \"Naruto\", \"Steins;Gate\"). At least one query is required.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "mediaType": { "title": "Media Type", "enum": [ "anime", "manga" ], "type": "string", "description": "Type of media to search for.", "default": "anime" }, "maxListings": { "title": "Max Listings", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 5000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of results to return across all search queries (1-5000).", "default": 100 }, "scrapeDetails": { "title": "Scrape Full Details", "type": "boolean", "description": "Fetch extended details for each entry: staff credits, voice cast, episode titles, production credits, themes, and official websites. Slower due to extra API calls per entry.", "default": false }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy Configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Optional proxy configuration. ANN's XML API is free and public, so proxies are usually not needed." } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```