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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.simkl.org/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The Anime API mirrors the TV API but uses AniDB as its primary source for episode/season numbering. None of these endpoints require an OAuth token — a client_id is enough. In addition to the standard show fields, anime responses include anime_type (one of tv, special, ova, movie, music video, ona) and en_title.
Anime episodes are numbered using AniDB. If you receive scrobbles or IDs from TMDB/TVDB-based sources, expect the API to remap them — see the Scrobble overview for details.

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Look up an anime

Item-level lookups for when you already know which anime you want. Both are Cloudflare-cached by Simkl ID — see Rate limits → Parallel requests.

Anime details

GET /anime/{id} — full record (overview, studios, network, runtime, status, genres, episode count, AniDB-mapped TVDB seasons, related titles, ratings, posters, fanart, trailers, external IDs, alternate titles).

Episode list

GET /anime/episodes/{id} — every episode with aired flags and airdates. Specials appear with type: "special".
If you only have an external ID (MAL, AniDB, AniList, Kitsu, etc.), resolve it to a Simkl ID via GET /redirect first — header-only, Cloudflare-cached, and the canonical resolver.
On GET /anime/{id}, add ?extended=full_anime_seasons to additionally receive mapped_tvdb_seasons plus per-season IMDB/TVDB/TMDB IDs for shows with 2+ seasons — useful when bridging anime-native episode numbering to TVDB-style players.

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Browse & discover

Find anime by what’s on now, what’s coming, what’s top-rated, or by genre / network / year.

Airing

GET /anime/airing — what’s airing right now.

Premieres

GET /anime/premieres/{param} — upcoming season and series premieres.

Best of

GET /anime/best/{filter} — top-rated anime by filter (year, all-time, etc.).

Genres

GET /anime/genres/... — browse by genre, network, year.

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Pre-built data files (no per-user cost)

Two static JSON resources on the CDN cover the most common “what’s hot / what’s airing” surfaces without paying any per-user request budget. Send the standard URL parameters and User-Agent; no Authorization token needed.

Trending anime

https://data.simkl.in/trending/anime_today.json + week / month variants, plus Top-100 and Top-500 versions. Refreshed daily. Drives “Most Watched” / “Trending Now” surfaces without polling.

Anime airing calendar

https://data.simkl.in/calendar/anime.json + per-month archives at /calendar/{YEAR}/{MONTH}/anime.json. Updated every 6 hours. Far cheaper than polling /anime/airing.