AniList MCP Server

AniList MCP server for accessing AniList API data

Local serverstdioGo

What is the AniList MCP server?

If you want an AI assistant working directly with AniList, the anilist mcp server is the bridge. AniList MCP server for accessing AniList API data.

What AniList does

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that interfaces with the AniList API, allowing LLM clients to access and interact with anime, manga, character, staff, and user data from AniList.

Key capabilities

  • Search for anime, manga, characters, staff, and studios
  • Get detailed information about specific anime, manga, characters, and staff members
  • Access user profiles and lists
  • Support for advanced filtering options
  • Retrieve genres and media tags
  • Dual transport support — Both HTTP and STDIO transports
  • Cloud deployment ready — Support Smithery and other platforms

Tools it exposes

Once connected, the assistant can call these 14 tools directly:

  • get_genres — Get all available genres on AniList
  • get_media_tags — Get all available media tags on AniList
  • get_site_statistics — Get AniList site statistics over the last seven days
  • get_studio — Get information about a studio by its AniList ID or name
  • favourite_studio — [Requires Login] Favourite or unfavourite a studio by its ID
  • delete_activity — [Requires Login] Delete the current authorized user's activity post
  • get_activity — Get a specific AniList activity by its ID
  • get_user_activity — Fetch activities from a user
  • post_message_activity — [Requires Login] Post a new message activity or update an existing one
  • post_text_activity — [Requires Login] Post a new text activity or update an existing one
  • get_user_anime_list — Get a user's anime list
  • get_user_manga_list — Get a user's manga list
  • add_list_entry — [Requires Login] Add an entry to the authorized user's list
  • remove_list_entry — [Requires Login] Remove an entry from the authorized user's list

Installing the anilist mcp server

The server is distributed via npm as @modelcontextprotocol/inspector, so most clients can run it without a manual build step. Add it to your MCP client's configuration and restart the client to pick it up — the copy-paste configs for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are on this page.

Configuration

Before the server will start you need to supply one environment variable: ANILIST_TOKEN. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than committing them.

Requirements

  • Node.js 18+

Where it fits

Developer-tool servers are usually the first ones people connect, because they turn "help me with this code" into an assistant that can actually read the repo and act on it. AniList sits in that group, and the shape of its toolset — get_genres, get_media_tags, get_site_statistics among others — tells you what it is really for. Worth comparing against the other developer tools servers in this directory before you commit to one, since several overlap in scope but differ sharply in setup cost and permissions.

Practical notes

  • This server runs locally, so it operates with whatever access your machine and its credentials already have. Scope that deliberately rather than by default.
  • It will not start until its required credentials are present, so set those before wondering why the tools never appear.
  • With 14 tools exposed, expect a noticeable bump in prompt size — disable it in projects that never use AniList.
  • Written in Go.
  • MCP clients ask for confirmation before each tool call by default. Keep that on while you learn what the anilist mcp server actually does with your data.
  • Every entry in this directory is reviewed by hand before it goes live, and details are checked against the project's own documentation.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
get_genresGet all available genres on AniList
get_media_tagsGet all available media tags on AniList
get_site_statisticsGet AniList site statistics over the last seven days
get_studioGet information about a studio by its AniList ID or name
favourite_studio[Requires Login] Favourite or unfavourite a studio by its ID
delete_activity[Requires Login] Delete the current authorized user's activity post
get_activityGet a specific AniList activity by its ID
get_user_activityFetch activities from a user
post_message_activity[Requires Login] Post a new message activity or update an existing one
post_text_activity[Requires Login] Post a new text activity or update an existing one
get_user_anime_listGet a user's anime list
get_user_manga_listGet a user's manga list
add_list_entry[Requires Login] Add an entry to the authorized user's list
remove_list_entry[Requires Login] Remove an entry from the authorized user's list

How to install the AniList MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "anilist": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "anilist-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ANILIST_TOKEN": "your_api_token"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  • Node.js 18+
VariableDescriptionRequired
ANILIST_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use AniList to get genres.
  • Use AniList to get media tags.
  • Use AniList to get site statistics.

Frequently asked questions

It connects AniList to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (get_genres, get_media_tags, get_site_statistics, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with AniList directly.