📄Resources
Last updated
Last updated
A good place to kickstart your research is consulting the Resources section of any database entry. Links to ANN, Wikipedia, the official website, and more can be found here. Note that these links may not always be available.
Sources that you may utilize are listed below:
You will often need to consult original Japanese sources to ensure you find useful information and reliable sources. Below, you can find a few tips on how to find such sources and retrieve appropriate information from them.
The simplest way to access the needed sources is to copy the title of the entry in the original language and search it on Google:
Some of the generated results will have their names written in Roman letters, but not all of them. Even if many are displayed only in Japanese, their website addresses will still appear in Roman letters, allowing you to identify those sources.
Prioritize your choices according to the suggestions given at the beginning of this section and in the Basics section. Whenever you have sources other than the anime/manga's official website, licensors, and/or social media accounts, please make sure to properly cross-check the information.
3. Once you have accessed a Japanese source, you can use DeepL Translator to translate the text and get an idea of what information it contains.
Sometimes, inserting a multiple-paragraph text all at once can generate a slightly different translation than shorter one- or two-paragraph texts. In such cases, translating shorter snippets may prove more accurate.
Please be wary that DeepL is not always accurate when it comes to translating names.
Check the accuracy of the names and any aspect you are unsure about in the respective translation.
For instance, you can take the translation of a name and search for it in Google along with the title of your entry. If you find no connection with the entry in question, this is a sign it is not the proper translation of the name. At the same time, the results may give you hints of the correct name.
Ex. DeepL translates 四戸 俊成 as Toshinari Shido.
But if you search Toshinari Shido alongside Kamiarizuki no Kodomo (the entry's title), you get something different.
You may also confirm the results from your search with the MAL's entry page in the Characters & Staff section for anime entries. For manga entries, you can consult the Authors field and/or the Characters section.
For any other aspects of the translation that you may be unsure about, you can try cross-checking the information with other sources; utilize DeepL translator and see if you obtain similar information. If you are still in doubt, reach out to a coordinator.
Make sure that the information you select follows the Anime/Manga templates from these guidelines or the Anime Guidelines and the Manga Guidelines.
When you use the information you found, do not copy the text directly from the translator, as this is considered plagiarism. You should ideally use the templates provided in these guidelines, but if they are not applicable, try to adjust the text with your own words. For more details, consult the Basics section.
If the sources above prove to not have any new/useful information, then you will need to manually search using particular keywords alongside the entry's name. Consult the Anime and Manga sections to narrow down your search. When possible, stick to the anime/manga's official website, licensors, and social media accounts to ensure that you obtain reliable information. For other references, try to have multiple sources that cover the same information for cross-checking. As mentioned in the Basics section, statements that disclose details relating to the production of the entry must be directly sourced back to the creators themselves. Regardless of the insight they may offer, a failure to provide an official statement, interview, etc. will lead to the omission of such information. Here is an example that helps this aspect:
Not Acceptable: [i]Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica[/i] served as the impetus for a rising trend in anime focused on the dark subversion of the magical girl genre.
Why? - While readers may agree with this statement, it was not said by one of the creators/producers of the series. The statement actually stems from this article from ANN.
Acceptable: [i]Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica[/i]'s story was inspired by [i]Hidamari Sketch[/i], [i]Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha[/i], and [i]Le Portrait de Petite Cossette[/i].
A similar statement is included in the current background information for the entry.
Alongside the sources you find, you can use these websites to further elevate/verify your research.
| Name of Website | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name of Website | Notes |
|---|---|
General Japanese anime news website.
AnimeNewsNetwork (ANN)
Cannot be used as a source on its own; must be paired with another source to cross-check information. Like Wikipedia, you can consult the sources the website cites for a more reliable alternative.
General Chinese encyclopedia website. Like Wikipedia, it is a good place to start, but cross-reference information with reliable Chinese sources.
General Korean news website. Has the option to switch to English, but it may affect search results.
General Korean news website.
Japanese website with a focus on Japanese movie releases. To successfully search for a movie on the website, the Japanese title must be used.
English database for Korean films. The main English title on MAL may not be the same listed in the KoBiz database, so use simple relevant keywords to generate the best results. For example, to find Kai: Geoul Hosu-ui Jeonseol, use "Kai." English titles found in the Synonyms field may also help.
Korean news website oriented toward providing Korean film articles.
Articles that are already verified by the MAL News team.
Korean encyclopedic website similar to Fandom. Typically provides a general overview of webtoons/manhwa. Cross-check any information with reliable Korean sources.
General Japanese news website. Noted by both the Anime and Manga DB Guidelines as per V.4.2 and VI.4.2, respectively, its yearly Blu-ray/DVD sales and manga rankings may be included in the BG info.
An Internet archive that can help you view now-defunct or drastically-changed websites and webpages by accessing previously saved states of the URL. Can help you look past the 404 error and find desired information that has been lost to time. ***May not work with every link.***
MAL's guidelines on how Romaji should be written on the website. Since English titles are not used directly in the background information section, consult this page if you are unsure how to write Romaji titles.
Japanese dictionary that may help with determining/confirming romanized titles.
Provides romanization for any Japanese text. Best used as a starter point, as given results are not always accurate.
Provides romanization for any Chinese text with accompanying English translations.
Provides romanization for any Korean text.
Mostly accurate, quick translations from Japanese to English. Can be used for other languages as well.
One of the more accurate OCRs to scan and translate Japanese from images.
Accurate OCR to scan and translate Japanese from images. May also be used to search other websites using the image and find additional information.
In the Google Search bar, you will see a small camera icon at the right of the search bar. Click on it and it will open a window where you can place your image. If on Google Chrome, right-clicking an image will give the option "Search image with Google," using Google Lens directly.
Helps find relevant Twitter (X) posts based on given information and filters. Particularly effective when searching for anime/manga release dates or important announcements. Requires a Twitter (X) account to use. A general usage guide to using the tool can be found here. A straightforward method is inputting the Japanese title in the "All of these words" input box and the account handle you want to find posts on in the "From these accounts" input box (i.e. official anime/manga account, international publisher, etc.). The other filters you can use to fine-tune your results.
