Zangetsu: Open-Source App for Anime, Manga, and Light Novels
Free, open-source app for anime, movies, series, manga and light novels — on Android, Android TV and iOS (beta).
At a glance
- What is it?
- Zangetsu is a GPL-3.0 Flutter application for Android, Android TV, and iOS (currently in beta on TestFlight) that consolidates anime streaming, manga reading, and light novel reading with cross-device tracking and sync into a single free app.
- Who is it for?
- Zangetsu is the right choice for Android users who want one application for anime, manga, and light novels without paying for separate services. The Android and Android TV builds are the mature path; iOS remains in beta on TestFlight, and Windows is listed as in progress with no release date given.
- Can I use it commercially?
- Yes, with conditions. GPL-3.0 is a copyleft licence: if you distribute software that includes it, you must release that software's source code under the same licence. Running it internally without distributing it does not trigger that obligation.
- Is it still maintained?
- Yes. The repository last received commits 2 days ago.
- What is it written in?
- Mainly Dart, according to GitHub's language statistics.
Answers come from the project's GitHub data, last synced on September 28, 2026, and from our analysis. They are not legal advice.
Editorial analysis
What Zangetsu Unifies in One Application
Zangetsu organizes content around three modes. The Streaming mode handles anime, movies, and series. The Manga mode covers manga reading. The Novel mode is for light novels. Each mode has its own sources and its own reader or player built for that content type.
Beyond playback and reading, Zangetsu focuses on four functions that the README names as its core purpose: discovery, tracking, syncing, and personal library management. Tracking records progress and viewing or reading history. Sync carries that progress across devices so your place in a series or manga chapter is consistent whether you are on a phone, a tablet, or an Android TV.
The Android TV interface is built specifically for remote control navigation rather than touchscreen use. This is a specific design choice, not a scaled-up phone layout. The README lists it as a first-class platform alongside the standard Android release.
Zangetsu does not host any content. The README's FAQ section states this directly: Zangetsu is a tracking and management tool only, and it does not host, provide, distribute, or maintain streaming content or extensions. The content comes through third-party sources and extensions, and the app acts as the interface to them.
Downloading and Installing Zangetsu on Android
Zangetsu distributes through GitHub Releases rather than through the Google Play Store. The releases page provides four APK variants:
The arm64-v8a APK is recommended for modern 64-bit Android devices. The armeabi-v7a APK targets older 32-bit devices. The universal APK works on any architecture but is the largest of the three. A separate TV APK is available for Android TV devices.
For most users on a phone or tablet purchased in the last several years, the arm64-v8a build is the right choice. If that build does not install or run correctly, the universal APK is the fallback.
The latest release at time of review is v2.2.0, published on 2026-09-20. The README documents a self-update mechanism: the app checks GitHub Releases for new versions and can update itself through Settings, then selecting Check for updates.
Zangetsu builds are distributed as APKs outside the Play Store, which means Android's default security settings will block the installation unless you allow installs from unknown sources in your device settings. This is a standard requirement for sideloaded apps and is not specific to Zangetsu.
Android TV Interface and iOS Beta
The Android TV build ships as a dedicated APK with a UI designed for remote navigation rather than touchscreen interaction. The README lists it as an available, stable platform alongside the main Android release.
The iOS build is in beta on TestFlight. The README notes a significant limitation on iOS: CloudStream, Aniyomi, and Mihon extensions cannot be loaded because iOS does not permit that kind of plugin. Zangetsu's own JavaScript sources, its player, downloads, and tracker integrations all function on iOS, but the extension ecosystem available on Android does not carry over to iOS.
For users whose primary use case depends on a specific Aniyomi or Mihon extension, iOS is not a viable platform for Zangetsu at this time. The README does not indicate when or whether this restriction will change, since it is a platform policy constraint rather than a Zangetsu development gap.
Windows support is listed in the roadmap as in progress. No timeline or release date is given in the README.
Tracking, Sync, and Library Management
The tracking and sync features are central to Zangetsu's design. Cross-device sync means a user watching an anime series on a phone can resume from the same episode on an Android TV. The same applies to reading position in manga chapters or light novel pages.
The library management layer allows users to maintain lists of what they are watching, reading, or planning to start. History tracking records what has been consumed and when. Discovery features help users find new content.
The README does not detail the sync mechanism or whether it requires an account with an external tracking service. Several anime and manga tracking services exist (such as AniList or MyAnimeList), and the README mentions that Zangetsu integrates with official APIs of supported services, but the specific tracker integrations available are not enumerated in the README text provided. For users who rely on a specific tracking service, verifying that Zangetsu supports it before switching is the right first step.
Legal Position: What Zangetsu Does and Does Not Do
The README includes a detailed disclaimer section. Zangetsu does not host, provide, distribute, or maintain streaming content or extensions. The README places legal responsibility for how the app is used on the user. Compliance with applicable laws, copyright, and intellectual property rights is listed as the user's responsibility.
The developer disclaims liability for misuse, legal issues, or violations arising from user actions. Legal concerns related to third-party services or extensions are directed to the creators of those services, not to Zangetsu.
In practice, Zangetsu operates in the same legal space as other self-hosted media management applications that connect to third-party sources through extensions. The application itself is under GPL-3.0, which is an open-source licence. The GPL-3.0 licence requires that any distributed modified version also be released under GPL-3.0, but for personal use the source-sharing requirement does not apply.
The disclaimer language in the README is designed to make the legal separation between the application and the third-party extension ecosystem explicit.
How Zangetsu Compares to Aniyomi and Mihon
Aniyomi and Mihon are the two closest comparisons for Android users. Mihon is a manga reader for Android that supports a large extension ecosystem; Aniyomi is a fork of the older Tachiyomi project that adds anime streaming alongside manga. Both are well-established Android applications.
Zangetsu differs in scope. It covers streaming, manga, and light novels within a single interface, and it includes an Android TV interface that neither Aniyomi nor Mihon documents as a primary feature. The cross-device sync and tracking emphasis in Zangetsu is also more central to its design than it is in Mihon, which focuses primarily on the reading experience.
The iOS situation is another distinction. Zangetsu is attempting a cross-platform release that includes iOS; Aniyomi and Mihon are Android-only. For users who split time between Android and iOS devices and want consistent tracking, Zangetsu's eventual full iOS release would be an advantage, though the iOS build is still in beta as of the current state of the repository.
Maintenance Status and Licence
The repository is under active development. The last push was on 2026-09-28, the same day as this review. Three releases were published in September 2026 alone: v2.2.0 on 2026-09-20, v2.1.3 on 2026-09-18, and v2.1.2 on 2026-09-16. This release cadence indicates frequent updates.
Zangetsu is licensed under GPL-3.0. The repository also includes an Apache-2.0 license file and a NOTICE.md, indicating that some components are under different licences. The NOTICE file is the correct place to review the full licence attribution for all included components.
Community support is available on Discord at the server linked in the README, on a Reddit community at r/ZangetsuOfficial, and on Telegram at the Zangetsu Stream channel. Bug reports and issues go to the GitHub issue tracker.
Editorial conclusion
Zangetsu is the right choice for Android users who want one application for anime, manga, and light novels without paying for separate services. The Android and Android TV builds are the mature path; iOS remains in beta on TestFlight, and Windows is listed as in progress with no release date given. Before adopting it, verify that the specific sources you rely on have extensions available, since Zangetsu itself does not provide or host content. If you are on iOS and depend on Aniyomi or Mihon extensions, the README documents explicitly that those cannot load on iOS due to platform restrictions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the Zangetsu app on Android?
Download the appropriate APK from the GitHub Releases page (arm64-v8a for most modern phones), enable installs from unknown sources in Android settings, install the APK, and then configure your preferred sources through the app. The app checks for updates automatically through Settings, then Check for updates.
Is the Zangetsu app free to use?
Yes. The README states that Zangetsu is fully open source under the GPL-3.0 licence and is free to use. It is distributed through GitHub Releases rather than an app store.
Does Zangetsu work on iOS?
An iOS beta is available through TestFlight, but it has a notable limitation: CloudStream, Aniyomi, and Mihon extensions cannot load on iOS due to platform restrictions. Zangetsu's own JavaScript sources, player, downloads, and tracker integrations do work on iOS.
Official sources
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