Of all these various streaming services that I opt out of Over the past year, Crunchyroll has had the longest run. The reason is simple: I watch a lot of anime, and Crunchyroll was the best bet for finding simulcasts and more niche options.
In the end, it couldn’t actually do what I wanted it to do. It’s not like I don’t want much – I just want to be able to watch classic anime from the 90s, and very few streaming services provide that. Enter Jellyfin. my the server has started it’s been a while, but I’ve noticed that it’s slowly filling up with anime and far surpassing any other content.
With that in mind I found several plugins that I’ve come to lean on pretty heavily. If you’re an anime fan, you might want these in your repertoire; not only do they help with small tasks like finding fan art or alternate covers, but some plugins are a boon for keeping metadata and subtitles manageable.
Shokofin + Shoko Server
You can forget about library management
Tracking down a large media library can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if some of the files have confusing names. Shoko generates a hash for each video file, allowing it to identify the anime regardless of the file name. More importantly, it supports absolute numbering – something other programs often struggle with (absolute numbering is naming an anime series as episode 26 rather than season 2, episode 1).
Shoko Server’s biggest advantage is its handling of metadata, episode synopses, and more. This gives you an IMDb-style overview of the anime cast. The Jellyfin part of this is Shokofin, but you need your own Shoko server running in the background for the plugin to work. It’s free to download and install, and you only need an AniDB account to link it. Shoko basically combines the functionality of many other plugins, making it one of the best options for anime fans.
Instant-Sync
Track your browsing history
Shokofin helps you track your browsing history in AniDB, but it doesn’t work with all platforms. Ani-Sync is a simple plugin that syncs your Jellyfin viewing progress with AniList, MyAnimeList, Kitsu, Shikimori and other platforms. This is a quick and easy way to manually update your stats yourself. There are so many different series and movies out there that it’s easy to forget what you’ve seen and what you haven’t seen, especially if you’re not that impressed by anime. Ani-Sync helps you stay on top of everything.
AnimeMultiSource
The most comprehensive metadata plugin out there
Shoko does a great job of collecting some metadata, but it doesn’t pull from every source. AnimeMultiSource is the ultimate solution to collect as much data as possible and keep all your files up to date. It uses AniList, AniDB, MyAnimeList, TVDB, and Fanart.tv to help organize tags, artwork, and more. This is especially useful if you prefer niche anime that aren’t as accessible as mainstream shows. Tetsuko no Tabi will not be found in the same places as Kaiju #8.
Turn on the subtitles
Stop struggling with inappropriate subtitles
Modern anime is better at providing subtitles that make sense and accurately reflect what the character is saying on screen, but that wasn’t always the case with older titles. Many anime from the early 2000s and earlier featured subtitles that were translations of the original lines but did not accurately reflect the dubbed versions. As a result, you’ll often get subtitles that don’t match what’s actually being said, and in some cases can significantly change the meaning of the dialogue.
Open Subtitles is a plugin that allows you to download subtitles from the Open Subtitles website. It’s one of the largest subtitle repertoires on the web and a fantastic way to access subtitles for thousands of shows in dozens of languages.
Login Skipper
No matter how good the music is, you’ll get bored of it
The Intro Skipper plugin is quite popular, but it is especially useful for anime fans. Most of us don’t want to watch the same opening 13 times, let alone dozens of times for longer shows. For example, if you try to view One Piecethe opening theme may take a few minutes, but after that you have recaps of previous episodes and more. Trying to watch over 1,000 episodes is an endeavor in itself, but all those wasted minutes add up quickly when you can’t easily skip them.
Anime is great, but these plugins make it even better
As a lifelong anime fan, I’ve dealt with all the hassles of trying to watch anime: weird subtitles, questionable streams, and all those weird, no-name hosting sites that contain full episodes of shows. Jellyfin makes watching anime easy, and these five plugins can make all the difference in your viewing experience.
- Compatible with iOS
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Yes
- Compatible with Android
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Yes
