# Kotowa — Read Japanese line by line

> Read Japanese line by line (iPhone/iPad app by ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kotowa/id6816173835 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1805379390)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 16.4 · 45 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-10-06
- Data updated: 2026-10-20

## What is Kotowa?

Kotowa is a reader for people learning Japanese. Open a pack of Japanese text, comic pages or video subtitles and read it one line at a time.

Every line shows:
- the Japanese with furigana, which you can turn off
- a translation underneath, and a second language when the pack has one
- a word-by-word breakdown. Tap a word for its reading, meaning and the full dictionary entry from JMdict

Packs can also carry comic pages, and subtitles that follow a video you link from the Files app.

These packs come with the app:
- 蜘蛛の糸, a short story by 芥川龍之介 (public domain, from Aozora Bunko)
- ブラックジャックによろしく by 佐藤秀峰, a comic, used under the author's free-use terms
- 新種のSCPが怖すぎる件 by Kizuna AI (CC BY-SA 3.0), with Japanese audio. The pack holds the lines; you download the video from our site and link it from Files.
- Hello, Kotowa, a short set of greetings to try the reader on

Make your own packs. A pack is a folder or a zip. Add it from the Files app or from an address. The guide at kotowa.gellyfish.dev explains the format, and an AI assistant can follow it to turn a text, a subtitle file or a script into a pack. Packs you add are for your own use; you are responsible for having the right to use what is in them.

Private by design. No account, no ads, no analytics. Your packs, progress and settings stay on your device and nothing is sent to us.

Kotowa works offline once a pack is on your device. Dictionary data: JMdict, © the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, used under its licence.

## Is Kotowa safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Kotowa.

## Is Kotowa legit?

Kotowa appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Kotowa is 65 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.0.1 — 2026-10-07

A guided introduction on first launch, and a Help section in About.
A redesigned Library, scene list, reader and word sheet, with reading progress and a Continue card.
Shorter lines in 蜘蛛の糸, so each line fits on screen.
Built-in packs are now English only.
The pack guide and the website open inside the app.

### 1.0 — 2026-10-06

No release notes.

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## More apps by ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS

- [GymBells](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gymbells/id6743979954)
- [4k Weeks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4k-weeks/id6744328745)

All apps by ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS: https://appshunter.io/developer/1805379390

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-10-20.*