# MaruReader: Read in Japanese — Dictionary, Manga, Books, OCR > Japanese learning app with integrated dictionary, manga, eBook, and web readers. (iPhone/iPad app by SAMUEL ALLEN SMOKER.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marureader-read-in-japanese/id6760981845 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [SAMUEL ALLEN SMOKER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887132571) - Category: Education, Books - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 5 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 17+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 47 MB - Languages: American English, Japanese - Released: 2026-04-22 - Data updated: 2026-10-31 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marureader-read-in-japanese/id6760981845/reviews.md ## What is MaruReader? MaruReader helps you make Japanese books, manga, websites, and videos part of your daily study routine. Look up unfamiliar words as you read or watch, save vocabulary to Anki, and learn a little more every day. POWERFUL DICTIONARY • Look up words across the book reader, manga reader, web browser, YouTube transcripts, and photo scanner • Hear pronunciations from audio sources you add, and include them in Anki notes • Automatically convert inflected words to dictionary form • Look up words within definitions to explore related vocabulary • Add dictionaries in Yomitan/Yomichan format, including bilingual, monolingual, pitch accent, and frequency dictionaries • Get started with included dictionaries, audio source, and grammar guide, or add your own grammar dictionaries READ MANGA WITH TEXT RECOGNITION • Recognize text on manga pages with on-device OCR, no preparation needed • Tap an area of the page, then choose a recognized word to look it up • Import ZIP/CBZ files from your collection • Prefer to prepare text ahead of time? Attach a mokuro file and MaruReader uses its text instead • Extract titles and authors from filenames on devices with Apple Intelligence enabled JAPANESE EBOOK READER • Enjoy vertical Japanese text (tategaki) • Look up words in a compact popup without leaving your book • Read EPUB files from your Japanese ebook collection BROWSE THE WEB WITH A DICTIONARY • Look up selected text or use OCR on visible webpage content • Read edge to edge with a floating toolbar that stays out of the way • Reduce ads and distractions with the built-in content blocker • Read web articles, online manga, and more LEARN FROM YOUTUBE • Open a video's transcript next to the player and tap any word to look it up • The transcript follows along as the video plays; pause, skip, or tap a timestamp to jump without leaving it • Save words to Anki with the sentence, a frame from the video, and a link back to that moment Transcripts are provided by YouTube and are available for videos that have them. PHOTO SCANNER • Take or import a photo to look up words on signs • Look up text in screenshots of apps and games • Share text or images from compatible apps for quick dictionary lookups ANKI INTEGRATION • After setup, save words from the reader to Anki with one tap, including context, readings, and definitions • Review and edit a note before adding it: reorder or remove values, add text, or choose a different audio clip or dictionary • When duplicate detection would reject a word, add it anyway from the editor • Use the built-in field mapping for the Lapis note type, or configure fields for your preferred note types • Connect to AnkiMobile on your device or to desktop Anki with the Anki-Connect add-on • Notes created through the Share extension for AnkiMobile are kept as pending notes you can send from MaruReader Anki integration requires a separate Anki setup. Install your chosen note type in Anki before configuring the integration. WHY MARUREADER? • Free and open source • No analytics or tracking • All text recognition runs on your device • Bring your own books, manga, and videos, and choose the dictionaries that suit your learning SCREENSHOT CREDIT The manga shown in the screenshots is used under the author's terms. Title: Give My Regards to Black Jack Author: SHUHO SATO ## Key features - Instant word lookup - OCR text recognition for manga - Anki flashcard creation - Custom dictionary support - EPUB and ZIP/CBZ import - Web browsing with dictionary ## Is MaruReader safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess MaruReader. ## Is MaruReader legit? MaruReader: Read in Japanese has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for MaruReader is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (3 of 3) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marureader-read-in-japanese/id6760981845/reviews.md ### 5/5 — high quality *2026-09-17* ※update, even the icon is quality :o the app icon/images made me nervous it's ai slop, but it's anything but this. lots of meticulous options like you would see right in yomitan. i've been needing this! お疲れさま！ ### 5/5 — I’ve been looking for something like this forever *2026-09-12* I can import CBZs and read manga, with built in dictionary lookup! I haven’t quite figured out the Anki integration, but I will, soon! I haven’t quite figured paid money for apps that weren’t as good as this one. I’m so glad I found it! ### 5/5 — high quality *2026-04-27* the app icon/images made me nervous it's ai slop, but it's anything but this. lots of meticulous options like you would see right in yomitan. i've been needing this! お疲れさま！ ## Frequently asked questions about MaruReader ### What is MaruReader? MaruReader is a free and open-source application designed to help users learn Japanese by integrating a powerful dictionary with readers for eBooks, manga, and the web. It allows for instant word lookups and one-tap Anki flashcard creation. ### How does MaruReader help with learning Japanese? MaruReader facilitates Japanese learning by making reading more accessible. It provides instant word definitions, auto-converts verbs to dictionary form, and offers auto-generated furigana to help with unfamiliar kanji, allowing users to focus on language immersion. ### Can MaruReader read text from manga images? Yes, MaruReader features on-device OCR that can read text directly from any manga page. You can tap on recognized text to look up words, and it supports importing ZIP/CBZ files from your manga collection. ### Does MaruReader support custom dictionaries? Absolutely. MaruReader supports Yomitan dictionary format, allowing you to add your own J-E, J-J, pitch accent, or frequency dictionaries. It also includes integrated grammar guide with custom grammar dictionary support. ### How does MaruReader integrate with Anki? MaruReader offers one-tap Anki flashcard creation, automatically including context, readings, and definitions. It supports AnkiMobile and Anki-Connect, and allows configuration of custom fields for your preferred note types. ### Is MaruReader available on multiple devices? MaruReader is currently supported on iPhone and iPad devices, indicated by its compatibility with these platforms. ### Does MaruReader have ads? No, MaruReader is ad-free. The application explicitly states that it is free and open source, and does not contain advertisements. ### What is the update frequency for MaruReader? MaruReader was last updated on May 5, 2026, with version 1.2.0. This indicates a recent update, suggesting active development and maintenance. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.3.1 — 2026-10-26 Learn from YouTube Open a video's transcript in the web browser and tap any word to look it up. The transcript follows the video as it plays, and words you save to Anki include the sentence, a frame from the video, and a link back to that moment. Edit Anki notes before adding Long-press the + button to review a note first. Reorder or remove values, add text, or pick a different audio clip or dictionary. If duplicate detection would reject a word, you can now add it anyway. Mokuro support for manga Attach a mokuro file to a manga and MaruReader uses its text instead of on-device recognition. A .mokuro file inside a CBZ is attached automatically on import. Better text recognition Furigana, dense pages, and unusual layouts are recognized more reliably. Also in this update • Support for iPhone Duo • The web browser now shows pages edge to edge with a floating toolbar • Improved compatibility with sites like YouTube and X • New plain and no-title glossary values for Anki fields ### 1.3.0 — 2026-10-20 Learn from YouTube Open a video's transcript in the web browser and tap any word to look it up. The transcript follows the video as it plays, and words you save to Anki include the sentence, a frame from the video, and a link back to that moment. Edit Anki notes before adding Long-press the + button to review a note first. Reorder or remove values, add text, or pick a different audio clip or dictionary. If duplicate detection would reject a word, you can now add it anyway. Mokuro support for manga Attach a mokuro file to a manga and MaruReader uses its text instead of on-device recognition. A .mokuro file inside a CBZ is attached automatically on import. Better text recognition Furigana, dense pages, and unusual layouts are recognized more reliably. Also in this update • The web browser now shows pages edge to edge with a floating toolbar • Improved compatibility with sites like YouTube and X • New plain and no-title glossary values for Anki fields ### 1.2.1 — 2026-09-15 - New app icon - Improved appearance of lists in Anki notes - Improved consistency of manga metadata extraction - Improved reliability of updating adblock filter lists - Improved adblock filtering and performance - Minor improvements to EPUB reading and book cover handling ### 1.2.0 — 2026-05-05 - New: Additional gestures enabled in the manga reader: double tap to zoom, double tap again to zoom back out. Double tap and hold, then slide up and down for precise adjustment. - New: Anki field value "Selection Text" can be used to insert the currently selected text on the dictionary search results page. - Improved: EPUB reader now animates all page transitions. - Improved: Adblock engine now supports custom filter lists. Filter lists are updated weekly. - Fixed: Text could sometimes fail to wrap correctly in the context area. ### 1.1.1 — 2026-04-28 - Fixed an issue that could cause a crash on startup. ## Apps similar to MaruReader | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [LibreDict: Offline Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/libredict-offline-dictionary/id6763217128) | 4.0 (4) | Free | Education | | [Toku Japanese & Chinese Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toku-japanese-and-chinese-reader/id6761078304) | 5.0 (6) | Free | Education | | [Quizdy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quizdy/id6758663432) | — | Free | Education | | [Yomoyo: Japanese Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yomoyo-japanese-reader/id6744860737) | 5.0 (5) | Free | Education | | [Kanji Write: Stroke Order](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-write-stroke-order/id6760963794) | — | Free | Education | | [Kalley's Machine Plus Cats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kalleys-machine-plus-cats/id905722643) | 4.7 (38) | Free | Education | ## Related topics [yomitan](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/yomitan) --- *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 2026-10-31.*