This list is made specifically for Japanese works of animation, comic, and novel.
Recommended source for manga/anime/novel:
- Comic Natalie (https://natalie.mu/comic/)
Comic Natalie is the one of the fastest news source for any manga/light novel/anime related. The coverage is Far more complete than any existing news source. Japanese only.
- Pixiv Hyakkajiten / Pixiv Encyclopedia (https://dic.pixiv.net/)
An online encyclopedia list of various pop-culture and viral stuff in Japan.
- Anime News Network
ANN is the best source for it's validity; they often contact the license owner for data accuracy. Romanization used on the DB is based on Kunrei-shiki system. Extra OVA/SP episode which released on the BD/DVD/VHS is merged into the main entry.
- Allcimena (https://www.allcinema.net)
Japanese database for movie and TV series, equal to IMDB.
- Bangumi (https://bgm.tv/)
Chinese ACG+ culture database, includes animation, comic, game, tokusatsu, album, novel, artbook, etc. Have proper handling of magazine info, release state, release type (tankoubon, kanzenban, vertical modified, etc) than any English database.
- Comicspace (https://comicspace.jp/)
Japanese manga tracker. Useful for getting tag, genre, theme.
- AniDB
AniDB always maintain its accuracy with high-level of moderation. Some anime with continuous story is merged into main entry.
- MyAnimeList
Often have inccorect wrong info due to number of DB request (especially on lesser popular title); not all mod have essential skill for validating DB request. MAL is North American-centric, a lot of publication of manga is merged into one entry to comply with NA release.
- Wikipedia Japanese
All data constantly updated using official source. Please note that Wikipedia Japan don't put cover/poster image to the wiki entries to avoid copyright takedown.
- Wikipedia English
Recommended for basic information, but not for original release data, volume numbers, and chapters due to its nature of NA/EU/AU/NZ centric.
- MangaUpdates (https://www.mangaupdates.com)
MangaUpdates doesn't maintain speicific date on the DB, use Media-arts for specific date publication. The romanization often wrong due to only relying to information providede by scanlation/translator.
- Mangadex (https://mangadex.org)
Useful for getting cover and synopsis, including all link to official source, JP or other international release.
- Media-arts (https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp)
A Japanese government owned manga/anime/game database. Provides various release type of manga (tankoubon, bunkouban, etc. ) manga magazine. Manga release covered: 1868-2016; Anime release covered: 1917-2016. Available in English with partial Japanese.
- Shoboi Calendar (http://cal.syoboi.jp/)
A chart-site that maintains all release date and time of anime. Japanese only.
- The Doujinshi & Manga Lexicon (https://www.doujinshi.org/) (currently down for one year)
Provides database of doujin works across various Japanese doujin event. Always use this intead of illegal adult content provider (NHentai, E-hentai, etc).
- Anime-Planet
Just like MAL, a lot of publication of manga is merged into one entry to comply with NA release.
- Wikia/Fandom (*.fandom.com)
Fandom often provides more specific information than any other database.
- AniList
Anilist have high standard of content moderation. Despite there are some effort for content differentiation, it still lacks for proper release differentiation just like any English database.
- VNDB (vndb.org)
VNDB is good choice to get description info for visual novel-related media.
- Novel Updates (www.novelupdates.com)
Provides novel related entry that already scanlated to foreign language.
- LNDB (lndb.info)
Use LNDB in case the light novel which not listed everywhere. Also good for grab desc for anime/manga adaptation.
- Exhentai (exhentai.org)
Useful for grabbing the first and the last date magazine release of erotic media, as other DB tend to only use compilation date release.
- Aniota Wiki (https://w.atwiki.jp/aniwotawiki)
Might contain useful information for otaku-related product that not available in english.
Other recommended source:
- Official Japanese site
- Anime studio site
- manga publisher site
- Japanese legal online content provider (refer to: https://github.com/otakulogy/anime-streaming/ and https://github.com/otakulogy/manga-reading)
- Author's blog/Twitter/Pixiv
- Ask the author directly :)
[!] It's not recommended to use source from third-party illegal content provider such as Kissanime, MangaRock, etc. All data are under-checked, usually filled with inconsistencies as they mostly handled automically/by scraping.