MAL Updater OS X

Open Source macOS Scrobbler for Kitsu and AniList

MAL Updater OS X

MyAnimeList API Update

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At last, the light is at the end of the tunnel. The owners of MyAnimeList will open the API up for closed beta for certain developers soon, which I am a part of. Since the public cannot use the apps that use the API during the closed beta, there will be no public testing for any of the apps nor any public commits pushed to the public repos until it’s made public again. The open beta will happen in September, meaning that there won’t be any public beta builds until then.

However, I will be posting development updates exclusively for active Patrons. If you want to see the progress made with implementing MyAnimeList support for our apps along with some new major features, they will be posted on Patreon. By becoming an active patron, you can support the development of our apps, test new beta versions for Shukofukurou for iOS and unlock donor features on the macOS version of Shukofukurou and Hachidori. MAL Updater OS X will be discontinued as MyAnimeList support will be added to Hachidori instead. However, your MAL Updater OS X donor key will work in Hachidori.

With that Shukofukurou for iOS 1.4 will be released soon, which adds a few improvements including infinite search results and advanced search. After that, we will be working on Shukofukurou for iOS 2.0. Since we are not able to bring out the app with MyAnimeList support for public testing until September, we will be getting our app ready for iOS and iPadOS 13 during this time. We don’t know the agreement in regards to the MyAnimeList API yet for the closed beta, but to be on the safe side, we won’t be disclosing any code for 2.0, future versions of Hachidori 3.2/Shukofukurou for macOS 3.4 and Hakuchou until then. They will be made public when the MAL API reaches open beta. We will be committing all changes to a private GIT repository for the time being. Rest assured, we are not making our apps closed source in any way. The source code will be pushed out to the public repos in September 2019.

Shukofukurou for iOS 2.0 will drop support for iOS 11 and will require iOS 12 or later. All devices that run iOS 11 should be able to run iOS 12.

Shukofukurou for iOS 2.0 will be a free upgrade for all users who downloaded the app already. So feel free to get the app so you are ready when MyAnimeList support drops in Fall 2019.

With that, we hope to get everything up in running for MyAnimeList users who have to endure the long wait.

Summer Development Plans

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Summer is finally here, so we plan to share our development plans for the months of June, July and August. There is a lot planned for the next few months.

Sponsor button on Github

If you see our repositories for Hachidori, Shukofukurou and Shukofukurou for iOS, there is now a sponsor button, which gives you a link to Patreon. You can support the development of our apps monthly through Patreon. Currently, we are still far away from making the goal of making the iOS app free, which will at least cover the costs of the Apple Developer Program required to develop these apps. You can help us by pledging as little as $1. You will have access to TestFlight to test beta versions of our iOS applications, be shown on the list of Patrons with other benefits. We plan to possibly have Patreon exclusive beta builds as well for Hachidori and Shukofukurou for mac when we eventually roll out MyAnimeList support later this summer.

macOS Catalina Support

We are testing Hachidori and Shukofukurou for Mac for preliminary support. I will explore porting Shukofukurou for iOS to the Mac through the new porting capabilities in macOS Catalina. However, it will not replace the dedicated macOS version yet since it still missing several features. The concept version will be made available to Patrons only for feedback once Apple releases macOS Catalina for public beta.

So far, Hachidori works. Shukofukurou for Mac is yet to be tested.

As for iOS 13 support, we do not plan to start working on it until September when the final version of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 will be released. Once iOS/iPadOS 13 releases, iOS 11 support will be dropped, mostly because all currently supported devices also support iOS 12. We will only support iOS 12 and future releases for Shukofukurou for iOS. We did an initial port of it and we won’t be taking this route since it broke too many stuff. While we managed to fix Kitsu and AniList OAuth, it would take too much effort to optimize the user experience for the Mac.

Other

In addition to adding MyAnimeList support, we plan to possibly add Simkl support to Hachidori. While there is still some work that needs to be done such as adding support for Anime IDs in Simkl to Hato, it’s most likely feasible. When I add support for it, it will only support Anime media. Non-anime media will not be supported since Hachidori is an anime-centric app and support for non-anime media is beyond the scope of the app. I expect to ship this support once MyAnimeList is added back in in beta.

As for MAL Updater OS X, it will eventually be updated to use the new API. 3.4 will be the final version and will only receive bug fixes.

MyAnimeList API Update

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After almost a whole year with the MyAnimeList API being down, I received news that it will eventually come back, but in closed beta sometime in June. While I don’t know if end-users can use our applications when we implement the new api. If not, it will be limited to active patrons until the open beta to assist with testing and development.

First off, we will work on getting MAL Updater OS X working again. 2.5 will be the final release as MyAnimeList functionality will be moved over to Hachidori in 3.4 release once in open beta or the API is finally released.Once Hachidori 3.4 is released, you will be able to do multi-scrobbles with MyAnimeList as well. Regardless, MAL Updater OS X after the final 2.5 release will still receive updates and MAL Updater OS X donation keys will work in Hachidori. However, Hachidori donation keys will not work, but Patreon keys will. MAL Updater OS X donation keys will not go back on sale.

Shukofukurou 3.4 and Shukofukurou for iOS 1.4 or 1.5 will support MyAnimeList as well once I finish the MAL Updater OS X 2.5 release.

While this has been a long wait, the light is almost at the end of the tunnel.

MyAnimeList Changes Owners

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As you heard, MEDIA DO HOLDINGS Co., Ltd has bought MyAnimeList

I’m super excited to announce – MyAnimeList has been acquired by MEDIA DO HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.（Media Do)! As an established eBook and Manga datastore and distributor, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, I believe Media Do is uniquely positioned to slingshot MAL into being the number one ‘all-things’ anime and manga platform.

What does this mean? In the short term, not a lot will change. A bunch of logistics and legal hurdles are still being worked out, so DeNA will continue the day-to-day maintenance for at least the next few weeks to come. In the less-short term, it means a new dedicated team, a new schedule of priorities, and a new vision for MAL’s future! Having chatted with the Media Do group a number of times now, I’ve been delighted to share in their excitement and enthusiasm for improving and growing MAL.

It’s been roughly four years since DeNA took the helm with MAL’s development, and they successfully guided us through a very difficult growth state. I will forever be grateful to DeNA’s team, and their tireless translators. We’ve come a very long way, and we wouldn’t be here without their care and support.

I have no doubt good things are in store for us this year! Thank you everyone for your support and continued involvement in our amazing community.

Given the bad experiences with DeNA with their lack of API development and broken promises, hopefully this change will be for the better. While we still don’t know when the API will be back. We hope the new owners will hopefully fix the lack of development of the API as we know, a lot of anime and manga fans still use MAL despite many switching to other services like Kitsu or AniList. However, once the MyAnimeList API return, we will work on adding MyAnimeList back to Shukofukurou and add support for it to Hachidori.

What will happen to MAL Updater OS X?

Depending on the changes to the final API, we will make the final version of MAL Updater OS X available once the API opens up again and implement some of the backend changes from Hachidori. As stated earlier, MAL Updater OS X won’t be developed any further afterwards and MyAnimeList support will be added to Hachidori. That way, it will be easier to maintain one code source. However, users who already have a MAL Updater OS X donation license will not have to buy a Hachidori donation license since it will accept it.

Year in Review and Roadmap to the Future

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With 2018 coming to a close, it’s time to take a glimpse of what we accomplished

  • Raised about $323.39 in total donations for 2018.
  • Pushed out 53 stable releases in total (Hachidori, MAL Updater OS X, MAL Library, Nekomata, Shukofukurou, and Shukofukurou for iOS)
  • Added AniList and Kitsu support to Hachidori and Shukofukurou
  • Released an iOS version of Shukofukurou
  • Created an list exporter for Windows Users

While MyAnimeList disappoints with their takedown of their public API, we are still able to generate enough funding to continue the project and add features to our software and applications.

Here is what we have planned for 2019.

Patreon

Since there is now one active patron, we will wait to see how it goes and evaluate it in a few months.

Hachidori

We plan on rewriting parts of Hachidori so it will become easier to maintain and add new services in the future. This work will start with Hachidori 3.1. Also, we plan on adding a few more features for donors as well. More will be revealed in the future.

Shukofukurou for iOS

While we are still waiting for MyAnimeList API to return, we plan on possibly creating an Apple Watch app that allows users to make simple edits to their libraries for titles they are currently watching or plan to watch. The Watch App will be free and included in the iOS version of Shukofukurou as you need the app to authenticate the app on the Apple Watch.

Offline updating support will possibly be added in the next release as well.

List Syncing

Another feature I want to add for Shukofukurou is List Syncing. This will not be a free service as I would need to build a web API to translate title ids for both Anime and Manga and host it somewhere. I will possibly add support for online list backups as well. I plan to make this into a yearly subscription service for a low price of possibly $2.99 a year to help cover server costs. Other app developers will be able to use this service as well as long they pay a yearly fee similar to a regular user would for an API key. The web API implementation will be open source.

With that, this is what we have planned for 2019. With that, we wish everyone a Happy Holidays and a safe and Happy New Year.

Shukofukurou 3.1.4 Released, Mojave Compatibility and Other Updates

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Shukofukurou 3.1.4 Released

Shukofukurou 3.1.4 is now released. For the Mac App Store release, you have to wait awhile until it appears. This release adds improved Dark Mode support under Mojave. Also, outside the Mac App Store, the app is now notarized for macOS Mojave.

The change log is below.

Bug Fixes and Enhancements

  • Add Dark Mode support for macOS Mojave
  • Airing/Publishing titles will appear as bold in the user’s anime and manga lists.
  • App is now notarized for macOS Mojave.

Hachidori and Mojave

Hachidori is already compatible with Mojave, but we added new information regarding Automation permissions with the new Privacy settings under the new OS. You can review them at our Github wiki.

MAL Updater OS X and Mojave

MAL Updater OS X development is currently on hold until the new API returns. However, there isn’t much that needs to be done to add Mojave support besides updating a few frameworks. MAL Updater OS X 2.5 will eventually support macOS 10.14 Mojave.

Hiyoko (Shukofukurou iOS port)

We are about 1 or 2/4th done with the initial pre-alpha release. Season, Airing, Title Information, Characters and List Management needs to be implemented before initial testing begins. Once testing begins, initial beta phase will be restricted to Patrons and whoever donated to the project through a voluntary donation or a donation license purchase. The app will ultimately cost $2.99 to cover the costs of the Apple’s Developer Program and will have lifetime updates. Source code will become available after the initial test release.

MyAnimeList support

The first biweekly update have been released and it seems that the MyAnimeList developer team have finished reviewing the steps necessary to complete the development of the new APIs and will start working on the remaining development sometime next week. We currently do not know when, but we will keep you updated.

Funding Update

We are fully covered for the remainder of 2018. For 2019 as of today, We have raised $62.78 out of $204 (30.8% of the goal) needed to cover our development costs. We need to reach $204 in order to continue development or development will be discontinued and the repos will be removed. You can support us today by buying a donation license or leaving a tip, download Shukofukurou off the Mac App Store, or becoming a Patron.