Anime4K
Real-time shaders that upscale 1080p anime video to 4K while playing it.
- Stars
- 21.6k
- Forks
- 1.4k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Jupyter Notebook
- Last update
- 2.2 years ago
- Type
- Other
No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.
What it is
Anime4K is a set of open-source shader algorithms that make anime video look sharper when upscaled to a larger screen, such as a 4K display. It runs during playback rather than re-encoding the file, so the original video is left untouched. The README says it is optimized for native 1080p anime and is not meant for lower-resolution or older material.
- Play 1080p anime on a 4K TV or monitor with upscaling applied in real time
- Use the Windows, Linux, or Mac guides to set up Anime4K shaders in mpv, Plex, or IINA
- Compare shader modes on different titles to see which suits a given source
- Apply the included denoising or line-art shaders to specific kinds of anime
Great for
- People watching native 1080p anime on a 4K screen
- Viewers who want upscaling during playback without re-encoding files
- Users of media players that support GLSL shaders, such as mpv or Plex setups described in the README
- People who want to tweak upscaling behavior with modular shader components
Not ideal for
- Viewers with 720p, 480p, or DVD-quality anime, since the README says it is not optimized for these and older material has artifacts that are hard to remove
- People who need the best possible quality on very low-resolution images, since the README points to SRGAN-style models as better there, though slower
- Users who want a simple one-click app, since the README links to platform-specific setup guides for each player
How to get it
- 1
See the README
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bloc97/Anime4K - 2
Run it
- Choose the guide for your operating system and media player from the README installation section
- Follow the linked GLSL instructions for mpv, Plex, or IINA
- Load the Anime4K shaders in your player's settings
- Play a native 1080p anime file on a 4K display to see the upscaling
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the advanced GLSL instructions linked from the v4 section for shader modes
- Try different shader variants (for example the UL and M variants mentioned in the performance notes) to balance quality and speed
- Use the denoising and line-art shaders described in the v3 section for specific sources
- Check the projects listed in the README, such as Magpie or Anime4KCPP, if you want a different front end
Downloads
Strengths
- Designed to run in real time, according to the README
- Keeps the original video file unchanged because it works during playback
- Modular shader components can be customized for specific anime styles
Trade-offs
- The README says it is not optimized for lower-resolution or older anime
- Setup depends on the specific media player, with separate guides for each platform
- The README notes that some listed projects may use outdated versions
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anime4K (this) | 21.6k | Other | intermediate | 2.2 years ago | People watching native 1080p anime on a 4K screen |
| waifu2x | 28.2k | App | advanced | 3.5 years ago | People with an NVIDIA GPU who want to upscale anime-style illustrations |
| moviepy | 15.1k | Library | beginner | 2 months ago | Python developers who want to automate video edits, such as batch trimming or adding titles |
| lux | 31.8k | CLI | beginner | 7 months ago | People who want to save videos from supported sites to a local file from the command line |
| srs | 29.4k | App | intermediate | 6 days ago | Developers building live streaming backends that need several delivery protocols |
| vhs | 21.2k | CLI | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who want a repeatable terminal demo for a README or docs |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.