How to use mimikatsu
Learn Japanese from YouTube: subtitles follow the video, kanji get furigana, and one tap looks up a word or loops a line. On your phone it runs right in the browser โ no app to download; on a computer, use the Chrome extension. Sign in with the same email and your Pro membership and saved items work on both.
๐ฑ Phone app (web): mimikatsu.app/app
๐งฉ Computer (Chrome Web Store): Add mimikatsu to Chrome
๐ค Sign in / redeem a member code: mimikatsu.app/en/login
๐ Get Pro: mimikatsu.app/en/pro
Free vs. Pro
| Free | Pro |
|---|---|
| Japanese subtitles that follow the video Furigana on kanji Tap / hover to look up words Loop a line, slow playback Subtitle corrections |
Everything in Free, plus: Subtitle translation (Chinese / English) AI grammar explanations, AI word cards Saved sentences & words (synced phone โ computer) Subtitle downloads |
1. On your phone (web app, no download)
๐ฑ Open the phone appOpen it and add it to your home screen
- Open mimikatsu.app/app in your phone's browser.
- iPhone: in Safari, tap Share โ Add to Home Screen.
Android: in Chrome, tap โฎ โ Add to Home screen. - Open it from the home-screen icon from now on โ it works like an app and keeps you signed in longer.
Start watching
- In the YouTube app, open a video โ Share โ Copy link.
- Back in mimikatsu, tap Paste (or paste it yourself and tap Start).
- Tap the video once to start playing; the subtitles below follow along. The first time, each button shows a short label explaining what it does.
Everyday controls
| Toโฆ | Do this |
|---|---|
| Play from a line | Tap the line |
| Look up a word | Tap the word in the subtitle |
| Loop / slow down a line | Tap ๐ / ๐ under the line |
| Previous / next line, speed, furigana, text size | Toolbar under the video |
| Translate, AI explanation, save (Pro) | ๆA / โจ / โ under the line |
| See saved items | Saved tab at the bottom |
Sign in and get Pro
- Tap Me at the bottom (while watching, the person icon at the right end of the toolbar).
- Enter your email โ Send code โ type the 6-digit code from the email โ Sign in.
- Have a member code? Type it under Enter member code and tap Redeem code.
Don't have one? Tap Get Pro โ you'll see the price for your region and go straight to checkout.
2. On your computer (Chrome extension)
๐งฉ Add to ChromeInstall
- In Chrome, open the mimikatsu extension page and click Add to Chrome.
- Click the puzzle icon at the top right and pin mimikatsu to the toolbar (handy for opening settings).
Start watching
- Open any YouTube video that has Japanese subtitles (auto-generated ones work too).
- The mimikatsu subtitle panel appears next to the video. The first time, you'll pick your translation language (Chinese / English).
Everyday controls
| Toโฆ | Do this |
|---|---|
| Play from a line | Click the line |
| Repeat one line | Double-click the line (click again to stop) |
| Loop several lines | Hold Ctrl (โ on Mac) and click the lines |
| Slow down / speed up | Press and hold โ1รโ next to a line, then pick 0.5ร / 1ร / 1.5ร / 2ร |
| Look up a word | Hover over the word |
| Furigana on / off | The โใโ button at the top |
| Translation (Pro) | The translate button at the top, then Chinese or English |
| AI grammar explanation (Pro) | Select part of a subtitle, then click the ๐ง button |
| Save (Pro) | Click โ to the right of the line |
| Help | The โ?โ button at the top |
Sign in and get Pro
- Click the mimikatsu icon in the toolbar โ open Settings.
- Under Account, click Log in / sign up, enter your email and the 6-digit code you receive (no password).
- Back in Settings, enter your member code (starts with MK-) under Pro and click Activate.
3. Pro membership & member codes
- Works on phone and computer: Pro belongs to your email account. Sign in with the same email on any device.
- Buying on the website: on the Pro page, choose 1 month / 3 months / 1 year. Prices are shown for your region (CNY in mainland China, JPY in Japan, USD elsewhere). After paying, Pro is added to the email you're signed in with. Website plans renew automatically; cancel before the next renewal and you keep Pro until the paid period ends.
- Member codes (start with MK-, e.g. bought from a reseller): the time starts on the day you redeem the code into your account, not the day you bought it.
- One account works on up to 3 devices (counting devices used in the last 30 days); on a new device you can choose Keep only this device under Me.
- Pro includes 30 hours of AI subtitle translation per month. After that it switches to YouTube's machine translation until the 1st of next month.
4. FAQ
The phone says it couldn't get the subtitles yet?
Wait a few seconds and tap again, or try another video.
Asked to sign in again on the phone?
If you haven't opened it for 30 days or cleared browser data, sign in again with an email code โ your Pro is not lost. Adding it to your home screen helps you stay signed in.
The subtitle panel doesn't appear on my computer?
Make sure the video has Japanese subtitles, then reload the page (F5 / โR). Reload is also needed right after installing or updating the extension.
Can't open the Chrome Web Store?
Use the phone web app โ features and Pro are shared.
No code in my inbox?
Check your spam folder; wait a minute and tap Resend.