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MAL MCP Server

MAL MCP Server

Get top manga

get_top_manga
Read-only

Retrieve manga ranked by all-time score or popularity, optionally filtered by publication type, publishing status, favorites, and SFW settings, with pagination for browsing results.

Instructions

Get manga ranked by all-time score/popularity, not tied to any release window. Use filter for special rankings (publishing, upcoming, bypopularity, favorite). If Tenrai is unavailable and MAL_CLIENT_ID is set, transparently retries via the official API, which takes one ranking instead of type + filter: filter publishing/upcoming has no official ranking and is dropped, bypopularity/favorite win over type, a single type maps to its closest official ranking (novel and lightnovel share one), more than one type is dropped, and with nothing usable left the all-time ranking is returned; themes/demographics come back empty, and sfw_strict degrades to the same filtering as sfw (the official API can't separate adult-rated from Ecchi-tagged-but-safely-rated).

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
sfwNoIf true, exclude adult/explicit-rated entries (R+ Mild Nudity and up). Defaults to false (no filtering). Note: this alone still allows mainstream, safely-rated shows tagged with the Ecchi genre (fanservice) through — use `sfw_strict` to also exclude those.
pageNo1-based page number for pagination (1-20000).
typeNoRestrict to one or more publication types.
limitNoMax results per page (1-100).
filterNoSpecial ranking filter.
sfw_strictNoIf true, exclude adult/explicit-rated entries AND anything tagged with the Ecchi genre, even otherwise-mainstream/safely-rated shows. Stricter than `sfw` alone. Defaults to false.

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
pageYes
resultsYes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed4 schema fields changedv0.11.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / description
      Previous value: -"Max results per page (1-50)."New value: +"Max results per page (1-100)."
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum
      Previous value: -50New value: +100
    • changedInput schema / properties / page / description
      Previous value: -"1-based page number for pagination. No upper bound — this ranking runs to the end of MAL's own catalog."New value: +"1-based page number for pagination (1-20000)."
    • changedInput schema / properties / page / maximum
      Previous value: -9007199254740991New value: +20000
  2. Changed37 schema fields changedv0.9.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / description
      Previous value: -"Max results per page (1-25)."New value: +"Max results per page (1-50)."
    • changedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum
      Previous value: -25New value: +50
    • changedInput schema / properties / page / description
      Previous value: -"1-based page number for pagination."New value: +"1-based page number for pagination. No upper bound — this ranking runs to the end of MAL's own catalog."
    • addedInput schema / properties / sfw
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "If true, exclude adult/explicit-rated entries (R+ Mild Nudity and up). Defaults to false (no filtering). Note: this alone still allows mainstream, safely-rated shows tagged with the Ecchi genre (fanservice) through — use `sfw_strict` to also exclude those.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / sfw_strict
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "If true, exclude adult/explicit-rated entries AND anything tagged with the Ecchi genre, even otherwise-mainstream/safely-rated shows. Stricter than `sfw` alone. Defaults to false.",
      +  "type": "boolean"
      +}
    • changedInput schema / properties / type / description
      Previous value: -"Filter by publication type."New value: +"Restrict to one or more publication types."
    • removedInput schema / properties / type / enum
      Removed value: -[
      -  "manga",
      -  "novel",
      -  "lightnovel",
      -  "oneshot",
      -  "doujin",
      -  "manhwa",
      -  "manhua"
      -]
    • addedInput schema / properties / type / items
      Added value: +{
      +  "description": "A publication type.",
      +  "enum": [
      +    "manga",
      +    "novel",
      +    "lightnovel",
      +    "oneshot",
      +    "doujin",
      +    "manhwa",
      +    "manhua"
      +  ],
      +  "type": "string"
      +}
    • addedInput schema / properties / type / minItems
      Added value: +1
    • changedInput schema / properties / type / type
      Previous value: -"string"New value: +"array"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / current_page / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / current_page / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • changedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / current_page / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / last_visible_page / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / last_visible_page / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • changedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / last_visible_page / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / total / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • addedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / total / minimum
      Added value: +0
    • changedOutput schema / properties / page / properties / total / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / chapters / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / chapters / minimum
      Added value: +0
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / chapters / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / mal_id / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / mal_id / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / mal_id / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / members / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / members / minimum
      Added value: +0
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / members / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / popularity / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / popularity / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / popularity / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / rank / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / rank / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / rank / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / volumes / maximum
      Added value: +9007199254740991
    • addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / volumes / minimum
      Added value: +0
    • changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / volumes / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
  3. Addedv0.8.0
  4. Removedv0.7.1
  5. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The annotations only declare read-only and open-world behavior, while the description adds substantial operational context: fallback retry via the official API, the `MAL_CLIENT_ID` dependency, ranking remapping/dropping rules, empty `themes`/`demographics`, and `sfw_strict` degradation. This is rich behavioral disclosure beyond the structured annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The main purpose and filter usage are front-loaded, and the fallback detail is relevant rather than filler. The second sentence is dense and semicolon-heavy, but it remains purposeful given the complexity of the fallback behavior.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's fallback complexity, the description covers purpose, usage, ranking transformations, degradation behavior, and edge cases. Since an output schema exists, return-value details do not need to be repeated in the description.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so all six parameters are already documented. The description still adds cross-parameter semantics for the official-API fallback, such as `filter` mappings, `bypopularity`/`favorite` overriding `type`, multiple `type` values being dropped, and `sfw_strict` behaving like `sfw`.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb and resource (get manga) and defines the ranking basis as all-time score/popularity, explicitly not tied to a release window. That clearly distinguishes it from seasonal and top-anime siblings.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It explicitly says to use `filter` for special rankings and describes fallback conditions when Tenrai is unavailable. However, it does not name a sibling alternative such as `search_manga` for non-ranking searches, so alternative-tool guidance is not fully explicit.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.