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Search characters

search_characters

Read-only

Search MyAnimeList characters by name to get compact summaries and the mal_id needed for character details. Supports paging, sorting, and letter filters.

Instructions

Search MyAnimeList characters by name. Returns compact summaries and the mal_id needed by get_character. Use get_anime_characters instead if you already have an anime's mal_id and want its full cast.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`q`	Yes	Character name.
`page`	No	1-based page number for pagination (1-20000).
`sort`	No	Sort direction. Only takes effect together with `order_by`; ignored on its own.
`limit`	No	Max results per page (1-100).
`letter`	No	Restrict results to entries whose title starts with this single letter.
`order_by`	No	Field to order by.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`page`	Yes
`results`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed6 schema fields changedv0.11.0Oct 25, 2026

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 (1-1000)."New value: +"1-based page number for pagination (1-20000)."

changedInput schema / properties / page / maximum
```
Previous value: -1000New value: +20000
```
addedInput schema / properties / q / maxLength
```
Added value: +300
```

changedInput schema / properties / sort / description

Previous value: -"Sort direction."New value: +"Sort direction. Only takes effect together with `order_by`; ignored on its own."

Changed34 schema fields changedv0.9.0Jul 30, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / letter
```
Added value: +{
+  "description": "Restrict results to entries whose title starts with this single letter.",
+  "maxLength": 1,
+  "minLength": 1,
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
- 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 (1-1000)."
```
- changedInput schema / properties / page / maximum
```
Previous value: -9007199254740991New value: +1000
```
- changedInput schema / properties / sort / enum
```
Previous value: -[
-  "desc",
-  "asc"
-]New value: +[
+  "asc",
+  "desc"
+]
```
- 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 / anime / items / properties / mal_id / exclusiveMinimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / anime / items / properties / mal_id / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / anime / items / properties / mal_id / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / anime / items / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "mal_id"
+]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / favorites / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / favorites / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / favorites / 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 / manga / items / properties / mal_id / exclusiveMinimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / manga / items / properties / mal_id / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / manga / items / properties / mal_id / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / manga / items / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "mal_id"
+]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / voice_actors / items / properties / mal_id / exclusiveMinimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / voice_actors / items / properties / mal_id / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / voice_actors / items / properties / mal_id / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / voice_actors / items / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "mal_id"
+]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "mal_id"
+]
```
Changed1 schema field changedv0.8.0Jul 29, 2026
- addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.7.1Jul 22, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "page": {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "current_page": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "has_next_page": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
+        "last_visible_page": {
+          "type": "number"
+        },
+        "total": {
+          "type": "number"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "results": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "properties": {
+          "about": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "anime": {
+            "items": {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "mal_id": {
+                  "type": "number"
+                },
+                "position": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "role": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "title": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "favorites": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "image_url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "mal_id": {
+            "type": "number"
+          },
+          "manga": {
+            "items": {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "mal_id": {
+                  "type": "number"
+                },
+                "position": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "role": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "title": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "name_kanji": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "nicknames": {
+            "items": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          },
+          "url": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "voice_actors": {
+            "items": {
+              "additionalProperties": false,
+              "properties": {
+                "language": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "mal_id": {
+                  "type": "number"
+                },
+                "name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "type": "object"
+            },
+            "type": "array"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "results",
+    "page"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Addedv0.2.0Jun 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover safety (readOnlyHint) and open-world scope, so the bar is lower. The description still adds useful behavioral context: results are compact summaries that carry the mal_id needed downstream by get_character, which tells the agent this is a discovery step rather than a full-detail fetch.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Two sentences, front-loaded with the core action, then return shape, then the routing rule. No filler or restatement of the title.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values needn't be spelled out, yet the description still flags that results are compact and include mal_id. With full schema coverage and annotations, nothing an agent needs to select or invoke this tool is missing.

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

Parameters3/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, so all six parameters (q, page, limit, sort, letter, order_by) are documented in the schema, including the sort/order_by dependency. The description adds no parameter guidance beyond that, so baseline 3 applies.

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?

Specific verb+resource ("Search MyAnimeList characters by name") plus an explicit statement of what it returns (compact summaries and the mal_id). It also distinguishes itself from a similarly named sibling (get_anime_characters) without needing the schema.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Names the alternative explicitly and gives the exact condition that selects it: use get_anime_characters when you already have an anime's mal_id and want its full cast. It also implies the inverse – use this tool when starting from a name.

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

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