Kitsu vs Waifu.im

Kitsu's JSON:API-flavored REST endpoint at kitsu.io/api/edge was confirmed live with an unauthenticated anime listing and an explicit Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * header. Reading the catalog needs no account at all; OAuth is only required for actions tied to a user's own library, and the API itself carries no paid tier.

Waifu.im serves a curated, moderator-reviewed archive of over 4,000 anime-style illustrations through a REST API, with AND/OR tag filtering across dozens of character and franchise tags (confirmed live via a plain GET against api.waifu.im/tags), NSFW toggling, and artist attribution on every image. Basic browsing needs no authentication; an X-Api-Key or JWT unlocks per-user favorites, albums, and reports.