gengo.app

gengo.app is a reading tool for Japanese learners built around a simple loop: read something you actually want to read, and look up the words you do not know without breaking the flow. It combines a manga and light novel reader with an integrated OCR dictionary, so instead of switching to a separate dictionary app you can select the text on the page and get the meaning in place.

The project is explicit about its lineage. It was strongly inspired by AJATT and other immersive language-learning methods, which argue that large volumes of native input matter more than isolated study. It also filled a practical gap: the Kaku app covered that workflow on Android but lacked a solid cross-platform alternative, so gengo.app was built to run wherever the learner reads. Support happens through a Discord community and Patreon, and feedback, bug reports and feature requests are actively welcomed there.

There is an important practical constraint to understand before adopting it. The application does not distribute any copyrighted material. It relies entirely on users importing their own image files for reading — individual PNG or JPG images, a folder, or a ZIP containing the images. That keeps the tool on the right side of copyright law and also means your library is whatever you bring to it. The app itself is completely free to use, with donations supporting ongoing development and maintenance.