If you’re part of the anime and manga community, you’ve probably already heard the shocking news about one of the most beloved manga reading apps – Tachiyomi – being taken down recently.
For many of us, including myself, it felt like the end of an era. Tachiyomi wasn’t just an app; it was a lifeline for countless manga readers. But unfortunately, corporate pressure finally caught up, and a major Korean manga company issued a DMCA strike against Tachiyomi, accusing it of enabling piracy.
While that argument may hold weight on the surface, it’s important to understand the situation more clearly. Tachiyomi itself never hosted any pirated content. In reality, Tachiyomi is simply an image viewer optimized for reading manga formats, with a ton of helpful features to enhance the reading experience.
Why Was Tachiyomi Taken Down?
The key reason behind the DMCA action lies in Tachiyomi’s extension system. These extensions, which allow users to access various manga sources, weren’t even hosted by Tachiyomi. Users had to install them manually, though Tachiyomi made the process easy by allowing access directly within the app. You can learn more about how these worked in detail from our Tachiyomi Extensions guide. Even so, because the app facilitated this access, it became a legal target.
Based on all available information, Tachiyomi likely did nothing illegal, but fighting a legal battle would require enormous time and money — resources that an open-source, community-driven project like Tachiyomi simply doesn’t have. For users who still want to enjoy the Tachiyomi experience on a bigger screen, check out this Tachiyomi on PC guide to keep reading your favorite manga with ease.
The Shutdown and Final Update
As a result, the developers of Tachiyomi officially shut down the project. In its final update, all integrated extension access was removed. From that point forward, users were required to manually add extensions via external links.
So yes, Tachiyomi as we knew it is no longer being developed. But that doesn’t mean the story ends here.
Meet Mihon – The Spiritual Successor
Shortly after Tachiyomi’s closure, a new app called Mihon emerged. Many believe Mihon is built by the same core developers of Tachiyomi — though no official confirmation has been made (understandably, for legal safety).
So, what is Mihon? It’s essentially Tachiyomi reborn under a different name. The interface, functionality, and user experience are nearly identical. The biggest difference? Mihon doesn’t include any extensions inside the app. You have to install them manually through external links — which helps it avoid DMCA risk.
You can start using Mihon today. While we can’t post any download links here, a simple Google search will point you in the right direction.
What About Tachiyomi Forks Like J2K and SY?
One of the best things about Tachiyomi was its active fork community — with J2K and SY being the most popular.
There’s good news for SY users: the SY fork is now continuing development based on Mihon. This means you can continue using it without worry. As for whether they’ll rename it from Tachiyomi SY to Mihon SY remains to be seen.
Unfortunately, there’s no word yet from the J2K fork developers. Hopefully, they’ll also base future updates on Mihon to keep things going smoothly.
Is Mihon Safe From Future Strikes?
The chances of Mihon getting hit with the same kind of DMCA action are much lower. Because it no longer provides built-in access to extensions, users are fully responsible for how they use the app. This small but crucial change makes a big difference legally.
And yes — if you previously used Tachiyomi and have a backup of your settings or library, you can easily import that backup into Mihon. Everything should work just fine.
Conclusion
While the original Tachiyomi may no longer be receiving updates, its legacy lives on through Mihon. The community remains strong, and the reading experience remains just as powerful.
If you were heartbroken over Tachiyomi’s shutdown, don’t worry — it’s not truly dead. It has simply evolved.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more updates!