# Manga Colorizer (`parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer`) Actor

AI-powered manga page colorizer. Takes black-and-white manga image URLs and returns fully colored pages with the original line art preserved. Supports batch processing and multiple original languages for accurate text region handling.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** AI, Automation, Other
- **Stats:** 695 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 2 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $0.0605 / result

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### Manga Colorizer

**Colorize manga pages with AI, turning black-and-white scans into full-color art.** Upload a page URL, pick the original language, and get back a colored image. No GPU, no desktop software, no manual painting.

Coloring a single manga page by hand takes hours of skilled digital painting. Manga Colorizer runs a generative AI model that fills in colors, shading, and tones automatically from a black-and-white image URL. You get a ready-to-use colored page while keeping the original line art intact.

| Who uses it | What they use Manga Colorizer for |
|---|---|
| Scanlation groups | Produce colored releases faster without hiring a dedicated colorist for every chapter. |
| Manga readers | Turn favorite black-and-white panels into colored wallpapers or social posts. |
| Indie comic artists | Preview color treatments on inked pages before committing to a final palette. |
| Content creators | Generate colored manga excerpts for video thumbnails, reviews, or commentary. |

### What it does

This Actor takes manga page image URLs and returns each page as a colorized image, with the original line art preserved.

- 🎨 **AI colorization:** fills flats, gradients, and shading while keeping the original ink lines sharp.
- 🌐 **Multi-language OCR support:** set the original language so the model reads text regions correctly before coloring.
- 📤 **Batch processing:** drop in an array of image URLs and colorize a full chapter in one run.
- 🖼️ **Standard image formats:** accepts JPG, PNG, and WebP inputs.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with Manga Colorizer data

**🎨 Speed up scanlation releases.**

A scanlation team drops raw chapter page URLs, sets Japanese as the original language, and receives colored pages ready for typesetting.

**📱 Create social media content.**

A manga fan account colorizes iconic panels and posts them as eye-catching images on Instagram or Twitter.

**🖌️ Preview color palettes.**

An indie comic artist uploads inked pages to see how different color treatments look before starting the final digital paint.

**📚 Build a colored archive.**

A collector processes a personal library of classic manga pages to enjoy them in color on a tablet or e-reader.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No manual painting** | AI handles flats, tones, and shading in one pass |
| **Line art preserved** | The original black ink lines stay untouched |
| **Batch ready** | Colorize a full chapter by submitting multiple URLs at once |
| **Language aware** | OCR language setting helps the model understand text regions |

### How it compares

No other Store actor targets Manga Colorizer the same way, so the honest comparison is with the alternatives teams actually weigh.

| | Manga Colorizer | Build it in-house | By hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Run it now, zero config | Days of engineering | None, but hours per pull |
| When Manga Colorizer changes | Maintained for you | You fix it | You re-learn the page |
| Proxies, retries, anti-bot | Built in | Your problem | Browser only |
| Output | Fixed JSON schema, CSV/Excel export | Whatever you build | Copy-paste |
| Cost | Pay per result | Engineering time | Analyst hours |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor with an array of manga page image URLs and set the original language so the AI model interprets the artwork correctly. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "imageUrls": [
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/S8l2sknfAAra9YPZ7/records/Chapter_113_Title_Page.jpg"
  ],
  "originalLanguage": "japanese",
  "targetLanguages": [
    "english",
    "spanish"
  ]
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.45 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $45.00 |
| 1,000 results | $450.00 |
| 10,000 results | $4500.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [Manga Colorizer](https://apify.com/parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to Manga Colorizer through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why is my image not being colorized?**

Check that the image URL is publicly accessible and returns a valid JPG, PNG, or WebP file. URLs that require authentication or redirect to an HTML page will fail.

**The colors look washed out or wrong.**

The AI model generates colors based on its training data. Results vary by art style. Try a different page with clearer line art and higher contrast for better results.

**Processing takes a long time.**

Large images or many pages in one run will increase processing time. Reduce the batch size or use smaller image dimensions if speed is critical.

**I get an error about unsupported format.**

Make sure your URLs point directly to image files ending in .jpg, .png, or .webp. The Actor cannot process PDFs, ZIPs, or embedded images in HTML pages.

**The text in the colored image looks garbled.**

Set the correct original language in the input. This helps the model identify text regions and avoid painting over them incorrectly.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What image formats does the Actor accept? | It accepts JPG, PNG, and WebP image URLs. Make sure the URLs are publicly accessible so the Actor can download them. |
| Does it work with manhwa or manhua? | Yes. Set the original language to Korean for manhwa or Chinese/Chinese-Traditional for manhua so the OCR model handles text regions correctly. |
| Will the colorization overwrite the original line art? | No. The AI model is designed to add color underneath and around the black ink lines, preserving the original drawing. |
| How many pages can I colorize in one run? | You can submit an array of image URLs. There is no hard page limit in the input, but very large batches will take longer to process. |
| Can I choose the color palette? | The AI model decides colors automatically based on its training. There is no manual palette picker in this Actor. |
| What languages does the OCR support? | It supports Japanese, English, Korean, Russian, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Arabic, and Hindi. |
| Do I need a GPU or special hardware? | No. The Actor runs on Apify's infrastructure. You only need an Apify account and the image URLs. |
| Is the output a single image or a ZIP? | Each input URL produces one colorized image. The dataset contains the individual output image URLs or binary data, depending on the run settings. |
| Can I use this for commercial releases? | You are responsible for the rights to the original manga pages. The Actor provides the colorization tool; it does not grant any copyright or license. |
| What is the Lingo.dev Translation Enhancer option? | That option is for the Manga OCR Translator Actor, not the Manga Colorizer. It does not affect colorization. |

### Related actors

- [manga-ocr-translator](https://apify.com/parseforge/manga-ocr-translator?fpr=vmoqkp): Use this instead when you need to extract and translate text from manga pages rather than colorize the artwork.

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Manga Colorizer. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `imageUrls` (type: `array`):

Array of manga image URLs to process. Each image will be analyzed to extract text regions. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP.

## `originalLanguage` (type: `string`):

The language of the text in the manga images. This helps OCR accuracy by using the appropriate language model.

## `targetLanguages` (type: `array`):

Select one or more target languages for translation. The text will be translated to all selected languages.

## `enableLingoTranslationEnhancer` (type: `boolean`):

If enabled, uses a two-step translation process: first translates to English using Lingo.dev (raw translation without context), then refines and translates to multiple languages using Gemini AI (with context and Lingo translations). This can improve translation quality by providing a base translation that Gemini can refine. If disabled, only Gemini AI will be used for translation.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "imageUrls": [
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/S8l2sknfAAra9YPZ7/records/Chapter_113_Title_Page.jpg"
  ],
  "originalLanguage": "japanese",
  "targetLanguages": [
    "english",
    "spanish"
  ],
  "enableLingoTranslationEnhancer": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "imageUrls": [
        "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/S8l2sknfAAra9YPZ7/records/Chapter_113_Title_Page.jpg"
    ],
    "originalLanguage": "japanese",
    "targetLanguages": [
        "english",
        "spanish"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "imageUrls": ["https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/S8l2sknfAAra9YPZ7/records/Chapter_113_Title_Page.jpg"],
    "originalLanguage": "japanese",
    "targetLanguages": [
        "english",
        "spanish",
    ],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "imageUrls": [
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/S8l2sknfAAra9YPZ7/records/Chapter_113_Title_Page.jpg"
  ],
  "originalLanguage": "japanese",
  "targetLanguages": [
    "english",
    "spanish"
  ]
}' |
apify call parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/modern-manga-colorizer"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/dBwaxFu3XjWvWnVEM/builds/svaFNmAcAQejbWaVU/openapi.json