A Language Reactor alternative for Japanese

What does Language Reactor do well?

From its own pages, checked on 4 November 2026:

• Two subtitle lines at once on Netflix and YouTube, so you see the original and your language.
• A pop-up dictionary with example sentences, AI explanations, playback controls and auto-pause after each line.
• 40+ languages, with transliterations for languages in another script.
• A free version. Pro is $5.95 a month, $13.95 for 3 months or $39.95 a year, and adds speech recognition and machine translation on Netflix, saving words across all its features, and export to Anki.
• More than 2 million users, according to its Chrome Web Store page, which says it runs in Chrome on Windows and macOS computers.

Where is Ikkimi different?

• Crunchyroll. Ikkimi works there, and finds and times the Japanese subtitles that most episodes lack. See Learn Japanese with Crunchyroll.
• Made only for Japanese. Each word shows kana, romaji, its meaning, its JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Words you hear in a changed form are saved in their dictionary form, with a note on why.
• Flashcards made for you. One click keeps a word, and it comes back as a spaced-repetition flashcard with the scene and the line.
• Shows at your level. 192 anime rated by hand from N5 to N1, and a level badge on YouTube thumbnails. See Learn Japanese with YouTube.
• Paid only. Ikkimi has no free plan.

Ikkimi and Language Reactor side by side

When is Language Reactor the better choice?

• You learn a language other than Japanese, or several at once.
• You want to start without paying.
• You want subtitles made by speech recognition for any Netflix audio track, dubs included (Pro).
• You want to read books and websites in the same tool.

Other alternatives

Trancy also adds bilingual subtitles to many video sites, with a free plan. Migaku and ManabiDojo are paid tools with more help for Japanese. Our roundup of apps for learning Japanese with anime compares them all, and Learn Japanese with Netflix shows how Ikkimi works there.

To try Ikkimi, add the extension from the Chrome Web Store.

Language Reactor facts checked on 4 November 2026 on languagereactor.com, its Pro page and its Chrome Web Store page. Ikkimi is not affiliated with Language Reactor.

Questions

Does Language Reactor work on Crunchyroll?

Its website and Chrome Web Store page talk about Netflix and YouTube and do not mention Crunchyroll (checked on 4 November 2026). Ikkimi works on Crunchyroll, and because most episodes there have no Japanese subtitles, it finds a matching file in Jimaku’s public catalogue and lines it up by itself.

Does Language Reactor work for Japanese?

Yes. It covers 40+ languages, Japanese among them, and its site says it shows transliterations for languages with a different writing system. Ikkimi is made only for Japanese: each word shows its reading in kana and romaji, its meaning and its JLPT level.

Is there a free alternative to Language Reactor for Japanese?

asbplayer with Yomitan costs nothing and works on Netflix, YouTube and, with a subtitle file you bring, most other streaming sites. Ikkimi is a paid plan; the yearly plan starts with 7 days free, with a card needed to start.

Can I use the English line too?

Yes. Ikkimi can show the English line under the Japanese one, and you can hide it as you improve.

How much does Ikkimi cost?

Ikkimi is one paid plan with everything in it: $9.99 a month, or $59.99 a year. It covers the web app, with unlimited words and export to Anki, and the Chrome extension on Crunchyroll, Netflix and YouTube. The yearly plan starts with 7 days free: you add a card to start, and nothing is charged if you cancel before day 8. The monthly plan has no free trial. There is no free plan.