Opinionated settings (and some scripts) I've found to be great for anime with mpv, matching and even surpassing the image quality of madvr (MPC-HC/NGU algorithm).

# TL;DR / Quick Guide

1. Install [mpv](https://mpv.io/installation) - This guide is based on [the stable release v0.34.1](https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/releases/tag/v0.34.1) and also should work with the latest git version (tested on 2022-04-03) - [mpv manual](https://mpv.io/manual) 3. Download shaders and place them to `mpv/shaders/`: 1. Luma Upscaler: - [FSRCNNX](https://github.com/igv/FSRCNN-TensorFlow/releases) (**FSRCNNX_x2_8-0-4-1_LineArt.glsl** inside the **checkpoints_params.7z**) - **or** - [SSimSuperRes](https://gist.github.com/igv/2364ffa6e81540f29cb7ab4c9bc05b6b) (lighter on the GPU, but almost as good as FSRCNNX) 3. Luma Downscaler: [SSimDownscaler](https://gist.github.com/igv/36508af3ffc84410fe39761d6969be10) 4. Chroma Up/Downscaler: [KrigBilateral](https://gist.github.com/igv/a015fc885d5c22e6891820ad89555637) 4. Copy & paste the [image quality config below](/article/mpv-for-anime#conf_image_quality) to `mpv/mpv.conf` 5. Uncomment either FSRCNNX or SSimSuperRes (not both) at the Luma up section in the config 6. (Optional, Windows) Comment the two Vulkan lines and uncomment DirectX lines at the start of the config for better performance in some cases 7. (Optional) Download scripts to `mpv/scripts/` ### Links - **[mpv](https://mpv.io)** - SOURCES & REFERENCES - [artoriuz.github.io](https://artoriuz.github.io/blog/mpv_upscaling.html) (more about the math but most up to date) - [iamscum.wordpress.com](https://iamscum.wordpress.com/guides/videoplayback-guide/mpv-conf/) - [kokomins.wordpress.com](https://kokomins.wordpress.com/2019/10/14/mpv-config-guide/) - Comparison between FSRCNNX and SSSR and madVR by me: [slow.pics/c/NTryj7wb](https://slow.pics/c/NTryj7wb) - SHADERS - Luma Upscaler: [FSRCNNX](https://github.com/igv/FSRCNN-TensorFlow/releases) (**FSRCNNX_x2_8-0-4-1_LineArt.glsl** can be found inside **checkpoints_params.7z**) - Luma Upscaler: [SSimSuperRes](https://gist.github.com/igv/2364ffa6e81540f29cb7ab4c9bc05b6b) (almost as good as FSRCNNX, recommended) - Luma Downscaler: [SSimDownscaler](https://gist.github.com/igv/36508af3ffc84410fe39761d6969be10) - Chroma Up/Downscaler: [KrigBilateral](https://gist.github.com/igv/a015fc885d5c22e6891820ad89555637) - Sharpening: [Adaptive Sharpen](https://gist.github.com/igv/8a77e4eb8276753b54bb94c1c50c317e) - Can be a hit or miss. I would test out tweaking the Settings area inside the .glsl file. - [anime4K](https://github.com/bloc97/Anime4K/releases) has the wow factor but is still unreliable and doesn't succeed in preserving the original image. More about it [below](/article/mpv-for-anime#anime4K) - SCRIPTS - [mpvacious](https://github.com/Ajatt-Tools/mpvacious) (real-time Anki cards with a press of a button) - [autoload](https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/blob/master/TOOLS/lua/autoload.lua) (autoplay next episode) - [betterchapters](https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/issues/4738#issuecomment-321298846) - [bookmarker](https://github.com/NurioHin/mpv-bookmarker) - [webm](https://github.com/ekisu/mpv-webm) (quickly create video clips while watching) - [autosubsync](https://github.com/joaquintorres/autosubsync-mpv) (**automatically sync subtitles** to another subtitle or even **just to the audio track**) ### Index - [tldr](/article/mpv-for-anime#tldr) - [mpv.conf for image quality](/article/mpv-for-anime#conf_image_quality) - [other settings in my mpv.conf](/article/mpv-for-anime#conf_other) - [input.conf](/article/mpv-for-anime#conf_input) - [refresh rate in mpv.conf](/article/mpv-for-anime#conf_hz) - [anime4K](/article/mpv-for-anime#anime4K) - [changelog](/article/mpv-for-anime#changelog)

# mpv.conf for image quality

``` profile=gpu-hq # Not too important on modern hardware. 'auto-copy-safe' is a safe option to use if one wants to enable it. Defaults to 'no'. #hwdec=no # Video driver to use. I recommend using the stable older 'gpu' (default) or the new experimental 'gpu-next'. Latter might still have various issues. #vo=gpu ###### Vulkan on Linux, Windows or macOS (recommended) gpu-api=vulkan fbo-format=rgba16hf ###### DirectX on Windows (recommended) #gpu-api=d3d11 #fbo-format=rgba16hf ###### OpenGL on Linux or macOS or Windows #gpu-api=opengl #fbo-format=rgba16f ###### Color gamut # https://github.com/mpv-player/mpv/issues/9071 # Noticed that for example in the Evangelion 3.333 4K version reds look wrong when gamut-clipping is enabled. Uncomment at your discretion. #gamut-clipping=no # only mpv v0.34.1 https://mpv.io/manual/stable/#options-gamut-clipping #gamut-mapping-mode=clip # only mpv git or newer https://mpv.io/manual/master/#options-gamut-mapping-mode #hdr-compute-peak=no ###### Shaders ###### ###### Luma up (uncomment FSRCNNX or SSimSuperRes, not both) #glsl-shader="~~/shaders/FSRCNNX_x2_8-0-4-1_LineArt.glsl" # mathematically best, most expensive #glsl-shader="~~/shaders/SSimSuperRes.glsl" # really good, a little cheaper for the GPU scale=ewa_lanczossharp ###### Luma down glsl-shader="~~/shaders/SSimDownscaler.glsl" dscale=mitchell linear-downscaling=no correct-downscaling=yes ###### Chroma up + down glsl-shader="~~/shaders/KrigBilateral.glsl" cscale=mitchell ###### Sharpen # Didn't find this too useful with the SuperRes or FSRCNNX shader. #glsl-shader="~~/shaders/adaptive-sharpen.glsl" #sigmoid-upscaling=no #linear-upscaling=no ###### Thinlines # Very subjective. Currently not using. Refer to the bottom of this post for configuring this. #glsl-shader="~~/shaders/Anime4K_ThinLines_HQ.glsl" ###### Antiring scale-antiring=0.7 dscale-antiring=0.7 cscale-antiring=0.7 ###### Debanding deband=yes deband-iterations=4 deband-threshold=35 deband-range=16 deband-grain=4 ```

# Other settings in my mpv.conf

``` ###### General keep-open=yes snap-window=yes # Snap to corners on Windows cursor-autohide=1000 save-position-on-quit # Remember position when closing the player osd-bar=no # No huge box on screen when turning the volume osd-font-size=32 volume=100 volume-max=100 audio-exclusive=no # A hotkey for this inside input.conf (k cycle audio-exclusive) ###### Language & subtitles sub-visibility=no # Hide subtitles by default alang=jp,jpn,ja,en,eng # Language priority for audio slang=jp,jpn,ja,en,eng # Language priority for subtitles sub-auto=fuzzy sub-font='Arial' sub-font-size=40 sub-border-size=1 sub-shadow-color=0.0/0.0/0.0/0.50 sub-shadow-offset=2 ###### High-quality screenshots screenshot-format=webp screenshot-webp-lossless=yes screenshot-high-bit-depth=yes screenshot-sw=no screenshot-directory="~~/screenshots" screenshot-template="%f-%wH.%wM.%wS.%wT-#%#00n" ```

# input.conf

``` ##### General z ignore w no-osd cycle sub-visibility s cycle sub S cycle sub down F1 add sub-delay -0.1 F2 add sub-delay +0.1 F5 no-osd screenshot k cycle audio-exclusive p add panscan -0.1 P add panscan +0.1 WHEEL_UP add volume 2 WHEEL_DOWN add volume -2 RIGHT seek 2 exact LEFT seek -2 exact UP seek 5 exact DOWN seek -5 exact Ctrl+RIGHT seek 20 exact Ctrl+LEFT seek -20 exact ##### mpvacious q script-binding mpvacious-sub-seek-back e script-binding mpvacious-sub-seek-forward x script-binding mpvacious-sub-rewind ##### Better Chapters MOUSE_BTN7 script_binding chapter_prev MOUSE_BTN8 script_binding chapter_next ##### Bookmarker Menu B script_message bookmarker-menu b script_message bookmarker-quick-save ctrl+b script_message bookmarker-quick-load ```

# Refresh rate in mpv.conf

If for some reason (e.g. to have an exact match) you want to have the refresh rate to be specified, comment out these two lines. Can cause problems especially if the fps doesn't match with the display. mpv is usually pretty good at estimating the fps anyway so no real need to use these. Refresh rate reported by the OS can be verified with [testufo](https://www.testufo.com/refreshrate). ``` # Refresh rate of the monitor (143.856 = 6* 23.976, which is the standard video framerate) override-display-fps=143.856 # 'display-vdrop' is basically the same as 'audio', but with better debugging in Shift+i menu # Read more about this here: https://mpv.io/manual/master/#options-video-sync video-sync=display-vdrop ```

# Anime4K

Anime4K has the wow factor but is still unreliable and doesn't succeed in preserving the original image. Personally, I don't use it, but some might find it good for their purposes. Comparison here (version 4.0RC): [slow.pics/c/TZFEW7mT](https://slow.pics/c/TZFEW7mT) Anime4K's **Anime4K_Thin_*.glsl** can be adjusted manually as well. It's similar to madVR's **thin edges** in "processing/image enhancements", but somewhat worse. A comparison here: [slow.pics/c/gta4kYRE](https://slow.pics/c/gta4kYRE). I decreased the strength from 0.6 to 0.01 and increased iterations from 1 to 20: ``` #define STRENGTH 0.01 // Strength of warping for each iteration #define ITERATIONS 20 // Number of iterations for the forwards solver, decreasing strength and increasing iterations improves quality at the cost of speed. ```

# CHANGELOG

``` ================================= + Added - Removed or disabled * Change/information ================================= === 2022-07-11 + Added a bit about hwdec and vo to the config + Added a step to the tl;dr guide to uncomment the Luma up shader in the config === 2022-04-03 + Added more comments to explain some of the config options * Make Vulkan default option with an optional step for Windows to switch to DirectX * Changed how paths are defined to make them work out of the box === 2022-03-14 + Added a bit about the mpv version this guide is based on + Added gamut-mapping-mode in mpv git to the config * Commented out gamut clipping settings by default === 2022-02-22 * Fixed section title links * Modified some phrasings - Removed API (DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan) partiality === 2021-12-18 + Added a quick guide * Modified comments and structure of the config === 2021-10-24 + Added gamut-clipping and hdr-compute-peak to the config === 2021-09-26 * Fixed a typo === 2021-08-31 * More about anime4K * Fixed anchor links === 2021-08-01 === + Added a bit about Adaptive Sharpening === 2021-07-10 === + Added autosubsync script + Added a new source: https://artoriuz.github.io/blog/mpv_upscaling.html + Added a comparison: https://slow.pics/c/NTryj7wb + Added index + Added changelog + Added FSRCNNX + Added correct-downscaling=yes - Disabled ThinLines * Made the structure a bit clearer * Moved the bit about refresh rates to its own section === Initial version === ```

mpv tag