How to track watched anime episodes for anime list keepers

Learn how anime list keepers record finished episodes, and compare tools by how they read a list and send titles on.

By VLClean · 2026-11-14

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Anime list keepers track watched episodes by setting one simple routine for recording each finished episode, then choosing a tool that fits how the list is kept.

Option	What it does	Setup
Watcharr	Turns one public IMDb list into a Radarr link for movies and a Sonarr link for shows. ^[1]	The hosted version of Watcharr needs no install and no account. ^[1]
Other tools	Check each tool's own page for how it records watched episodes.	Check each tool's own page for its setup steps.

What you need before you start

Anime list keepers need one list of the series they follow, a simple record of which episodes they have finished, and a rule for when that record gets updated. Decide where the list already lives first. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] A bookmark you click inside Radarr or Sonarr adds the list for you, using that app's API key without sending it anywhere else. ^[1] If other people watch with you, agree on who keeps the list up to date. Keep the record simple enough that you will keep it current.

Step by step

Put every series you follow on one list, and keep that list public if a tool needs to read it.
Choose one way to mark an episode as watched, such as a dated line for each finished episode in a notes file.
Decide whether a series counts as watched after its last episode or after each episode, and write that rule down.
Set one day each week to update the record with the episodes watched since the last update.
Once a month, compare the record with the list and fix any series that are missing or out of order.
Before you choose a tool, check a few series you know well against what the tool shows, and note any that do not match.

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site, VLClean. It turns one public IMDb list into two links, one for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5 minutes. ^[1] The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1] If you sign in, Watcharr re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1] For anime episodes, check how any tool records single episodes as watched before you choose it.

Other tools in this area are not named here, because no facts about them were provided. Check each one's own page for whether it records watched episodes, how it reads your list, and how it sends titles to Radarr or Sonarr.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid assuming a change to the list reaches Radarr or Sonarr straight away, since each one checks on its own timer. Avoid keeping the watched record in one place and the list in another without a rule for updating both. Avoid mixing up which app receives movies and which receives shows, because the two links are kept apart for that reason. ^[1] Avoid skipping a check of a few series after setup, because a tool may leave out a show it cannot match, and you need to look for that report. Avoid sharing a list with others without agreeing on what counts as watched.

Frequently asked questions

How do anime list keepers track watched episodes with Watcharr?

You paste one public IMDb list and get one link for Radarr with the movies and one for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] You paste, copy and browse from any screen in the web app, and the one-click sticker shows on bigger screens. ^[1] Keep your own record of finished episodes, and check any tool for how it marks episodes as watched before you choose it.

Can Watcharr be used without installing anything or making an account?

The hosted version needs nothing to install and no account. ^[1] Its code can be read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence, and older versions remain under MIT. ^[1] Commercial use is not licensed, and no commercial licence is for sale. ^[1]

Does Watcharr keep an anime list up to date on its own?

If you sign in, Watcharr re-reads your list about every 15 minutes and warns you when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1] If a read fails, the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly. ^[1] The links are built from the IMDb list's id, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Can a household share one anime list in Watcharr?

Signed-in users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household. ^[1] A title that is on two lists is added only once. ^[1] Agree first on who maintains the list and what counts as watched, since everyone in the household uses the same links.

What should be checked before choosing a tool for tracking anime episodes?

Check whether the tool records each episode you finish, how it reads your list, and what it does with shows it cannot match. Watcharr looks up TheTVDB ids through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1] Compare those points with how you keep your own record before you commit to one tool.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Try Watcharr

Sources

Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)