10 Best Anime Upscalers to Make Your Anime Look Amazing (2025 Guide)
Introduction
Love anime but hate low-quality visuals? You're not alone.
In 2025, anime fans, creators, and even casual viewers want one thing—HD, sharp, clean anime content. Whether you're trying to upscale old anime scenes, restore a blurry GIF, or make your fan art pop, anime upscalers powered by AI are the secret weapon.
In this guide, we’ll break down the best anime upscaler tools to help you level up your content without needing fancy editing skills.
What Is an Anime Upscaler? (And Why You Might Need One)
An anime upscaler is a tool that uses artificial intelligence to boost the resolution of anime-style images or videos. Unlike basic image enlargers, AI anime upscalers actually understand how anime works—lines, shading, colors—and upscale without making it blurry or weird.
🔍 What It Can Do:
- Turn low-res anime screenshots into HD wallpapers
- Make old episodes look crisp for social posts or edits
- Restore pixelated manga panels
- Boost your TikTok or YouTube content quality
Basically, if your anime visuals look meh—these tools make them look wow.
How to Use an Anime Upscaler (Step-by-Step)
You don’t need to be a pro. Most AI upscalers are super beginner-friendly. Here’s the general flow:
- Upload your anime image or short video
- Pick your output size (like 2x or 4x)
- Select a model (some tools have anime-specific options)
- Click “Upscale” and wait for the AI to work its magic
- Download your shiny new HD file
✅ Quick Tips:
- Use PNG for best quality
- Try short clips first if you're doing video
- Avoid blurry, compressed junk—AI can’t fix everything
Top 10 Best Anime Upscaler Tools in 2025
- waifu2x
Overview: The OG anime upscaler. Simple, effective, and free.
🌐 Website: waifu2x.udp.jp ✨ Best for: Quick image upscaling with no setup Key Features:
- Noise reduction
- 2x zoom
- GPU-supported ✅ Pros:
- Totally free
- Super easy
- Keeps anime-style lines sharp ❌ Cons:
- No video support
- Very basic 💰 Pricing: Free Conclusion: Great if you're just getting started with anime art or want to clean up some screenshots fast.
- Real-ESRGAN Anime 6B
Overview: Powerful anime image upscaling for those who like having full control.
🌐 Website: GitHub ✨ Best for: High-quality image restoration and DIY projects Key Features:
- Anime-specific AI model
- Supports CLI and GUI
- Batch image support ✅ Pros:
- Amazing quality
- Free and open-source ❌ Cons:
- Requires some tech setup
- Not mobile-friendly 💰 Pricing: Free Conclusion: If you're comfortable with software tools, this one's a beast.
- Anime4K
Overview: Real-time anime video enhancer that works while you're watching.
🌐 Website: GitHub ✨ Best for: Watching old anime in HD using media players like VLC Key Features:
- Live upscaling
- Works inside players
- Lightweight ✅ Pros:
- No export or waiting
- Customizable ❌ Cons:
- Not for beginners
- Works only for playback, not editing 💰 Pricing: Free Conclusion: Perfect if you're binge-watching retro anime and want it looking smoother on the fly.
- Topaz Video AI
Overview: This is studio-grade anime video upscaling. Seriously impressive.
🌐 Website: topazlabs.com ✨ Best for: Professional creators and serious anime editors Key Features:
- 4K/8K upscaling
- Frame interpolation
- Motion stabilization ✅ Pros:
- Crystal-clear results
- Great for full anime episodes ❌ Cons:
- Pricey
- Needs a strong computer 💰 Pricing: Paid (starts around $299), with free trial Conclusion: If you’re doing anime YouTube videos or edits, this tool’s a game-changer.
- Cupscale
Overview: A GUI for Real-ESRGAN that makes advanced anime models easier to use.
🌐 Website: GitHub ✨ Best for: Intermediate users who want quality without coding Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Multiple AI models supported ✅ Pros:
- Powerful and flexible
- Works great for manga ❌ Cons:
- Windows only
- Some learning curve 💰 Pricing: Free Conclusion: A sweet spot between ease of use and upscaling power.
- Bigjpg
Overview: Web-based tool built specifically for anime and illustrations.
🌐 Website: bigjpg.com ✨ Best for: Simple anime art enhancement Key Features:
- Online-based
- Anime-specific AI ✅ Pros:
- No install needed
- Works on mobile too ❌ Cons:
- Free plan is limited
- Has watermark 💰 Pricing: Free with paid options Conclusion: Fast and easy. Great for one-click anime art glow-ups.
- AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI
Overview: Designed to fix blurry anime clips and upscale them in one go.
🌐 Website: avclabs.com ✨ Best for: Reviving low-res anime videos Key Features:
- Face refinement
- Deblur and denoise tools ✅ Pros:
- Easy for beginners
- Good presets ❌ Cons:
- Free trial has watermark
- Not as powerful as Topaz 💰 Pricing: Paid (starts ~$39/month) Conclusion: Clean, easy, and great for anyone editing older anime footage.
- GigaPixel AI
Overview: Made for photos, but works surprisingly well for anime stills and posters.
🌐 Website: topazlabs.com ✨ Best for: High-res anime or cosplay images Key Features:
- Face-aware model
- Smart detail recovery ✅ Pros:
- Super sharp output
- Simple to use ❌ Cons:
- No video support
- Paid only 💰 Pricing: $99 Conclusion: Artists and cosplayers will love this for posters, prints, and close-up anime details.
- ZMO.ai Anime Upscaler
Overview: One-click AI tool for anime-style images. No login needed.
🌐 Website: zmo.ai ✨ Best for: Mobile-friendly anime art upscaling Key Features:
- Online access
- Auto line-art cleanup ✅ Pros:
- No setup
- Fast and minimal ❌ Cons:
- Limited controls
- No video support 💰 Pricing: Free & Paid plans Conclusion: Ideal for people who want quick results without any tech stress.
- LetsEnhance
Overview: General image enhancer that works well with stylized anime and game art.
🌐 Website: letsenhance.io ✨ Best for: Anime-realistic hybrids or 3D-styled anime Key Features:
- Artistic filter AI
- Denoising + upscaling ✅ Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- Handles stylized images well ❌ Cons:
- Not anime-specific
- Line art can get too smooth 💰 Pricing: Free tier + Paid plans Conclusion: Best for stylized or hybrid anime visuals—not ideal for classic line art.
How to Choose the Best Anime Upscaler (Comparison Guide)
| Tool | Best For | Batch Support | Video Support | Custom Models | Mobile-Friendly | Free Version |
| waifu2x | Basic anime image upscaling | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ Free |
| Real-ESRGAN | High-quality image restoration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ Open-source |
| Anime4K | Real-time anime video playback | ❌ | ✅ (playback) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Open-source |
| Topaz Video AI | Pro-level anime video enhancement | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ (Paid only, trial available) |
| Cupscale | Visual UI for Real-ESRGAN | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ Open-source |
| Bigjpg | One-click anime art upscaling | ✅ (Pro only) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (Limitations apply) |
| AVCLabs | Video smoothing and detail recovery | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (Watermark on trial) |
| GigaPixel AI | Ultra-sharp image enlargement | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ (Paid only) |
| ZMO.ai | Simple drag-and-drop web upscaler | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (Limited output options) |
| LetsEnhance | Stylized anime or hybrid content | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ (Limited credits) |
🔍 Still unsure?
- Just getting started? Try Bigjpg or ZMO.ai.
- Making anime edits or AMVs? Go with Topaz or AVCLabs.
- Restoring classic anime? Real-ESRGAN is your friend.
Conclusion
You don’t need a Hollywood budget to make your anime look amazing. With the right AI upscaler, you can turn blurry, low-res scenes into HD eye-candy.
Whether you're an anime artist, editor, fan-page admin, or just someone who loves crisp visuals—there’s a tool here for you.
🚀 Ready to upgrade your anime? Try one of these best anime upscalers today and bring your favorite scenes to life in stunning detail!