# kitsu.character_search

**stable** **Advanced**

Search Kitsu characters.

`GET /v1/kitsu/character_search`

## What you get

A list of Kitsu results in Onekey's unified shape, in `data` (an array). An empty array is a normal, successful answer and is charged like any other; a source that reports "nothing found" as an error returns a free `404 not_found` instead.

## What it costs

- **Advanced · 5 credits** for a fresh fetch, charged only when it succeeds.
- **Free when served from cache (0.2 credit for a cached response over 100 KB).**
- **Free** if the request is invalid (never charged) or the source fails or reports not found (refunded).

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | What it is | Constraints |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `q` | string | yes | (required) | Search query | max 200 chars; must match `[^\x00-\x1f\x7f]{1,200}`; trimmed, repeated spaces collapsed |

## Request

```bash
curl "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/kitsu/character_search?q=luffy" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```python
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/kitsu/character_search",
    params={"q": "luffy"},
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
body = res.json()

if body["success"]:
    print(body["data"])
else:
    print(body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"])
```

```javascript
const params = new URLSearchParams({ q: "luffy" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.onekey.dev/v1/kitsu/character_search?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const body = await res.json();

if (body.success) console.log(body.data);
else console.error(body.error.code, body.error.message);
```

## Recorded response

A real Kitsu response, recorded and returned in Onekey's shape. Fields the platform does not provide are `null`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "411",
        "name": "Luffy Monkey D.",
        "description": "Name: Monkey D. Luffy Age: 17; 19 Birthdate: May 5, Taurus Height: 172 cm; 174 cm Blood Type: F Affiliation: Straw Hat Pirates Position: Captain Devil Fruit: Gomu Gomu no Mi (Gum Gum Fruit) Type: Paramecia Bounty:500,000,000 (previously; 30,000,000, 100,000,000, 300,000,000, and 400,000,000)  Luffy is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and is best friends with all of them and values them over all else. At first glance, Luffy does not appear to be very intelligent, often seeing things in childi"
      },
      "media": {
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://media.kitsu.app/characters/images/411/original.jpg"
      }
    },
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "19662",
        "name": "Lufy",
        "description": "Technically not even a member of the Star Leaf crew, Lufy crash-lands in a crippled Bain-class fighter just before the Star Leaf jumps into hyperspace. She is a cocky ace fighter pilot who pretends not to take dangerous situations seriously and does not follow orders very well. Lufy has a reputation for being the sole survivor from her flight groups and becomes the main character in Destruction and Stardust War. If she is aware that Rumy does not like her, she does not seem to care. Her R/EC rei"
      },
      "media": {
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://media.kitsu.app/characters/images/19662/original.jpg"
      }
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "platform": "kitsu",
    "endpoint": "character_search",
    "cached": false,
    "stale": false,
    "age_s": 0,
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
    "credits_charged": 5,
    "request_id": "7f3a9c2e5b1d4c8fa2e6d0b9c4f18e37"
  },
  "error": null
}
```

## Field mapping

How this endpoint's source fields become Onekey's [unified schema](https://onekey.dev/docs/schema.md). Fields the source lacks come back as `null`.

| Source path | Onekey field | Transform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | `entity.id` | - |
| `attributes.canonicalName` | `entity.name` | - |
| `attributes.description` | `entity.description` | - |
| `attributes.image.original` | `media.thumbnailUrl` | `safeUrl` |

## Caching and freshness

- Fresh for about 2 minutes. Repeat calls in that window are served from cache and are free.
- Between 2 minutes and 15 minutes the cached copy is still served instantly and marked `stale: true` while Onekey refreshes it in the background.
- If the source is down when a refresh is needed, the last copy can be served for up to 1 hour more (marked stale).
- A "not found" is remembered for 1 minute and is free.
- The cache is shared across all customers, which is what keeps repeat calls cheap.

## What can go wrong

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | Check the `x-api-key` header. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | [Add credits](https://onekey.dev/pricing); your balance must cover the price. |
| 404 | `not_found` | Unknown endpoint path. |
| 422 | `invalid_params` | Fix the parameters using the table above. Free. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The source failed. Refunded; retry with backoff. |

See [Errors](https://onekey.dev/docs/errors.md) for the full list and retry guidance.

Status: stable (verified against the live source).