Short answer: TachiyomiJ2K (“J2K”) is the long-running independent fork known for its clean, opinionated interface. The current release, v1.8.1 (August 2026), follows the 1.8.0 redesign in Google’s Material 3 Expressive style, supports the new tachiyomix 1.6 extension format and index.pb repository indexes — and it dropped Android 6/7: J2K now requires Android 8.0 or later.
An independent line, not a Mihon skin
Unlike SY or AZ, J2K descends directly from the original Tachiyomi as its own fork (repository: Jays2Kings/tachiyomiJ2K) and has kept its own design language ever since. The important practical point for 2026 is that it has not been left behind by the ecosystem’s format changes: 1.8.x tracks the same new extension format and repository index format the Mihon family uses, so current community repositories work.
What defines J2K
- Interface first: a redesigned, card-based UI — 1.8.0 rebuilt it around Material 3 Expressive, which is the main reason long-time users stay.
- Modern extension support: tachiyomix 1.6 extensions and index.pb-based repositories.
- Android 8.0 minimum: the 1.8 line ended support for Android 6/7 devices. If your phone is that old, J2K is no longer an option (and neither is current Mihon — see migration notes for old devices).
Who J2K is for
Readers who liked Tachiyomi’s feel but want a fresher, more designed interface without switching ecosystems. If you want maximum features, SY (guide) goes further; if you want the reference implementation everything else follows, that is Mihon (download page). J2K sits between: curated, current, and independent.
Installing and moving over
- Export a
.tachibkbackup from your current app (guide). - Install J2K from its official GitHub releases only.
- Add your extension repositories, install your extensions, then restore the backup.
- Set the reading mode per format — J2K’s reader handles manga and webtoon styles like the rest of the family (reader settings).
Related: all forks & successors · TachiyomiAZ