Makan
Makan turns casting into a Japanese writing practice, where players draw kanji to cast spells on Forge for 1.20.1.
What it does
Makan builds a magic system around Japanese characters. A player casts a spell by writing the kanji that names it, and the drawn strokes are read by a character recognition system. The Grimoire helps the player practice brushstrokes and learn what each kanji means, so the meanings themselves become the way a spell takes effect, shaping structures, attacks and entities.
The mod includes about 40 spells, covering fire attacks, summoned mountains and utility effects. Some spells build structures such as bridges and houses, and others use telekinesis or fight large creatures. Progression is fast, so players start casting after a short while. Spells can be configured by players. Makan requires Geckolib, and it runs on client and server, so the server and every player need the mod. Files are published for Forge, for 1.20.1 only, with 1.68 as the latest file, under the MIT License and open source.
Key features
Kanji-based casting
Spells are cast by writing kanji, and each character's meaning determines the result of the spell.
Grimoire practice
A character recognition system checks each brushstroke, helping players learn the kanji they write.
About 40 spells
The spell set covers attacks such as fire, summoned mountains, structures and utility effects.
Configurable spells
Players can adjust how individual spells behave to suit their play style.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Use cases
Learning Japanese characters
Players who want to practice kanji can use the Grimoire's stroke checks as a way to memorize characters through casting.
Building with magic
Spells that generate bridges and houses let players construct in the world without placing each block by hand.
Who it’s for: Players who enjoy writing-based magic and want to learn kanji while playing. Server owners who run Forge 1.20.1 can add the mod to a shared world, since it works on both sides.
How it compares
Iron's Spells More Quick Cast is a Forge 1.20.1 mod that is client-side only, so it adds nothing to the server, and it is open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only. Osmium's Magic is a Forge 1.20.1 mod that runs on client and server, and it is published under All rights reserved, so its code is not open source.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makan | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-08-24 |
| Iron's Spells More Quick Cast | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2026-01-12 |
| Osmium's Magic | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2026-04-20 |
Questions
Does Makan need Geckolib?
Does the server need Makan?
Is Makan available for other Minecraft versions?
In the catalog
Makan is one of 7,216 Magic mods on ModsFinder, and one of 3,927 Magic mods for Forge. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
Similar mods
What the author says
Makan introduces a magic system that uses writing kanji to cast spells. Using a character recognition system and the Grimoire, the player gets to practice brushstrokes and learn what kanji mean by manifesting their meanings as structures, attacks, entities, etc. The mod currently has about 40 spells, ranging from the…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/makan
- Owner
- stepanprodanets
- Published
- 2025-08-24
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-08-24
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15