While CyberTokyo.Net is primarily an anime direct downloads forum that requires a minimum number of posts to access certain downloads, there is still a large number of series available for public consumption – i.e. no minimum posts required. So, there is nothing to worry about for those that dislike wasting time on posting.

1) CyberTokyo.Net

• Speed: Average
• Public Content (No Posting Requirements): Most ongoing series (e.g. Shana, Lemon Angel Project, Rondo, Guyver, Magikano, Hantsuki, etc.) and 11 older movies/series (e.g. DNA^2, Battle Angel Alita, NTHT and Noir)
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .rmvb, .mkv, .avi (High Quality)
• Note: Free registration required. The video format employed differs from series to series, but most series are in .avi (I think). While there is around 31 series/movies available for those that do not want to post (just register), there’s actually another ~100 series available for those that do post (number of series available depends on number of posts).

I really need a more imaginative way of titling these posts. Typing “Anime Direct Downloads Site” or “Another Anime Direct Downloads Site” really feels crappy, lol.

Anyway, back to the meat:

1) Anirupt Distro

• Speed: Above Average (had bursts initially, but slowed down)
• Content: The most recent episodes of many ongoing series (e.g. Karin, Magikano, Bleach, Mai-Otome, MAR, Mushishi, etc.) , with a few eclectic choices among them (e.g. Sugar Sugar Rune, MS Igloo)
• Update Frequency: Unsure (should be Frequent, but this has not been the case lately)
• Video Format: .avi (High Quality)
• Note: Free registration required. Episodes are compressed as .rar files. At the moment, uploading has ceased due to a lack of hard drive space on their server.

If you’ve been to anime forums like AnimeSanction and AnimeOtaku, you would have noticed a thread with the same title as this post. There, I used to list a compilation of anime direct downloads sites catered for ongoing series, i.e. our Bittorrent replacements.

So, given that we still have quite a large selection of such sites available to us now, I think it would be useful to compile the posts I’ve made on them – especially for those too lazy to search my archives or related posts.

In order of my personal preference (somewhat):

1. National Anime
   - Frequently updated and high download speeds
2. MrPC’s Anime
   - Very fast + large selection of popular ongoing anime series
3. Animezura.com
   - Slightly less episodes and updates compared to NA, but with equally high download speeds.
4. Anime-Treasures.com
   - Frequently updated on popular ongoing series, and with high download speeds
5. Anime-Divx.com
   - Updated frequently, but with only above average speeds
6. Avluis.com
   - New site with about 5 ongoing series (7 total)
7. Anime 4 You
   - Few episodes available, but still rather up to date on certain series
8. anime.yurikamome.info
   - Not updated very frequently, and speeds are relatively low
9. Fansub.tv
   - Updated frequently, but terribly low download speeds

Almost all of these sites don’t require registration (or forum posts). In fact, only National Anime and Anime-Divx.com require you to register (for free) to access their public media.

Actually, there should be a few more really good ones, but some we have lost completely (anime.c.la and chiisana.net) and some are down temporarily (animeblues.com).

Edited on Feb. 20th, 2006: Eeks, as it was pointed out, I forgot mrpc.us.

In an effort to control the length of the main page, I’m thinking of using the excerpt (or teaser) format to display posts on the main page. I used to do that, but stopped when I heard some people didn’t like to click twice to read the whole post. Besides, having readers click an extra time also meant that the server would have to process an extra request since WordPress generates pages dynamically after all.

However, for those with slower connections, loading a main page with full posts – filled with the limited number of pictures I put up, and the long posts (sometimes) – could be irritating. And… I really love fast load times, especially for index pages.

So, I’m thinking of going back to the excerpt format, but only if the posts are too long. I see many bloggers doing the same, so I think it should be okay. But I need to find out, so… here’s this month’s poll.

P.S.: I’ll need to optimize the quantity and placement of Javascripts that load with the main page too (e.g. Google Analytics, Statcounter, MyBlogLog, etc.).

I just went through the first few episodes (seven episodes, to be exact) of Sousei no Aquarion today, and wanted to share my first impressions of the series. I’m sure quite a number of you have already watched it, but bear with me.

Sousei no Aquarion brings with it a post-apocalyptic background, where much of the human race was destroyed in a disaster – causing the Shadow (or Fallen) Angels to resurface from their destruction 12,000 years back. These Shadow Angels are powerful winged beings that send Mythical Beasts (a.k.a. Cherubim Soldiers) into human cities to “harvest” humans – or more specifically, their Prana (breath of life or life energy).

It is in this backdrop that the Machine Angel Aquarion – a three-part mecha – exists, piloted by those with Element abilities (special powers like telekenesis). Just like in Ultraman, Aquarion is used to defeat the Mythical Beasts – one beast per episode. But Sousei no Aquarion does have an underlying plot – about the ancient civilization of Atlantis, reincarnated warriors that now fight as Aquarion’s pilots and the mystery surrounding the Shadow Angels.

Now, so far, I love the soundtrack and the initial seriousness of the show. Character and mecha designs are good. Production values are high. I also love the fact that I currently absolutely detest our hero of the story, Apollo – the brutish and unsightly reincarnation of the legendary hero, Solar Wing. But then SnA started getting cheeesy on me, absolutely cheesy. Try these and tell me what you think:

1. Episode 7: Jealousy is the voice that calls for the spirit shard. So it calls energy. Jealousy is energy? Live by embracing it, Aquarion!
2. Episode 6: Sirius, the arrow of the heart can reach. If you heart’s arrow pierced my heart, back then…
3. Episode 5: Humans are like crescent moons. But if you join the pieces together, it will become a round moon. A full moon. By pouring in the shard of the moon mising in each of us, we bury the darkness of the heart.

Almost every episode has one of these cheesy moments (also called “the lesson of the week” over at Random Curiosity) and most of them are initiated by the Commander. But what I really lurrrvvvv (Damn, I hope that sounded sarcastic) about the Commander’s lines is this:

But I guess all this was due to my over-high expectations for the series, or perhaps it was just me misreading what kind of series this was supposed to be. If I had read the SnA episode summaries by other bloggers (e.g. tokyojupiter.blog and Random Curiosity) first, I would have realised that SnA wasn’t meant to be serious – at least in the beginning.

P.S.: Now, I found these just a little uhmm… unusual:

P.S. 2: Or am I alone on this one?

Anime-Divx.com was once an anime direct downloads forum that required a minimum number of forum posts before allowing you access to their downloads. But I received an email recently from Anime-Divx.com informing me that they no longer had a minimum post count. Now, all you need to do to access their public media section is to register for free.

1) Anime-Divx.com

• Speed: Above Average (I didn’t do much testing here, so it could be faster)
• Content: Most ongoing series (e.g. Bleach, Naruto, Black Cat, Magikano, Blood+, Solty Rei, Mushishi, etc.) and 17 manga titles (e.g. Yamato Gensouki, Kenichi, Believers, etc.)
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .avi (High Quality)
• Note: Free registration required. They also have a donator’s (i.e. private) media section too. But you do not have to subscribe to it to gain access to their public media.

When Rainy told me about Avluis.com, I decided to keep my mouth shut on this anime direct downloads site. Why? Because it was still under development – with only about two or three series available. Flooding it with downloaders would have been downright evil.

But IT has grown (insert evil laughter here)! So, it gets a feature:

1) Avluis.com

• Speed: Fast
• Content: Eureka Seven, Mai-Otome, Shuffle, Shakugan no Shana, Black Cat, Dan Doh!!, Kashimashi
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .avi (High Quality)
• Note: Avluis.com is still under development, so the navigation system isn’t working right yet. But there’s actually a temporary link to a page listing all the downloads – which I think is more than good enough.

Eeeks. Just as I stepped my browser into Tokyo Toshokan – the awesome Bittorrent Library for Japanese Media, I saw a link to Forums (new). It seems Tokyo Tosho has brought in its own forum to further hook us into downloading more stuff from Tokyo Tosho!

The evulness is… undescribable.

P.S.: Akagi Episode 4 is out!!! (At Tokyo Tosho, of course)

P.S. 2: Bleach Ep. 68-69 brought a most pathetic semi-conclusion to the filler arc. The kidnappings and everything were just training!?! Bleh.