Next up, black halo inc - an anime direct download site that uses free file hosts to serve their files, but masks it behind two layers of security: A passworded page, plus Anti-Leech. Of course, these apply in addition to free registration.

1) black halo inc

• Speed: Not Available (Site uses a variety of free file hosts, so evaluating speed is impossible. However, among the free file hosts used is FileFront - one of the fastest, if not the fastest free file host available.)
• Content: 14 anime series, both ongoing (e.g. MAR, Disgaea, Eyeshield 21 etc.) and completed (e.g. Shuffle, Suzuka, Mai Otome, etc.).
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ) or .avi (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required. Site does not have its own media server, and thus exclusively uses free file hosts. Uses the Anti-Leech system, and thus requires you to download either the Anti-Leech plugin or NetPumper download accelerator.

Here’s some stuff that kept me awake yesterday and today:

1. Kamisama Kazoku: Ep. 1
   Looks interesting enough. When I first read the summary, it felt just a bit like Ueki no Housoku (main char’s a Heavenly Being, a bum of sorts, has a female sidekick that cares a lot, and there’s a Tenko), but it’s actually more of a Shuffle lookalike - though much crazier. Pity I’ll most likely have to BT through this for now.
2. Yuribou Celebrates Its First Month
   Got introduced to this blog through a post at Wakaranai. Yuri, yuri, and more yuri. Always good in my book.
3. Anime Aggregators: Why They Exist (a.k.a. Aggregation Aggravation)
   James over at Anime My Ass summarises the anime aggregator issue - highlighting the bitterness some anime bloggers are feeling over being rejected entry from Blogsuki. and arguing that such aggregators actually exist to build a community (rather than build your traffic stats).

   Eeeks. Let’s just say I didn’t expect to see the same sort of inclusion/exclusion crap I have to wade through when I blog elsewhere. I’d say the overall aim of anime aggregators like Blogsuki are clear, and the rules for entry are even clearer. Heck, I know I no longer meet the requirements for entry to aggregators like Blogsuki since I blog so much on anime DDL sites that I barely even blog on anime itself these days (darn, a good reminder!). That’s why I didn’t even apply for entry when I met the 6 month-in-existence requirement (it’s been upped to a year I’m told).

   IMHO, it’s important to understand the purpose of things, which in this case, is the purpose of anime aggregators, as well as the purpose of your anime blog. Of course, this doesn’t mean I don’t understand the meaning of elitism or preferentialism (this word doesn’t exist, does it?), but neither is innately (or rather, completely) wrong even if some aggregators do practice either of these.

P.S.: Sorry for the rant. The paragraphs just started coming… Oh yes, I sounded like quite the arse in the last few paragraphs. I apologise if you were offended.

I was caught up in some sIFR (degradable Flash-powered titles) implementation over at my personal blog yesterday, (resulting in a lack of a DDL site feature) so I’ll try to catch up on the posting here today.

First up is animorc.net - a hassle-free direct downloads site serving the latest anime fansubs. If you are an IRC user, you might remember me posting animorc.net’s XDCC bot pack list a month or so back. So, the site could very well be using the same server as the bot - which could explain the somewhat average speeds I’m getting from the site.

Of course, a large number of users on the DDL site alone could be an alternative cause.

1) animorc.net

• Speed: Above Average
• Public Content: Recent episodes from many ongoing anime series (e.g. Yakitate Japan, RAY The Animation, Suzumiya Haruhi, etc.)
• Update Frequency: Very Frequent
• Video Format: .avi (HQ) or .mp4 (HQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. However, download resuming is not supported (tested on Getright, NetTransport and Firefox’s own downloading mechanism).

There was just too much orange around the blog. So… I’ve added some green - my other favourite colour - into the mix. Is it better now, or worse?

Again, here’s some stuff I found interesting over at other anime blogs yesterday (yep, I forgot to publish this, yet again):

1. The Third: Loli, Yuri, and Just Plain Sexual Undertones
   I watched the same episode, but for some reason or another, I just didn’t see things the same way SeVIIn did. Sheesh, I’m a n00b.

Yeah, just one for yesterday. I didn’t have time to read much.

First up, a warning: zipped .rmvb anime episodes ahead. If you don’t mind, here’s yet another .rmvb anime direct download site for your perusal. It’s focused on Bleach and Naruto, but there’s some DBZ and Yu Yu Hakusho as well.

1) saiyan-REBIRTH

• Speed: Quite Fast
• Public Content: Some episodes from 4 anime series (Bleach, Naruto, Dragonball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho)
• Update Frequency: Low
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. However, episodes are compressed into .zip format, and thus require unzipping after you finish downloading them.

Here’s some interesting stuff I read over at other anime blogs today:

1. Ouran High School Host Club - Episode 9
   A few good reasons why you should start watching Ouran High School Host Club, if you haven’t already of course.
2. NANA - Overrated, Haruhi + Higurashi - Underrated, and What The Hell These Terms Mean
   Bitching against everyone in and around the blogosphere who overrated NANA, underrated Haruhi Suzumiya and Higurashi, plus Steve Nash.
3. A Humane Holy Grail War. Fate-Stay Night and Holy Grail Elections.
   Even after reading it, I’m still not sure what the hell this is.

Animenoobs is a forum most similar to Shareparadise, and perhaps a little like Anime DESU, in that all these sites aggregate anime direct download links on free file hosts, e.g. Megaupload, Sendspace, and Gigagone.

While Anime DESU is primarily admin-updated, Animenoobs is like Shareparadise in that both admin and members upload stuff, gain points for uploading, and later, access download links uploaded by other members using those points. BTW, this system is already active on Shareparadise, but Animenoobs has yet to implement the system (though they will very soon).

I’m sure many won’t even bother with such sites simply because there’s tons of hassle-free anime direct download sites out there, that have their own media servers rather than use free file hosts that generally have poor speeds.

But for those who are looking for a series located only with community sites such as these, or have Megaupload Premium, sites like Animenoobs might come in handy.

1) Animenoobs

• Speed: Not Available (site uses a variety of free file hosts, so evaluating speed is impossible)
• Content: 19 anime series (e.g. Bleach, TOKKO, One Piece, etc.), plus some hentai.
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ) or .avi (HQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. But the site does not have its own media server, and thus exclusively uses free file hosts.
• Special Note: Hentai episodes have also been uploaded by Animenoobs members. So, the site is not kid-safe.

P.S.: Yep, I’ve given such an intro on such community sites before, but it wasn’t very complete. So, for the sake of new visitors, I’m repeating it. The next time another site like this is featured, I’ll link to this post instead of repeating this stuff all over again.