RequestAnime.com (RA) is an anime direct download site which exclusively uses free file hosts (RA primarily uses OxyShare) - one of a growing pool of what I call Free File Host sites (yeah, not too creative here).

RA tries to stand out by partnering with two established anime DDL sites, Mr. PC’s and Anime-Treasures to get the most recent episodes of currently running series uploaded as fast as possible.

The only thing I’m concerned with is the use of OxyShare. Like Up-File, it blends its download link to match the ads they place next to it - making it entirely possible for users to accidentally click their ads, unknowingly too. But given that OxyShare is relatively fast (faster than Megaupload at least) and supports FTP uploading (easier for uploaders), I guess such practices can be forgiven.

1) RequestAnime.com

• OxyShare Speed: Above Average
• Free File Host Content: 47 ongoing (e.g. Garasu no Kantai, Dai Mahou Touge, etc.) and completed (e.g. Black Cat, Elfen Lied, etc.) anime series.
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .avi (HQ), .mkv (HQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. Only free file hosts are used, i.e. site does not have its own media server.

One completely hassle-free anime direct download site serving High Quality (HQ)-format anime series and movies here.

Just one thing to note: G2Anime can be accessed through two very different URLs. One: cm-archive.net. Two: g2anime.net.

So, if you’re bookmarking the site, I suggest sticking with the latter URL.

1. G2Anime

• Speed: Average
• Content: 3 ongoing (Air Gear, Bleach and Eureka Seven) and 9 completed (e.g. REC, Samurai Champloo, Shakugan no Shana etc.) anime series, plus 5 movies (e.g. Street Fighter Generations, Full Metal Alchemist Chibi Party, etc.)
• Update Frequency: Unknown
• Video Format: .avi (HQ), .mkv (HQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads.

Here are the anime direct download sites and forums we’ve seen in the past week (in chronological order):

1. [Download] Anime - Pay-For-Use Anime FTP
2. XeN NeTwOrKs - .rmvb Anime Direct Download Site
3. Phantasy:Anime - Anime Direct Download Site
4. Instant Anime - Anime Direct Downloads Forum
5. Future-Anime.com - .rmvb Anime Direct Download Forum

For more anime DDL sites, you can check out the previous wrap-up.

Aiks, accidentally published this post without an intro. Anyway, here’s an anime direct download forum with quite a large selection of rare completed anime.

They are all in .rmvb though (I think), so non-.rmvb lovers will have to look elsewhere.

1. Future-Anime.com

• Speed: Average
• Forum Posts Required to Access Downloads: None
• Forum Posts Required Per Download: 1 post (i.e. 2 points deducted per episode, and 2 points given per post made). However, note that anime movies have higher point requirements due to their size (5-10 points per movie, hence 2.5-5 posts required per movie).
• Content: 9 ongoing (e.g. .hack\\Roots, Ergo Proxy, etc.) and 39 completed (e.g. Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu, Gokusen, etc.) anime series, plus 6 movies (e.g. Noiseman Sound Insect, Initial D Stage 3, etc.)
• Update Frequency: Unknown
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation required). To download files, you have to “pay” a certain number of points (2 points per episode, 5-10 points per movie). Points can be gained by making forum posts (2 points per post). You are given 6 free points (i.e. 3 downloads) when you sign up. Episodes are also compressed into .rar files, so you’ll have to uncompress them using software like WinRar. Premium membership available (faster downloads, user requests, etc.), but it is strictly optional.

Here’s another forum where its members share links to anime hosted on free file hosts (Megaupload seems to be the primary choice at Instant Anime) - much like Animenoobs and Shareparadise.

It is, however, much smaller if compared to similar sites/forums elsewhere. Nevertheless, you might be able to find some hidden gems over there:

1) Instant Anime

• Megaupload (Free File Host) Speed: Average
• Free File Host Content: ~15 completed (e.g. Chobits, Rurouni Kenshin, Major, etc.) anime series, as well as 2 OVAs and 5 movies.
• Update Frequency: Average
• Video Format: .avi (HQ), .ogm (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation not required), but forum posting is not required to access their downloads section. The site only uses free file hosts, i.e. they do not have their own media server (or rather, they used to, but it has been closed down indefinitely).

Here’s an anime DDL site with an interesting “business” model. Instead of depending on regular visitors to donate out of kindness, you are asked to donate (at least $7.50) if you want the admins to upload a particular series on a free file host (from what I can see, Up-File is the primary choice).

Although the admins will still upload new anime series without being given donations, your choices are restricted to series pre-selected by the admins (there’s a poll every couple of weeks), and the final choice may not necessarily be uploaded at all. But then, this is how most direct download sites work anyway.

My only gripe is their use of Up-File as their primary free file host as it seems to be participating in highly shady practices. For one, the download link looks exactly like a AdSense advert. Secondly, chunks of unrelated text on forex markets are dumped on the download page just to incite higher-paying adverts. But I guess none of these things directly hurt us leechers, so let’s get back to the usual stuff:

1) Phantasy:Anime

• Up-File Speed: Above Average
• Free File Host Content: 4 completed (e.g. Fate-Stay Night, Gravitation, etc.) and 7 ongoing (e.g. Air Gear, Bleach, Blood+, etc.) anime series, plus 3 anime movies (e.g. Naruto Movies 1 and 2, etc.).
• Update Frequency: Average
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ), .avi (HQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. Only free file hosts are used, i.e. site does not have its own media server. You can donate US$7.50 (and more) to get the admins to upload a particular anime series on Up-File, but this is entirely optional.

A few .rmvb-encoded anime series for public consumption here (mainly Naruto and Bleach though) - all of which are .zipped (which can be kind of irritating, at least to me).

Please note that I encountered a couple of problems while using the site. One: Some episodes haven’t been linked properly, or have been removed as I was unable to access them. Two: Download accelerators (such as Getright) aren’t supported, but thankfully, resume support is still provided. Hopefully, the problems are transient or I was the only one facing them.

1) XeN NeTwOrKs

• Media Server Speed: Average
• Media Server Content: Some recent episodes from 3 ongoing (Bleach, Naruto, and Ergo Proxy) and 1 completed (Black Cat) anime series.
• Update Frequency: Below Average
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ)
• Note: Hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. Anime episodes have been compressed as .zip files. Optional premium downloads available.

While assembling the Dead Sites list, I updated the Sorted by Type Anime Direct Download Site list as well. So, the list should contain all the DDL sites that have been featured on this blog, though the categorisation of some of the sites are still hazy.

Besides that, feed readers will also have to suffer through a pretty large number of older posts as I edit posts on dead sites with the “Site Is Dead” sign. Sorry, but there really isn’t any official way to avoid this.

In the near future, there’ll be an update of the Sorted by Anime Series list, as well as the addition of a list for the XDCC bot pack lists featured here.

I’ve also updated the email address placed on the sidebar to facilitate simpler email routing. Some email was getting lost while being routed from my host’s mail server to GMail.

Thanks for putting up with me.