It’s been a few posts since we’ve looked at non-free file host anime direct download sites/forums (not that there is anything bad about them), with the most recent one being Anime Horizon.

Anyway, back to today’s site. Craving Anime is still pretty new, so they’re pretty much hosting a range of completed anime, and have yet to put up any ongoing series. Nevertheless, it’s a growing community with some quality admins, so give it a look:

1) Craving Anime

• Speed: Average
• Content: 27 completed series (e.g. Red Garden, Airmaster, GateKeepers) and 118 manga titles.
• Posts Required to Access Downloads: Average post rate of 0.375 (i.e. posts/days = 0.375).
• Update Frequency: Average
• Video Format: HQ file formats, e.g. .avi (HQ), .ogm (HQ).
• Note: Free registration and forum posting is required. Max. of 2 simultaneous connections enforced.

This is one anime direct download forum implementation that feels right in my book. WelcomeOtaku.com, though requiring you to post in their forums to access most of the anime they host, still maintains a free media section which is almost hassle-free, i.e. no forum posting required to access downloads (though free registration is still required).

This way, a system to “try before you commit” yourself to posting is established, and is often a magnet for new members. After all, how many of us are willing to post and post and post without a sample of the anime downloads that await us? Not many I think.

Well, some webmasters will certainly disagree, but then, given that a number of anime forums have already embraced this concept (or something similar to it), there are certainly those who do agree as well.

1) WelcomeOtaku.com

• Media Server Speed: Average (tested on free media section only)
• Media Server Content: 54 ongoing (e.g. Innocent Venus, WitchBlade, Tsuyokiss, etc.) and 96 completed (e.g. Ai Yori Aoshi, REC, Gun X Sword, etc.) anime series, as well as 30 OVAs (e.g. One Piece, Happy Lesson, etc.) and 17 movies (e.g. Air, Cowboy Bebop, etc.).
• Posts Required to Access Downloads: None for free media section. 10 posts for ongoing series, 25 to 200 posts for completed series, 40 posts for OVAs and 50 posts for movies.
• Posts Required Per Download: None
• Update Frequency: Frequent
• Video Format: .avi (HQ), .ogm (HQ), .mp4 (HQ), .mkv (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation required). Forum posting is required to access most of their anime. Only the free media section does not require forum posting. Hentai available, but since forum posts are required to access them (40 to 200 posts), the site remains (mostly) kid-safe.

Two anime direct download sites/forums, Shareparadise (coverage here) and HSB Site (review here), are currently testing a script that generates premium Megaupload links for any normal Megaupload link you input into it.

This means that you’ll get the full advantages of a Megaupload Premium account (which you normally have to pay for) for free if you’re a member of one of these two sites (and are from a few select countries, see below). Yes, that’s resume support, multiple download connections, no downloader limits and faster speeds.

Currently, they are making this available to members from a few countries, i.e. United States, United Kingdom and Australia, and are also having some limited tests with Malaysians (not completely sure here, so feel free to correct me). So, if you’re interested, join one of these anime direct download sites/forums, and refer to the appropriate threads.

P.S.: HSB Site seems to be down, so I’ve only linked to the Shareparadise thread on this. If and when HSB Site comes up, I’ll make an update. Moreover, it’s likely you have to be an active member be given access to this script. Last but not least, the two sites are not hacking Megaupload, but are actually paying for accounts.

Update: Apparently, the programme has been expanded to include the Netherlands as well.

Disclaimer: I was alerted to this test by Shareparadise’s admin and given a chance to test the script out a few weeks back, but there was no specific request to feature the script or sites in question.

Here’s an anime direct download forum for those of you with a deeply ingrained posting habit. They have quite a bit of content, but only a few episodes won’t require you to rack up non-spam forum posts.

While gaining access to ongoing series will only cost you 10 forum posts, getting to the completed series section will set you back by at least 100 forum posts. They do have some (only recent eps of Naruto and Bleach) hassle-free anime episodes on YouTube for your streaming pleasure though.

1) Anime Capsule

• Media Server Speed: Average
• Media Server Content: 13 ongoing (e.g. Ouran, Kiba, Utawarerumono, etc.) and 11 completed (e.g. Trigun, DN Angel, FLCL, etc.) anime series, plus 2 movies (FF7, Cowboy Bebop Movie).
• YouTube Content: Recent episodes of Naruto and Bleach.
• Forum Posts Required to Access Downloads: None for the most recent Bleach and Naruto episodes, as well as their streaming media. 10 posts for ongoing series. 100 posts for completed series. 500 posts for Trigun (anything else?). Yeah, that’s 2 zeroes.
• Forum Posts Per Download: None
• Update Frequency: Above Average
• Video Format: .rm, .rmvb (LQ to MQ) or .avi (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation not required). Forum posting required to access most downloads (i.e. everything except the latest episodes of Bleach and Naruto).

If you dare say that there isn’t enough direct download sites for Naruto, I’d probably have to hurt you real bad. Seriously. Why? Because here’s yet another one.

Naruto Community provides all episodes of Naruto, plus a little bit more on their servers, and all you need to do is to register.

Since they have a forum (though forum posting is not mandatory), they do have some anime uploaded to free file hosts by their users, e.g. Yu Yu Hakusho, though I can’t be certain how much there is since the site doesn’t seem to want to feature what’s available.

1) Naruto Community

• Media Server Speed: Above Average (for both their FTP and HTTP mirrors)
• Media Server Content: All episodes of Naruto, and anime OSTs from 14 series.
• Update Frequency: Above Average
• Video Format: .rmvb (LQ to MQ) or .avi (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation not required), but forum posting is not required to access downloads.

Here’s a currently hassle-free, i.e. no registration or forum posting required, anime direct download forum. “Currently” because AnimeBW normally requires you to be active on their forums before you are given the password to their direct downloads section.

But the password was removed a couple of days back. For how long, I have no idea. So, I suggest you take advantage uhmm… utilise the available resources now.

1. AnimeBW.com

• Speed: Average
• Content: 10 ongoing (e.g. Air Gear, xxxHolic, Kiba, etc.) and 40 completed (e.g. Futakoi Alternative, Tenshi no Konamaiki, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, etc.) anime series.
• Update Frequency: Unknown
• Video Format: .avi (HQ)
• Note: Temporarily a hassle-free site, i.e. no registration or forum posting required to access downloads. Normally, free registration and active forum posting (exact details on what “active” means are not provided) is required before you are passed the password to the downloads section.

Like most anime direct download sites these days, AnimeSeat.com offers downloads through their own media server and through free file hosts.

Stuff on their media server can only be accessed by those who make 15 non-spam posts, while stuff on free file hosts are automatically accessible by anyone who registers.

It must be noted, however, that their free file host archive was built up by scraping from other sites like Da-Anime, rather than through their own uploaders. I highly disapprove of this behaviour, but at least, the admins did clearly state what they were doing, and attributed their content to the true uploaders (unlike some sites). There is still need to link back to the original site though, which they have not yet done.

1) AnimeSeat.com

• Media Server Speed: Unknown (making 15 posts… urgh…)
• Media Server Content: There’s supposed to be several completed series (e.g. Chobits, Full Metal Alchemist, Hunter x Hunter, etc.), but I can only confirm the existence of Hunter x Hunter.
• Posts Required to Access Downloads: 15 posts for media server content, none for free file host content.
• Posts Required Per Download: None
• Free File Host Content: 1 ongoing (Eureka 7) and 15 completed (e.g. Chrno Crusade, s-cry-ed, Shaman King, etc.) anime series.
• Update Frequency: Average
• Media Server Video Format: .rm (LQ to MQ)
• Free File Hosts Video Format: .avi (HQ)
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation not required). Forum posting is required to download from the site’s own media server, but not for free file host content.

Frontalweb is yet another an anime direct download forum which provides anime on free file hosts. But unlike most forums, there has yet to be a posting requirement.

From a quick check, their free file hosts of choice seem to be Megaupload and Oxyshare.

1) Frontalweb

• Free File Host Speed: Unknown (multiple free file hosts used)
• Content: 291 anime series (both ongoing, e.g. Soul Link, Air Gear, Bleach, etc., and completed, e.g. Orphen, Chobits, Boys Be, etc.), OVAs (e.g. Fushigi Yuugi OVAs, Green Green, etc.) and movies (e.g. GITS Innocence, Howl’s Moving Castle, etc.).
• Update Frequency: Above Average
• Video Format: .avi (HQ), .ogm (HQ) [not definitive, more video formats might have been used]
• Note: Free registration required (e-mail confirmation not required). Forum posting is not required to access downloads. The site only uses free file hosts, i.e. they do not have their own media server.