Phantasy:Anime - Anime Direct Download Site
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:
- 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.
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This entry was posted on Friday, July 7th, 2006 at 12:56 am and is filed under Direct Download Sites, Site/Forum Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 8th, 2006 22:04
The fact that they are making money on free fansub anime is unacceptable. This site is the worst, and they dont even use their own host. 7.5usd/series? What a price!!! There are plenty pay sites out there that give you super fast speed + huge collection. If you dont want to pay there are also lots of sites out there such as animeupload, animeupdates, cybertokyo,… . Geez, I wonder why do you review this site ZMang?
July 8th, 2006 23:33
I had hoped not to touch on this topic because there’s really a lot of crap we’ll have to touch (but it is undeniably a relevant issue). Everyone is entitled to their own opinion really, shareparadise.
Anyway, to tackle your question, here goes nothing. One: Almost all sites have revenue streams, whether to handle server costs or perhaps even to turn some sort of profit - including your own forum. Ads, donations, and even this pay-for-upload concept are among the various means available to webmasters. Whether or not profit/income results from these revenue streams is virtually unknown to most site users because no data is usually published. Kudos to Mr. PC, of course, for his high transparency in revealing not only donation amounts but also ad revenue. But he’s among the minority.
So, I (personally) believe that it’s incorrect to say Phantasy:Anime is “the worst” simply because they are suggesting a different revenue stream compared to others. In fact, since most people hold your opinion (which some points I believe have merit, e.g. pay-sites available), shareparadise, it’s actually unlikely they’ll ever make any money.
Two: What right do I have to select which site should be reviewed, and which should not? I do not believe I should impose my sense of morality, or that of anyone else, on what should be objective reviews. This is why I try to impartially cover every aspect of DDL sites I feature (e.g. what free file hosts they use, what sort of shady practices are involved, affiliate marketing-style traffic building, etc.). I had hoped that this would be what regular visitors to this site were looking for.
Three: Everyone has their own opinion. While some will definitely object to this sort of revenue stream, others will not. Full stop. It’s exactly the same as the arguments for and against the legality of fansubbing anime.
Fourth: Whether fansub anime is even legal in the first place is already disputable. So, is there really any act that could make this worse? I understand that this argument is ridiculously stupid, but nevertheless, I have little choice but to make it since I promised to myself that I would try to reply to every reasonable comment comprehensively.
In the end though, I believe Points 2 and 3 are the most relevant. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and as an objective reviewer, I have to ensure that my reviews (and even news) are as objective as possible. Admittedly, I have not always been in the past, but it is something I’m trying to achieve.
Overall, I can’t expect everybody to understand my reasoning, and comments like yours are definitely necessary to ensure that all bases are covered. Thanks.
July 8th, 2006 23:58
Oops, almost forgot. Nate: Thanks for stopping by. You might also want to read shareparadise’s comment, as well as my reply up there, as they reflect some common sentiments regarding your “business” model.
July 9th, 2006 13:32
Nate, I dont think asking dor donation is something bad, I just say that the price is quite high. For example, paying 5usd/month to N-A I can get more than 200-300 anime series direct download, almost no limit, and of course I can request new anime too.
About the web-host cost, which host are you using? When my site was small, I paid only 5-6usd/month and the domain cost is like 6-7usd/year. Now we must get on VPS (we have over 5k members, 100 new mems everyday), I pay 40usd/month for the host only. And still, for the host only (yup, just the host), the ads money is quite enough.
Anyway, just want to say that you may be paying for an over-priced host.
July 9th, 2006 14:37
Shareparadice, I’m beginning to think that you’ve failed to realized the concept Phantasy: Anime holds behind their donation efforts. Let me reiterate before we become absorbed in the difference between our opinions.
You can donate how ever much you want, whether it be $1.00 or $10.00. The bar of $7.50 is to have it known that those who donate that much or above will be allowed to suggest an anime immediately which we would upload in honor of their donation. Otherwise, we have polls with 4-5 anime series that visitors can vote on having uploaded.
This means, then, that not every donation is going to be $7.50, however, we assumed that if so many donations were below and so many were at the bar, that that would balance out to supporting a hosting service that is about $5-6/month plus domain charges. And even then, with so many ways AROUND donating, we can never depend on it as a source of ANY type of revenue that would be used for anything other than hosting payments.
Obviously, donations are dependent on our incoming traffic and what percent ACTUALLY donates. The fact is, if we were to get a hosting service, we planned on paying as much as we could with donation money. Logically, donations are NOT something you can base scheduled payments on. This, then, leads us to the purpose behind having the donations slightly higher than the actual web hosting would cost. Now, with the little extra we COULD accumulate, we’d be able to compensate for the lack of donations we might receive month-to-month.
And furthermore, I don’t see the relevance in bringing in an anime source that requires monthly payments. Phantasy: Anime does not require donations, at all, so your point is rather void. Aside from this, the ads on our site are required by our hosting service. We don’t get revenue for clicking on them. And unless the burden of paying a host because too much, we aren’t going to implement them into the site.
July 9th, 2006 16:21
I have to agree with shareparadise.
Although I can understand download sites which may charge its users for bandwidth costs, charging for anime on a per series basis is morally unsound in my opinion. It is in the same vein as selling bootlegged DVD’s: I pay you x amount of money for y anime.
Personally, I won’t pay for bootlegged DVD’s. Nor, will I pay a set amount of money for downloading an anime series. I’d rather pay my x amount of money — or more if necessary — to the creators of the series by buying the official DVD discs. Artists have to eat, too.
I think that since fansubs are created on the premise of free distribution. The fansubbers are, for the most part, translating publicly-transmitted television programmes, after all. Thus, I think that fansubs should be freely distributed. Choosing to help pay for someone’s bandwidth costs is up to the end-user. There are many sites out there that provide completely free downloads, anyway.
Those are my thoughts on the subject. Since this is ZMAng’s blog, it is ultimitely his choice whether or not to review a site. I think shareparadise’s comments were of a more inquisitive nature, rather than being confrontational. But that’s just my interpretation.
July 9th, 2006 16:41
Nate: I didn’t see your comment. I sometimes don’t see comments on this site sue to how pages are cached on my connection… So my previous comment was made without reading yours first.
I hadn’t checked your site until now. It appears to me that you currently host all of your anime on free file hosts (upfile). Given that your host has forced ads (as you have said), I doubt somewhat that you have to pay for hosting.
So, my thinking leads to the following:
server costs for anime downloads: 0
server costs for site traffic: 0
I begin to wonder what purpose any donations would serve other than to pay for your personal internet connection (i.e to upload anime). I have experience with writing software and websites, so I’m not in the dark as to their workings. However, I may be missing something regarding your website-related costs.
I think that it’s good that your site currently does not force its users to pay for downloads. However, I can also see someone who is inexperienced with the internet or anime downloading to pay for fansubs without knowing that he or she can get them freely elsewhere.
I think we’ve all expressed our opinions quite clearly. I hope that no-one gets upset over this. Written materials can be harder to interpret correctly than the spoken word. ^___^
July 9th, 2006 18:38
lewdishLoki, I believe that you are missing something. I mentioned that we do currently use a free web-host and as ZMAng’s review states, the episodes are hosted on free file-hosting services.
We are new, hence the reason we’ve started out with a free hosting service rather than plunging into payed services and wasting money on time spent accumulating a traffic flow. However, we’ve searched for web-hosters and have found one which we intend on using.
What I don’t understand is the fuss about donating. Between you and Shareparadise, I’m getting a vague image that you believe we force our visitors to provide money for anything that we do. This is inaccurate. We provide choices for the next series to upload, series which we get from the users who are welcome to suggest an anime to offer on the polls. We looked for a way to please the masses and we believe voting is a pretty considerate way.
Currently, we haven’t received any donations, which is completely understandable since it is optional and we are new. We’ll be using a payed web-hosting service in the near future which we have no intention on making donation-dependent as I’ve stated before. Furthermore, we’re not forcing users to donate $7.50, they can donate 35 cents and we still believe that’s being quite generous. But those that do donate that much should be rewarded and we believe that letting them DIRECTLY choose an anime is a fitting way to honor their support.
And I can’t stress this enough seeing as how this is what both of you are apparently leaning on as a main support for your opinions: we will NEVER be dependent on donations, they are COMPLETELY optional and we will NEVER make a visitor pay for the FREE subbed anime we offer. This is stated multiple times, both on this site and on ours.
Conclusively, we are a free service who are looking for payed web-hosting. Donating would obviously help, but it is absolutely NOT required.
I agree lewish, I too hope that no one gets too upset over this, but thanks for your opinions.
July 10th, 2006 16:13
“I agree lewish, I too hope that no one gets too upset over this, but thanks for your opinions.”
See, ZMAng! I’m not the only one who misspells my username! At least I’m not alone. ^___^
July 10th, 2006 23:42
L.O.L. But you’re the owner of the username… lolz.
July 11th, 2006 10:09
Lol, you know what’s funny… I misspelt both your name and Shareparadise’s. Sorry. Both times I noticed after I had posted and felt pretty lame about it.
July 11th, 2006 23:20
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July 15th, 2006 13:41
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November 5th, 2006 05:17
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September 9th, 2007 07:36
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