I've read some posts about websites where you can actually download Anime & manga. Is this actually LEGAL? does it cost anything?

well, of course there's lots of arguements about the legality, but the most prominent site to download from http://www.rpguru.com/ aka AnimeSuki, is totally safe and keeps things as legal as possible. They only offer titles that have NOT been licensed here in the states. So technically it's legal for you to have the subs, long as it isn't licensed. And NO it doesn't cost anything.

however! If you want to download other titles... like stuff that HAS been bought here, like... Yugioh, or... Inuyasha, or... whatever... and yes, there ARE sites that will have that... (you'll have to look harder to find them ;) not that I know any...) but those are not legal. But since you need Bit Torrent to download them, there's really no way that they can trace who downloads what, so they couldn't really prosecute anyone that downloads... anyway... that's all I know. Feel free to ask any other questions and I'll try to help!

~Pan Pan

How do you install the client? it keeps coming up with this thing that says i have to choose a mirror.....

Technically speaking even though the title has not been purchased for Region 1 it could still be considered illegal.

It's kind of a grey area among fans. You're taking money out of the creator's pocket. Fansubs ARE bootlegs (which is why at bootleg free cons they do not show any fansubs).

But on the other hand, if that title isn't bought - you wouldn't be able to see it. If you couldn't see it, then you wouldn't go buy all the merchandise!

Another point, our old anime club president contacted some companies asking about if it was ok to show Fansubs at club - and she was told '...as long as the it hasn't been released yet, they're fine with it... it's free advertisment for them.' I can't remember which company she contacted...

Since it's a grey area you have to decide if it's legal or not for your tastes.

Personally, I have many fansubs- and when they get purchased over here I try my hardest to purchase them. I'm not made of money, so I can't get them all - but if I can get some of them to most, I'm happy with that.

Now to the bittorent question, when you d/l it will then tell you to pick a mirror to d/l it from. Pick the one that is CLOSEST to you. (I know this because pan pan walked me through it last week! lol so I could get Senkaiden Houshi Engi manga scans!!! yay!!)

I know of some sites for manga that don't involve bittorrent. ^_^

http://dgt.glowie.com/ (This place has some shojo downloads.)
http://www.saladfan.com/ (Where you can download Salad Days. I love Salad Days! XD)
http://mangasync.org/ (I usually go here; the manga's kida old, but whatever. Still good.)

I'll post more later.

Theare's a lot of those Scanlation sites. Their main purpose is to get some lesser known anime and manga noticed by companies like Viz and Toykyopop so that they'll be noticed.
Once liscened they'll discontinue the project.
here are some links of some sites that don't need Bit Torrent.
http://www.sakura-crisis.net/
http://www.toriyamaworld.com/
http://media.unrivaled.info/
http://www15.brinkster.com/sakuramagic/mangascanlations.html
http://mangagedon.website.pl/index1.htm

you can find them pretty easily using a search engine but there a few really good ones.

Yay!! You can get Count Cain and Ludwig from here~! If you don't want shounen-ai titles then watch the color backgrounds... I believe pink backgrounds is for Shounen-ai/yaoi titles... it says it on the page.

ja, Blue is actually for the Shonen-ai and Yaoi, if you don't like that stay with the pink.

On a different noe, if you like Houshin Engi/Soul Hunter this is the only place I've been able to find scanlations for it. http://www.bunnyhat.com/

And actually I have no idea if Scanlating and translating Manga is legal or not, as long as it's not liscened I guess it's okay

Hey thanks for clearing that up! lol oops... yeah go for the 'blue' backgrounds! lol


There is another site for Senkaiden Houshin Engi, but you need bittorrent. to d/l from them. I believe they're up through vol. 11 Snoop... something....

The legality of manga d/ls are pretty much the same argument I stated for fansubs. It's split among fans - some fans say, "Only do translations and then by the mangas and read along." While others say, "Scanlations are fine as long as the title isn't bought in our area." Again, it's up for you to decide.

If I like the manga that I have scanlations for - then I'll buy some of the Japanese taikoubans... sp? eh.... ANd if I really liked it and it got bought, I'll buy it in English. So that way I justify scanlations - I'm not getting them all for free, I'm giving some money back to the creator.

For example: I found 'Tsubasa wo Motsu Mono" (same author as Fruits Basket) scanlations, they've just started so they only have two chapters scanlated and I d/l those (I LOVE it!!!)

Ah Raimon!!!! :wub: ... sorry I got off track there...

ANYWAY! Yeah I'm going to continue d/l the scanlations, but when I go home in July I'm buying myself all 6 copies from Kinokuniya ..... they better be in stock!!! That way I'm supporting a great manga. So, Takiya sensei gets her money! (I've also read translations up to chapter 6 - it's way cool!)

My friends and I all download anime using the BitTorrent files. I mean, it's good in some ways but bad in other ways. ^^;;

A good thing about it is that anime that will NEVER be released in America will be able to be viewed using AnimeSuki, Baka Updates, etc.

But the bad part is the author doesn't get their support in money for it. But sometimes, like nie-chan said, I'll go buy the manga when it gets translated. I bought Azumanga Daioh manga after reading the scanlation for it.

So all you're really doing is downloading a couple harmless files onto your computer and watching a little anime episode that can't harm your computer, your wallet, or your identity?