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| Screenshot from Guilty Akuma to Keiyakushita Onna Episode 10. |
D-Addicts:
The best way to find dramas that have been fansubbed is to go to
D-Addicts. D-Addicts is a torrent tracker*, for more on torrents go to the bottom of the page. From there you can find just about any drama being torrented. As you'll notice the choices are kind of overwhelming. If you just can't decide on what to watch see what's airing in Japan now. If it's on Japanese television screens now then its likely being subtitled by one of the many fansub groups, most of which release subtitles just a week after the Japanese broadcast. To see which group is subbing currently airing and older dramas visit the fansub map wiki.
Fansub Groups:
You can also go to your favorite fansub group's website for download links. Just click on the Fansub Groups tab at the top to get connected. But as you'll notice there are so many to choose from. Here are a few suggestions:
Formats Available: SD & HD
Methods of Download:
Bit Torrent
Bit Torrent
IRC
Direct Download through their forum when you reach 25 posts
Formats Available: SD & HD
Methods of Download:
Bit TorrentStormy translates anything that has a member of the Japanese pop group Arashi in it. Since several of the members are good to fantastic actors, Kazunari Ninomiya most especially, their catalog of translations deserves consideration. Some of their numerous projects you may want to look into are Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku, Smile and Yamada Taro Monogatari.
Formats Available: SD
Methods of Download:
Bit Torrent
Direct Download through MegaUpload, DivShare and MediaFire
Formats Available: SD & HD
Methods of Download:
Bit Torrent
Direct Download through MegaUpload and MediaFire (links can be found on their livejournal blog)
Querbeet has been around for just over three years and subs constantly. If a show they're subbing is currently airing in Japan the last episode to air will usually show up with subtitles a week later. While they sub a few Korean and Chinese dramas they mostly translate Japanese dramas. Their catalog has a number of wonderful programs to check out, such as the currently airing Nagareboshi, Koizora, a drama about high school romance, the excellent slice of life drama Sunao ni Narenakute about a group of 20 somethings that meet through twitter, Yume wo Kanaeru Zou a comedy about a young woman who finds herself living with Ganesha and Love Shuffle a drama about a group of strangers who decide the best way to fix their romantic problems is to swap partners.
Other places to find fansubbed dramas:
JDrama Zone
JDrama Zone is not a fansub group or a torrent tracker. Rather they provide an easy method of easily finding direct download links on MegaUpload and the usual file hosting sites.
Streaming Sites:
Many streaming sites such as Crunchy Roll and Drama Crazy and My Soujou have popped up. However most fansub groups dislike these websites as they are not always up front about where the subtitles come from. They also charge for access to higher quality files. Many groups have suggested that these sites either directly steal their hard work or drama fans themselves upload the subtitled episodes. While the streaming sites are convenient the quality is often poor, unless you pay for a membership. Though you have to wait for a large file to download via bit torrent or a file hosting site the wait is worth it, the picture and sound quality will be immensely more enjoyable and by downloading the file rather than streaming the content you support the hard work of fansubbers who don't often see any money for their hard work. Remember, fansubs are always free.
When a Torrent Has Gone Stale: Anime DivX Online
It happens that with the course of time things just lose their appeal for the newer flashier item. The same is true of fansubs and torrents. The problem with that is if you want to watch an old series that no one is seeding any longer what do you do? You could just buy the DVD from Japan, but if you were fluent in Japanese you'd probably just do that to begin with rather than bothering with subtitles.
However, there is a site, though there is some controversy about its veracity, that sells fansubbed dramas and anime on DVD: Anime DivX Online. Though fansubs are free, DVDs from Anime DivX are not. However, the fee is reasonable, only $5/disc and he gives lots of discounts. Shipping is fairly quick and the quality is good. While newer shows can be found in 1280x1020 progressive formats Anime DivX only carries shows in standard definition. The quality is good but lacks that crispness that HD has, but if you're trying to find something that is eight or more years old then it's probably not available in HD from Japan either. I have ordered several shows through Anime DivX and I am very happy with my purchases. They were shows that I absolutely love and revisit every now and then. But I couldn't find them through the regular channels.
If you have a problem with an order, a rare occurrence, the individual who runs Anime DivX responds quickly to emails he'll also answer any questions you have. In one instance he sent me someone else's order. Since that customer lived closer to me than him I mailed it for him. In return he gave me a free disc and paid for the shipping.
While it's not my favorite way to get fansubbed dramas I highly recommend the service.
Caveat:
Are fansubs legal? Technically - no. Fansubbers take someone else's copy written work, translate it and put subtitles on top, releasing the video unchanged in any significant way. However, with very few exceptions, these works never see the light of licensing in countries outside of Japan, and without fansub groups they would never see English translations, or otherwise. There are other arguments of course, why would a foreigner purchase a DVD of a show they can't get in their own language and would never otherwise have the chance to see, and there are the few that are licensed, usually movies like Nana or Usagi Yojimbo. In the recent past Japanese producers such as NipponTV have issued takedown notices to You Tube and forums like Animesuki. However, I personally think that because there is a large commercial interest at stake with Anime outside of Japan, especially in North America, but relatively little interest in television dramas this has contributed to a lack of public attention to the drama fansub groups which seem to be thriving in their own micro-communities. Still, copyright infringement warnings are not unheard of, but until the major producers of contemporary Japanese entertainment realize that there is a fan base willing to spend money on quality television, with great translations released simultaneously or within a week of release over the air in Japan the fansubbing will continue because for those of us who are fans the measly catalog offered by Netflix is not enough. Old media must either change or ignore, rather than punish, those communities which are under served because as cash cash cows they've been put out to pasture. But in the pasture there is always D-Addicts.
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| The uTorrent Client in action. |
If you've never downloaded a torrent file before it's quite easy, first you'll need a piece of software called a client. There are many, many available. I like uTorrent (available only for windows it supports both 32bit and 64 bit versions), but a google search will provide many options. You can also check the client comparison chart over at wikipedia.
Once you've downloaded your client of choice and installed it all you have to do is click on a torrent link and the client will do all the work. I sometimes find that if my client isn't already running the torrent won't always pop up right away with the download dialogue. So if you're having trouble getting it to work just try starting the torrent application first.
