Consider whether you just like
anime for free, or whether you like anime and are
willing to support it, either by buying the
Region 1 release or the
Region 2 release.
Also make sure that what you're downloading isn't licensed in the US,
preferrably shows that you can't buy in the US, or import with
english subtitles. If you really want fansubs, I suggest animesuki.com
Shows such as
Evangelion,
Lain,
Cowboy Bebop, and
DBZ are all licensed, and are becoming available/completely available on dvd, with excellent results. Companies are even going out of their way to satisfy anime fans:
Nelvana is allowing Pioneer to release an unedited, sub-only release of
Cardcaptor Sakura in addition to Nelvana's
Cardcaptors edited release.
Moreover, these days shows are being funded by the US companies.
Pioneer Entertainment America has had its hand in funding several series by the creator of Lain.
ADV has put up backing for series all over the place. Many shows are being licensed way before they're even produced.
It's sorta like that one editorial comic, where the "fan" goes up to the musician and says "Dude, I downloaded ALL of your MP3s!". Sure, he really appreciates your "support." But unlike the band, you can't support anime by seeing it "live."
I don't know what it is with people. They seem to feel as though they're "entitled" to anime. They go "why shouldn't I make a copy if they made it?"
Why?
Because it's a nice big
FUCK YOU to the creators telling them that their venture (which is what making anime is, a moneymaking venture) is worthless and that everyone who wants it will just copy it anyways.
And I'll say this: No matter how far you are from
civilization, everything you have got to you somehow. And unless it was all made right there in your own town/city/state/province/hamlet/etc., then chances are it came from somewhere else. If that can get there, you can get stuff there. I know lots of people who import stuff regularly when they could just warez it, but they don't. And they're better fans of it than ANYONE who ever things "oh hey, I can just download it!"
Sorry if anyone feels burned by this rather bad attitude, but this whole attitude of "Take take take for me and screw the maker" is one of the things that really pisses me off. It shows that you don't deserve to have anything made.
July 4, 2001:
Improved my examples.
1. www.dvdsubber.com - uses your installed dvd player engine, and writes the subtitles to the buffer as it plays according to a subtitle script that you load.