Want to watch anime together with your friends online? (+anime sites to watch)

[kn1000a 99]

With the fall of Rabbit, there is not a really good replacement for sharing videos, especially anime, online and watch it with your friends. Many options are often too restrictive and don't support much websites, or require you to have the video file downloaded, screenshared, and in some other cases, uploaded.

 

Using CyTube and a trick to grab videos from anime sites, you can bypass most of these inconveniences.

 

 

What is CyTube?

It's a website to let you host videos and watch it together with your friends online. Only supports some common video sites. You don't need to have an account to join someone's channel, but you do need one to create a channel. Check here for the FAQ and here for the interface guide.

 

 

So how does it work?

 

 

I did the above in Opera, but any Chromium-based browsers should work. Didn't try on other browsers like Firefox but I'm pretty sure you can do it as well, just under a different name instead of Inspect Element.

However, this method is also not problem-free. Some issues can be frustrating:

 

1. Many hosts and anime sites block you from ever using Inspect Element to grab links. You will often see no link appearing even when you play the episode.

2. Even if the link appears, you might have to deal with a garbage/protected link. You can play the episode/video in New Tab, but it won't work when you add it on CyTube (CyTube will display a red error).

3. Even after adding it to CyTube and it works, you might have to deal with a laggy source (video buffering constantly, plays for a bit then breaks, etc.)

 

 

If it does not work with X anime site/host, what should I do?

Unfortunately, the answer is simple and tedious: Try with a different site/host. Luckily, many exists and can be found on this anime/manga/LN site tracker.

 

EDIT 4/4/20:

As of late, it is increasingly difficult to find a host that allow you to grab episode direct links. In these times, I have switch to using programs that can screenshare (like Discord). Still no good replacement for Rabbit in sight :\

 

EDIT 8/13/20:

There are now two more new players that might actually contest the title of a Rabbit replacement - Kosmi and Tutturu. Check them out below where I went a bit over their features and what they support.

 

EDIT 2/10/21:

Replaced the obsolete r/animepiracy anime sites thread with /r/animepiracy Index which is a piracy sites tracker for where to watch anime and read manga/LNs online (with details such as if said sites allow downloads).

 

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If you have an alternative method, feel free to let me know!

Edited February 10, 2021 by kn1000a

[kn1000a 99]

Discord screensharing

While this is unrelated to my video, this is useful info for the people using Discord to screenshare their anime or anything else.

(Not sure how to screenshare using Discord? Check here (for private groups/DM) or here (for a server).

 

If you even stumble across problems screensharing, here are some troubleshooting steps from a Discord support member who I was in touch with:

 

 

Let me know if you are still stuck with another issue.

 

Alternative program to screenshare: Parsec

If you're looking for other alternative screensharing program, I would also recommend Parsec. It's a cool program to basically let you play multiplayer games from your own PC with other people by letting them connect to your PC with their controllers/input devices. This means the screen also needed to be stream to the other parties connecting to your PC so they can see and play.

 

[video=youtube_share;R-tE786t_QU]

(This is a tutorial from 2017 so lots had change since then, but the description for Parsec is still very true.)

 

Obviously, this means your screen can be shared, hence I wanna recommend this program as the last time I used it for playing games with friends it was super smooth so I think using it to stream anime is also a possibility.

 

Only downside to this is that there are a bit more technical steps to set up Parsec to work compared to Discord.

[kn1000a 99]

A new challenger on the block: Kosmi

An alternative to all of the above - and a damn good one at that - Kosmi.

The site has a lot of nice things you can do together, ranging from hosting NES/SNES ROMs (yes that's right, multiplay right in the browser) to playing their own version of poker, Card Against Humanity, an FPS game, etc. All in the browser.

 

 

Of course we are here for anime streaming.This site accepts way more direct links that often do not work on CyTube from major piracy streaming site (Kissanime, 9anime, etc.). This makes it a much time-saving alternative, and what's more: You can also upload videos you have on your PC for everybody to watch.

 

It's a nice little website with a lot to do. There are drawbacks, being a site this new. No mobile apps means everything needs to be done on PC. The direct links sometimes do not work either, but from my few times using Kosmi it does accept more links than CyTube.

 

Tutturu, the monetized Rabbit spiritual successor

Another site that recently came to my attention, Tutturu.

From their basic description, the service makes uses of virtual machines as well, just like good old Rabbit. This means you can view a website with your group - and not just having to find direct links to a video in order to share it. This is the closest option to Rabbit out of anything above.

The sites features /me usage, emojis, handling the remote to someone else, participants do not need accounts to join (and can choose their usernames), etc.

 

 

However, there seems to be a plan to monetize the service, which is understandable (Rabbit fell because of their lack of one). From their Pricing/Premium tab, it seems like the free accounts might have to wait in a queue for a virtual machine to come up, and most importantly: There will be a time limit to the streaming session. EDIT 5/30/21: The room time limit is about 3 hours, good enough for 6 standard anime episodes. I would imagine it would be one of the downside people won't like from the free plan.

 

Good thing going for the service is they have mobile apps and support other platforms, so that would be beneficial for people who does not prefer to watch anime on a PC (me).

 

The backup for Tutturu: Invited.tv

Added to this entry on 5/30/21

https://invited.tv is another site similars to Rabbit and Tutturu, in that you utilize a virtual machine and can search for websites and videos to stream. Hosts will need an account but participants don't (however, cannot choose username, and their default usernames and avatars are ugly so making an account is highly suggested).

Shares similar downsides to Tutturu: Their virtual machines for free account are limited so you might lag if it's during peak hours. 3 hours room limit as well. It's a decent backup for Tutturu though.

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by kn1000a