Maybe this is standard operating procedure and I just don’t know it since this is the first anime season that I’ve downloaded fan subs for several shows, but it seems to me that fansubbing groups are rather, well, slow.

I’m probably not one to talk, but it would seem to me that, even if you take up something like fansubbing which is volunteer work, a group should at least try to stay on schedule (ie, get an episode out before the next episode airs, or at least before two more episodes air). The primary reason for this is that there are people who are waiting to watch, and the more behind you get, 1) the less likely they are to watch your shows later, and 2) the more likely they’ll just read about what happens elsewhere.

Given the range that I’d kind of expect an episode to be out, that’s basically an episode weekly, so between 6 to 8 days, give or take on any given week. However, most groups seem to be way behind, at least as far as the series I’m watching.

In any case, here are how the fansubbers are doing by series, with days since the last episode released, and number of days since the next episode they need to release has been aired:

School Days
Conclave: Last release yesterday; 14 days behind next episode

Nagasarete Airantou
Ayako – Last release 4 days ago; 6 days behind next episode

Seto no Hanayome
Ayako – Last release 22 days ago; 30 days behind next episode (at this rate, might have dropped)
gg Fansubs – Last release 5 days ago, 9 days behind next episode
Otacon – last release 5 days ago, 2 days behind next episode
Your Mom – last release 8 days ago, 2 days behind next episode

Idolmaster Xenoglossia
Serin – last release 10 days ago; 29 days behind next episode

Lucky Star
JEEB – last release yesterday; 9 days behind next episode
a.f.k. – last release 10 days ago; 9 days behind next episode

Sky Girls
Ayako – last release 11 days ago; 12 days behind next episode

Umisho
Ayu – last release 9 days ago; 7 days behind next episode

Moetan
FSH/MugiMugi – last release 16 days ago; 16 days behind next episode
Kedex – last release 9 days ago; 9 days behind next episode

Nanatsuiro Drops
Kedex – last release 18 days ago; 15 days behind next episode
Aquastar – last episode 3 days ago; 15 days behind next episode

Doujin Work
Spoon – last release 6 days ago; 7 days behind next episode

Ok, so ten series, and only 4 which are on time, if you consider 7 days behind still on time. Given the best group for each show, the average lag time is currently 11 days, and even if you take out the month behind Serin is on Idolmaster, it’s still 9 days. I guess actually looking it up, it’s not even as bad as it feels, but 3 series are now a full 2 weeks behind (one is 4 weeks behind) and another is at 12 days.

Also, there doesn’t seem to be any groups which are always good or bad. Ayako is on time with Nagasarete Airantou but almost two weeks behind on Sky Girls, and may have abandoned Seto no Hanayome, for example. For six series, it has also been more than a week since any group that is subbing those series has released an episode as well.

Then there are groups like Devil’s Lair which seems to just be taking up random episodes here and there, and while they’re quick, they’re not consistent on what show they’re subbing.

Also, am I the only one infuriated that 6 of the 10 series I’m watching only has one group which is taking up the series, yet 5 groups are doing Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. Ok, I know that it’s a sequel to a pretty popular show, but come on, we don’t need 5 groups doing the same series when we have other series who have only one group doing them and is behind.