ANGRY fans of Japanese animated movies, or anime, are banding together online to prepare for a legal showdown with their nemesis, a local anime distributor.

The distributor, Odex, has taken legal action to get the names of hundreds of people it accuses of illegal anime downloads.

It is expected to write to them, demanding a settlement of up to $5,000 and a promise to stop further illegal downloading.

In retaliation, fans and sympathisers are using the Internet to mount a legal challenge to Odex.

Pledges of about $3,200 to back such a campaign were made last night.

Odex and its chief, MrStephen Sing, have become the subject of online attacks - including death threats - in the wake of news about its anti-piracy moves.

One user, by the name of 'nonoabc', created an invitation-only forum for those considering going to court against Odex over its allegations of illegal downloads.

Fans have also sought help in the form of legal advice and have put together a library of relevant material.

However, three lawyers The Straits Times spoke to yesterday said this group had little basis for legal action.

The lawyers explained that as long as there is proof of uploading or downloading, they are likely to lose the case.

The group plans to meet tomorrow at the National Library building at Bugis.

The forum administrator did not respond to attempts by The Straits Times to contact him.

On popular local forum HardwareZone, a plea for donations for anime fans in Odex's sights has attracted about 50 people offering to contribute between $2 and $120 each.

At press time, the promised amount was more than $3,200, although it is hard to tell how many will pay up - one 'donor' who offered $888 was later found to be joking.

Media experts The Straits Times approached yesterday, like National University of Singapore assistant professor Lim Sun Sun, said the downloaders have reacted strongly because they felt their 'right' to download freely - even if illegal - is under attack.

But Prof Lim, who teaches New Media, said MrSing, 35, has also made things worse for himself by posting insensitive comments online.

Mr Sing had boasted that he was 'busy suing people' in an online message. This 'gloating' remark was taken as a personal insult by many fans, she explained.

Anime blogger Chua Kian Wee said Odex's crackdown has 'united' the small but vocal local 'real anime fan' community with the larger group of people who 'just want free downloads'.

The Subordinate Courts will rule next Thursday on whether Internet service provider Pacific Internet must disclose the names of up to 1,000 alleged anime downloaders.

chuahh@sph.com.sg