What databases and listing sites exist for anime, manga, etc? What are the major online databases of anime, manga, light novels, visual novels, and other related media? What are the differences between them?

To qualify as an answer, the source should list a large fraction of series in some particular medium, not just one or a few related series. The primary purpose of sites here should be indexing information about series. While it's acceptable to link to sites that do have some information related to e.g. fansubs, the primary purpose of all links in answers here should be indexing, not providing download links. Also, databases which are out-of-date should be removed.

Non-English sources are welcome so long as they qualify, but please specify what language in parentheses.


  Note: This is intended to be the canonical reference for
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  slightly different specifications. Please check the sites here to see
  if any fit what you want before asking a new question. The answer is
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All lists are alphabetized, for lack of a better method. If you have a better suggestion just go for it. For the moment, due to the size of this answer, the only things included for each entry are whether they list characters, people, and music from the series. If you want to add this, please do so for everything from a category, not just a single entry.

Anime

All anime:


AniDB


Includes characters, people/industry, music, fansub groups and file information

AniList


Includes characters, people/industry

AnimeCalendar


Includes broadcast info

Anime News Network Encyclopedia


Includes people/industry

Anime-Planet


Includes characters, people/industry

AniSearch


Includes characters, people/industry

Kitsu (formerly known as Hummingbird)
MyAnimeList


Includes characters, people/industry



Current/Recent Anime Only:


AniChart 


Also includes older charts

LiveChart
MOON PHASE Anime List (Japanese)


Manga


Anime News Network Encyclopedia


Includes people/industry, broadcast info

Anime-Planet


Includes characters, people/industry

AniSearch


Includes characters, people/industry

Manga Updates


Includes people/industry

MyAnimeList


Includes characters, people/industry 



Light Novels

All of the sites above which list manga also include some light novels in their manga section.


LNDB


Includes people/industry



Visual Novels &amp; Eroge


VNDB


Includes characters, people/industry



Live Action*

*Please remember that live action series are only on topic here if they're related to some anime or manga.


JDorama.com
MyDramaList.com


Includes people/industry

MyDramaList.info


Includes characters, people/industry



Other


Anime Bath Scene Wiki


Site dedicated to archiving bathing scenes from anime, manga and other related media

Anime Characters Database


Site dedicated to characters from anime, manga, and other related media

IMFDB


Site dedicated to firearms from movies, TV and anime

VGMDB


Music from anime and video games, including many visual novels and anime-style games