Popular Anime Piracy Sites Shut Down Overnight In Global Anti-Piracy Push

More than 10 of the most popular anime piracy sites have been shut down overnight, following legal action.

By Levin Plassery

Updated on Aug 28, 2024 | 05:33 PM IST | 207.7K

Top Anime Piracy Sites Shut Down [PC - Crunchyroll - Muse Asia - Netflix]

For years, anime piracy platforms thrived by offering fans access to vast libraries of anime series and movies, many of which were unavailable on official streaming platforms due to licensing issues. Recently popular piracy sites like 9anime, aniwave, animesuge, and zoroxtv have all disappeared overnight.

The majority of these websites have the same message, announcing their shutdown but not revealing the reason behind it. This could be a result of legal action from studios or a government action. Some of these websites had over 200 million monthly page visits, with aniwave accounting for more than half of the views.

For many fans, these platforms were the go-to source for anime, considering how a lot of old-school anime shows and films are not available on streaming platforms. A lot of users took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their dismay over seeing some of the sites being taken down.

With streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney looking to get a share of anime that’s widely being dominated by Crunchyroll, studios are becoming more aggressive in taking down piracy operations. This comes in the wake of popular shows like Terminator Zero, Ranma ½, and Danadan having their episodes leaked, months ahead of premiere.

Terminator Zero and Danadan [PC - YouTube - Muse Asia - Netflix]

The shutdown of these piracy platforms may serve as a victory for the studios but the rabbit hole goes deep. When one popular site shuts down, 2 more emerge in its place, and it’s like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Fans hope that one day streaming platforms will offer all titles on their respective website.

Not everyone could afford the monthly subscription rates on these streaming platforms which is why piracy was so popular. Crunchyroll faced the wrath of the takedown as many fans called out the streaming platform on X. Majority of the streaming platforms are being run from Vietnam. One example would be 123Movies, which was shut down in 2018.

While these shutdowns will drive fans to legal alternatives, they also highlight the industry’s need to continue expanding access to some of the lesser-known titles. We expect official comments to be made on why these piracy platforms were shut down in the upcoming days. Stay tuned for the latest updates in the anime industry!

ALSO READ: Hatsune Miku’s Anime Film Confirms 2025 Premiere With Teaser And Visual