Shocking Revelation: Anime’s Leading Piracy Site Attracts More Traffic Than Disney+

In a remarkable turn of events, illegal piracy websites have captured a significant share of online traffic, outpacing even some of the most popular streaming services. A recent report by TorrentFreak revealed that HiAnime.to, an anime piracy streaming site, received more monthly visitors than Disney+, one of the leading players in the streaming industry.

This trend is particularly striking in the United States, where HiAnime.to has consistently surpassed the traffic of Disney+. The alarming growth in viewership for illegal streaming platforms raises significant concerns among animation studios, prompting collaboration with search engines, anti-piracy organizations, and government entities to combat the issue.

HiAnime.to Outperforms Disney+, Peacock, and GitHub

Unprecedented Growth in 2024: Surpassing 300 Million Monthly Visits

Demon Slayer's Tanjiro looking surprised

Yuji Itadori surprised by Jujutsu Kaisen

Characters from Attack on Titan looking surprised

Gojo Satoru looks surprised at Jujutsu Kaisen

In 2024, HiAnime.to showcased unprecedented traffic growth, particularly within the U.S. market. In November alone, this site attracted an astounding 331.6 million visits, dwarfing even the traffic of Crunchyroll— the largest legitimate anime streaming service— by more than three times. This striking evidence highlights a growing preference among users for illegal streaming alternatives over paid subscriptions.

Not only did HiAnime.to outpace Disney+, but it also surpassed established platforms like Peacock TV and GitHub, securing a top position just behind Hulu and Xfinity. With approximately 40% of its visitors hailing from the U.S. and predominantly between the ages of 18 to 24, the site demonstrates a significant demographic interested in accessing pirated anime content.

Rebranding: A Tactic That Lets Piracy Websites Thrive

9anime to Aniwave: A Rebranding Journey

Demon Slayer's Tanjiro looking back with fearful surprise.

At present, there are no imminent plans to close down HiAnime.to, although major corporations are implementing strategies to counteract these illegal services through copyright claims and legal action. Recently, Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) successfully shut down Rine.cloud, a prominent anime piracy site in Brazil, highlighting the ongoing battle against piracy. This website was averaging 2.74 million monthly visits, revealing the vast audiences such platforms can attract.

However, according to TorrentFreak, completely eradicating these illegal sites proves to be quite the challenge. When one piracy platform is shut down, many re-emerge under different names, allowing them to evade detection and continue their operations. For instance, 9anime was rebranded to Aniwave and managed to operate for an extended period, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy.

Major Anime Companies like Viz Media and Toei Animation Combat Piracy

Persistent Struggles Against Piracy by Anti-Piracy Organizations

Anti-piracy organizations, such as ACE, remain relentless in their pursuit of justice against these illegal platforms. The intricate history of HiAnime.to showcases the lengths to which such sites will go to evade legal accountability. Initially launching as Zoro.to, the platform was forced to shut down in 2023 but later emerged as Aniwatch. Following another takedown by ACE, it rebranded once again, ultimately becoming known as HiAnime.to. This cyclical pattern of rebranding indicates that further action from ACE is likely on the horizon.

Despite the prevalence of piracy, organizations like ACE, CODA, and key animation studios are continually working to disrupt these illegal activities. Recently, prominent companies such as VIZ Media, Funimation, Aniplex, Toei Animation, and Japan Creative Contents Alliance have worked collaboratively to request Google to take down millions of piracy-related URLs. The ongoing clash between anime piracy websites and anti-piracy efforts underscores the challenging landscape of digital content protection and leaves the future of anime piracy fraught with uncertainty.

Source: TorrentFreak

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