Blocks increase pirate anime sites despite their resistance

In recent years, the consumption of Anime has experienced exponential global growth. This has made the international market an area of ​​great interest for Japanese producers and distributors. Part of this impulse is due to the facilities and comforts that offer streaming platforms. These allow the most recent series to be followed simultaneously with Japan. Companies like Crunchyroll, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video They have an important role. However, the phenomenon of the pirate anime has also gained relevance.

However, the other face of this boom is a worrying proliferation of pirate sites. These continue to distribute series without licenses and generate millions of dollars in income through the sale of spaces for advertising. Faced with this problem, the Japanese industry has decided to redouble efforts. They are taking those responsible for stratospheric losses before the authorities. The results are already beginning to be noticed. According to a report recently published by the Content Overseas Distribution Association (Coda), The removal notices for copyright violation (known as Takedown Noticias or notifications DMCA) aimed at illegal streaming sites to see pirate anime have increased considerably for 2024. Pressure against piracy intensifies on a global scale. There are data that reveal both significant advances and alarming resistance by some known portals. Especially Googanime and 9anime.

Social networks respond, pirate sites do not

One of the most outstanding points of the report is the high compliance index. Social media and video services platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, Google and Vimeo They are highlighted. These companies have responded with elimination rates greater than 94% after receiving thousands of requests for elimination from the rights holders. Facebook for example, eliminated almost 94% of the indicated contents. This was after receiving more than 176,000 applications in 2024. Tiktok and Google. They even exceeded 99% compliance. This commitment demonstrates how large technology corporations have begun to assume greater responsibility against the problem of digital piracy to stop websites to see pirate anime. This is largely due to the pressure exerted by associations such as CODA and international intellectual property laws. However, at the other end are the specialized platforms in anime streaming without a license. Here, legal efforts seem to have no impact. Among the most marked are Googanime, 9anime, Dramacool, Voiraranime and Anitubbiz. According to the report of Coda, Googanime ignored almost 40,000 elimination requests, while 9anime. He left more than 11,000 notifications without response. Other portals like Dramacool, Voiraranime and Anitubbiz They accumulated more than 48,000 applications ignored collectively.

Domain changes and evasive strategies

Although some of these sites have stopped operating under their original names, many remain active under new URL addresses. This hinders the effective application of copyright laws. This phenomenon of digital "skin change" represents a constant obstacle. Pirate sites operators simply migrate their contents to new domains after being detected. Organizations that seek to stop piracy face this challenge. In addition, many of these sites are housed in countries with lax or uncommonctive laws in intellectual property. This further complicates its definitive closure. Although they are already in the sights of the companies to take advantage of any carelessness to initiate legal measures. Companies hope to act in countries where the owners of each illegal website reside.

The Crunchyroll case: pirate to a giant of legal anime

One of the most paradigmatic examples on how a platform can evolve from piracy towards legitimacy is Crunchyroll. Founded in 2006 as a site that housed anime without licenses, Crunchyroll He achieved a radical change in his business model since 2009. It was then that he began signing official agreements with Japanese distributors. He exeditor dE Dragon Ball and Ex-cement of Shueisha, Kazuhiko Torishimarecently revealed that one of the first steps to combat piracy was precisely Crunchyroll In an ally. "There was a pirate place called Crunchyroll and we reached an agreement so that they could transmit Naruto”, He declared. This strategic movement was key to legitimizing the platform. Crunchyroll holds the distribution rights of more than 2,000 anime titles. Nowadays, Crunchyroll Not only has it become the main reference of the legal anime outside of Japan. It has also shown that it is possible to redirect piracy towards sustainable models. These models benefit both creators and consumers.

United States, leader in manga piracy

In parallel to the growth of elimination requests on anime platforms, another report revealed an important fact. USA It is the country number one in online pirate manga consumption. This statistic highlights an important paradox. While the US market is one of the most lucrative for the manga and anime industry, it is also one of the most active in terms of copyright violations. This phenomenon can be partly explained by delays in the official location of content, access prices, or lack of simultaneous availability with Japan. However, initiatives such as the expansion of legal digital reading services are beginning to reduce that gap. Examples of these services are Plus manga of Shueisha or the app of Medium Viz.

A fight that is still far from finishing

Despite the progress made on social platforms and the transformative example of Crunchyroll the path to a significant eradication of piracy in the anime is still long. The culture of immediate consumption remains a challenge. The lack of intellectual property education and the accessibility offered by pirate sites remain attractive to many users. This is especially true in regions where legal access is limited or expensive. The report of Coda It is a call for attention for both authorities and consumers. The effective elimination of pirate content requires international collaboration and legal reforms. Technological investment in unauthorized content detection is also essential. In addition, a cultural change in consumption habits is needed.