As 2025 comes to a close, Crunchyroll intensified its offensive against piracy. The platform pointed to Hayase, formerly known as Miru, a torrent-based streaming client. Through your partner MarkScan, Crunchyroll sent a notification DMCA to GitHub. It requested the removal of links to the software for facilitating unauthorized access to its catalog. This move came just weeks after another key announcement. Crunchyroll confirmed the definitive closure of its free modality with advertising. All content will be behind a mandatory paywall starting in January 2026.
This is not only a legal dispute over copyright, but a strategic maneuver to reinforce a dominant position in a market where other large players such as Disney, Netflix and Hulu They are reducing their presence in anime. We look at why targeting a technical tool that doesn't host content itself and removing free access represents a high-risk gamble, capable of testing community trust and legitimacy. Crunchyroll as the absolute leader of the sector.
When the tool becomes the objective
When going after Hayase, Crunchyroll seeks to set a broader legal precedent. The action goes beyond traditional pirate sites. The message is clear. It not only goes after the illegal distributor, but also any software that offers a more attractive experience than the official one. This strategy attempts to close gray areas from a legal point of view. However, it leaves a void in the relationship with users. Many people use tools like Hayase not only for free. They also do it for cleaner interfaces and greater control of their files. When attacking the tool, Crunchyroll recognize something key. Its platform no longer competes only in catalog, but also in technological quality and user experience.
When observing cases of requests DMCA within GitHub, It is rare for a community project to emerge unscathed from pressure from a corporation of this size. Although Hayase is still available from its official site, the legal shadow is usually enough to discourage independent developers and slow down the evolution of the software.
The risk of closing all the doors at once
Crunchyroll is taking advantage of its dominant position in the market. With Disney and Netflix reducing its anime offering by 2026, the platform is aware that it has much of the content that fans want to see. The problem arises when the closure of free access coincides with a direct offensive against alternatives such as Hayase or VidSrc. This combination creates unnecessary tension within the community. Historical experience demonstrates that when legal access is perceived as limited or inaccessible, Piracy does not disappear, but adapts and becomes more complex.
The transition from a model with free access to a completely closed one is usually the breaking point for many young users or from regions with lower purchasing power. Crunchyroll He bets that the value of his catalog will be enough to retain them, but he underestimates a basic reality: For a significant part of the fandom, the economic barrier remains a decisive factor.
The Verdict
Crunchyroll is shielding its ecosystem by 2026. By eliminating free competition and legally attacking third-party tools, it seeks to secure every dollar of its audience. It's a logical move from a corporate point of view, but a dangerous one from a community perspective.
We maintain that this aggressiveness could be counterproductive. The Authority is won by impeccable service and fair prices, not just lawsuits. If Crunchyroll wants users to abandon tools like Hayase, its official platform must surpass the user experience that those “pirate” clients offer for free.
Do you think the end of Crunchyroll's free plan will fuel a new “golden age” of anime piracy, or will fans simply accept the paywall as the new standard? Leave us your opinion in the comments.
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