It's the end of an era for anime online streaming

Vietnamese authorities have arrested seven people for alleged links to the East Anime According to the piracy website HiAnime, TorrentFreak. Vietnamese authorities were supported during the investigation by the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Justice and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). The now-defunct HiAnime, which went dark in March 2026 and shut down in June, received over 150 million visits every month, making it the world's most notorious anime piracy platform.

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is a global anti-piracy alliance representing more than 50 of the world's leading media and entertainment companies, including some of the largest film studios and television networks. It aims to protect the marketplace for creators to combat the threat of digital piracy. ACE members include major entertainment companies including Amazon, Apple TV, BBC Studios, Astro, Disney, COMCAST, Foxtel, HBO, HULU.

HiAnime case explained

Per Bleeping computerThe seven suspects are facing charges of copyright infringement, related rights infringement, and money laundering. Four people have been detained while the remaining three have been kept under house arrest. It is further reported that the seven defendants operated more than 100 piracy websites and uploaded 26,000 pirated anime films, generating approximately $12.85 million in illegal advertising revenue between 2020 and April 2026.

HiAnime operates under several domain names. It ran as Zoro.to before changing to Aniwatch in July 2023 and later rebranding as HiAnime (also known as H!Anime) in March 2024 using the HiAnime.to domain. It went dark in March and now joins a growing list of piracy platforms that have been taken offline amid growing anti-piracy efforts. Its closure came after copyright holders, anime producers, and government officials intensified their crackdown on illegal anime and manga websites. In March, the platform posted a message on its homepage announcing its closure. However, HiAnime's Discord team has said that users are asked not to believe the website back and unconfirmed reports. About 80 days later, in June, the Discord team confirmed that HiAnime would not be coming back, saying, “As you know, it's been almost 80 days since the community-related website was shut down for some reason. During this time, the staff team and the administration board have made continuous efforts, possibly to contact through all website channels and all possible light channels. Adding, “As such, we have come to the conclusion that the website will no longer be returning and will cease operations forever.”

HiAnime was a prime target for anti-piracy groups due to its extensive global reach. The website was also added to the European Commission's Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List and the US Trade Representative's (USTR) Notorious Markets List. Before its shutdown in June and the recent arrest of its alleged operators, HiAnime was one of the world's largest illegal anime piracy platforms. It hosted thousands of new releases and classic anime series for millions of users worldwide, offering English-subtitled and English-dubbed content without subscription fees. HiAnime's interface, vast library, and free access helped it become one of the most popular anime streaming websites on the Internet. Per TorrentFreakThe site also surpassed legal streaming platforms like Disney+, recording 364 million visits in the US by the end of 2024.

Additional reporting from TorrentFreak highlights just how popular High Anime was before it disappeared. quoting The same web Data, TorrentFreak reported that HiAnime received 302 million visits in September 2024 and another 62 million visits in October, bringing its monthly total to 364 million. Those numbers reportedly put HiAnime ahead of legal streaming platforms like Disney+ in the US streaming rankings. The site's rapid growth also made it one of the biggest targets for anti-piracy groups, eventually leading to an international investigation that ended in the arrest of its alleged operators. The website received 331.6 million visits in November 2024, bringing its total website visits in September, October and November to nearly 1 billion. Statistics show just how widely used the piracy platform is, though TorrentFreak The data includes website traffic only and does not account for users accessing the platform through related streaming apps.

HiAnime joins a growing list of piracy sites shut down

Following his development, the Coalition for Creativity (ACE) thanked Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Department of Justice for their assistance leading to his arrest. of ACE LinkedIn The statement read:

Another major anime piracy platform, Animekai, also shut down in May. According to CBRThe website said it could no longer continue after its server infrastructure was completely destroyed by a devastating data center fire, which many suspected was linked to the Almere data center fire in the Netherlands. IGN. CBR It was also reported that the Animekai team posted a statement on its website urging users to “find a new home” to watch their anime, stating:

AnimeKai, which has struggled with ongoing legal pressure, also announced the platform's shutdown on its subreddit. Moderators said the developer decided not to proceed with the project due to the site's current problems, particularly the data center fire, adding, “It's time for all of us to move on.” The message was:

At the same time, the AnimeKai team assured fans that the community itself is not shutting down. In another message to users, the moderators said they have “no plans to shut down the community” and will continue to build the website even if it is shut down:

Additional examples include Animeplay, which was permanently shut down in late March (per Bleeping Computer) following enforcement efforts by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). AnimePlay's fate has been shared by dozens of other piracy websites, including Aniwave (formerly 9Anime), AnimeSuge, Anix, Zoroxtv, Fboxz, Cinezone, Flix2day, Animesuge, Theflixtor, and Mov2day. Recently, with the alleged operators of HiAnime arrested, one thing has become clear: anime piracy is no longer treated as a petty crime but as a serious crime with real consequences.