Key takeaways
- Major anime piracy websites like GoGo Anime are stopping adding new content.
- Japanese companies, forming CODA, and international allies are fighting anime piracy.
- Shutting down piracy sites could drive fans to legal platforms, affecting the anime industry.
Quick links
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Other digital piracy websites were recently affected
- What could be happening?
Piracy websites focused on Asian content, and anime in particular, have been taking a big hit recently, and one major website has just stopped adding new content. Many fans watch anime a piece On illegal websites, sometimes people do not know that they are viewing pirated content (especially young viewers). Japanese companies, publishers and studios, have been fighting against digital piracy for years. Many of them are working with the Japanese government to shut down piracy websites.
The creation of CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association), a Japanese association against piracy that includes Shuisha, Aniplex, Avex, Kadokawa, Cygames, Shogakukan, Toei, Ghibli, TV Tokyo and many others, is part of those efforts. CODA's efforts include collaborating with several countries to block websites. CODA later formed a coalition called the International Anti-Piracy Organization, which included major international players such as Disney, Paramount and Netflix. The Korean government has also cooperated in anti-piracy efforts.
related to
Japan is developing a new AI system to combat manga piracy
Japan has taken major steps to curb anime and manga piracy.
A few days ago GoGo Anime, also known as Anitaku, stopped adding new content. So far, website owners/operators have not commented on this issue. The same thing happened to FMovies (whose website chain includes 9anime/AniWave) earlier this year. They stopped adding content and after a few weeks, closed the website. The same is likely to happen to GoGo Anime/Anitaku.
GoGo Anime and Anitaku alone have millions of monthly visits, but their content is mirrored by many other anime piracy websites, so this freeze (and possible shutdown) is a big blow to anime piracy, as it will affect many other websites. .
Other digital piracy websites were recently affected
Both are linked to Dramacool, an Asian entertainment piracy chain that has been under copyright pressure and shutting down many websites. And it's not just then. AnimeFenix, a popular anime piracy website for Spanish-speaking audiences, also shut down this week. In this case, the operators left a note announcing the shutdown, where they also accused Sony of forming an anime monopoly and the state companies of having “more greed than heart”.
On the other hand, companies hope that these enforcement actions will drive fans to legal streaming platforms. The right-wing claims that piracy costs them billions of dollars per year.
Considering what has happened in the past, legal options will probably increase their arrival, but other piracy sites may also get a boost, as this problem is not so simple to solve. The anime industry isn't the only one fighting piracy, and it's an age-old issue that can also be implicated in geopolitical issues.
What could be happening?
It is still unclear what will happen to GoGo Anime and Anitaku. The operators haven't said a word, but no anti-piracy coalition/organisation has claimed they are involved in the investigation. Given that the operators do not even contact Discord moderators, it is possible that they may have been caught, but no reports of recent anti-piracy operations have reached the international press.
Operators GoGo Anime and Anitaku have not made any announcements about the potential shutdown, but it appears the website has been frozen due to an ongoing anti-piracy operation.
Source: TorrentFreak
