The U.S. government has taken a firm stance against online piracy, recently adding a prominent anime streaming website to its infamous Notorious Markets List (NML). The site, HiAnime.to, has been attracting significant attention due to its rapid rise in visitor numbers, even surpassing legal streaming platforms such as Disney+ and Crunchyroll.
HiAnime.to, a site notorious for illegal anime streaming, has consistently drawn in over 300 million visitors each month in recent months. In fact, the site has outpaced Crunchyroll, attracting roughly three times as many visitors. This surge in traffic has raised alarm among industry stakeholders, as the site’s growing popularity could eventually lead to its shutdown.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) added HiAnime.to to its 2024 NML report, which identifies online platforms involved in copyright infringement and counterfeiting. Being placed on the NML is a significant marker, signaling that the website is involved in illegal activities such as piracy.
It is believed that HiAnime.to emerged as a successor to the now-defunct Aniwatch, which itself was a rebrand of Zoro.to.site. Both previous sites were shut down due to similar piracy-related violations.
With its placement on the NML, HiAnime.to faces heightened scrutiny, and there is speculation that it may soon be taken offline. However, history suggests that even if the site is shut down, it may resurface under a different name, or another piracy site could quickly rise to fill the void.
Piracy continues to be a significant issue for the entertainment industry, as it undermines revenue streams for content creators and legal distributors. Despite ongoing efforts by authorities to combat piracy, the persistent demand for illegal streaming services suggests that such websites will continue to emerge as long as there is an audience for them.