In a significant move against online piracy, Japan’s anti-piracy group CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association) has succeeded in shutting down one of Brazil’s largest anime piracy websites, “rine.cloud.” This operation marks another victory in Japan’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal anime streaming, with the closure following a series of similar actions across the country.
Earlier this month, CODA confirmed that it was behind the shutdown of rine.cloud, a piracy site that had gained considerable traction in Brazil. The website, which had been operating without proper licensing, was targeted after discussions with major anime license holders, including Toei Animation, Toho, and Bandai Namco Filmworks. The result was a successful negotiation that led to the site ceasing all operations. Now, visitors to rine.cloud are redirected to CODA’s shutdown page.
At the time of its closure, rine.cloud ranked as Brazil’s seventh-largest anime piracy site, attracting approximately 2.74 million monthly visitors between September and November 2024. This move is part of a larger effort to curb piracy in Brazil, where CODA has been instrumental in closing 15 other piracy sites this month alone. These sites had collectively attracted nearly 8 million visits per month, with some sites, such as bakashi.tv, drawing over 8 million visitors in a single month.
CODA’s Strategic Approach: “Knock-and-Talk” Operations
The shutdowns, including that of rine.cloud, were primarily carried out using a strategy known as “knock-and-talk.” This method allows authorities to address piracy issues quickly without resorting to lengthy legal processes. CODA has explained that “knock-and-talk” is particularly effective when criminal investigations in the target country would take too long to produce results. This approach, which involves direct communication with site operators, has been pivotal in swiftly resolving piracy cases.
Rine.cloud had previously employed geoblocking measures to avoid detection, specifically blocking Japanese IP addresses. Despite these efforts, the site could not evade CODA’s intervention.
Collaborative Efforts and Legal Action
CODA’s shutdown campaign is not limited to non-legal actions. Earlier this year, CODA collaborated with Korean and Brazilian law enforcement agencies to raid 11 homes in Brazil, targeting individuals suspected of operating illegal anime piracy sites. Additionally, in October, CODA, along with KADOKAWA and Toho, worked to arrest the operators of a site that had been leaking spoilers from anime series, including the Overlord movie.
The fight against piracy has grown more urgent, particularly as anime and manga piracy are considered major sources of revenue loss for Japan’s entertainment industry. In response, the Japanese government has proposed a new initiative aimed at combating piracy using artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative, which is included in the country’s supplementary budget proposal for this year, would allocate ¥300 million (approximately US$2 million) to develop an AI-based system capable of quickly identifying and removing pirated content from websites. The system would use images provided by rights holders to track and shut down pirated anime and manga content online.
Similarly, the Korean government has introduced plans to enhance its support for businesses developing AI technology to detect illegal streaming and piracy websites. These efforts reflect a growing recognition of the need for international cooperation and advanced technology to protect the intellectual property of content creators in the digital age.
Global Efforts to Combat Piracy
The rising issue of piracy has prompted responses from governments and industry players around the world. In Brazil, CODA’s ongoing work has resulted in a steady stream of successful shutdowns of high-traffic anime piracy sites. These efforts are part of a broader global strategy, as other regions, including South Korea, are also investing in technology to combat online piracy.
As piracy continues to undermine the anime industry, these international efforts signal a more unified approach to protecting intellectual property. With governments, law enforcement agencies, and content creators working together, there is growing optimism that the battle against anime piracy will intensify, and more victories like the shutdown of rine.cloud will follow.
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