A Massive Wave of Anime Streaming Website Shutdowns Has Left Fans Reeling

As of Aug. 27, 2024, anime fans have been left reeling after a wave of shutdowns has kiboshed over a dozen popular anime streaming services. Legally questionable yet beloved sites like Aniwave, AnimeSuge, and more are likely going offline for good, leaving fans of the genre with few affordable alternatives.

Of course, Crunchyroll is a go-to, but its increasing prices and somewhat limited range of options have often sent viewers searching elsewhere for their anime fix — but will they now be forced to turn to a paid platform?

Here's what we know.

The anime fan community is in shock after at least 13 popular anime streaming platforms — which offered free anime in a legally ambiguous manner — have been taken offline. Several of these websites have sent out messages to their fans regarding the shutdown.

"Creating better products that provide an improved user experience and fostering competition to drive the market to enhance products is something we are very happy about. Now that everything has improved ... it is also time for us to say goodbye," they wrote in their statement.

To end their message, they also urged fans to use "legal, paid services" in their absence: "It's something we should do to show our respect for creators and content producers." Of course, many found this tidbit interesting.

While the websites have framed this as a consensual shutting down on their own accord, it's unclear at this point whether they have been forced offline due to copyright violations.

Anime enthusiasts have been lamenting (and meme-ing) their losses on social media, from X (formerly Twitter) to the r/Piracy page on Reddit.

"Thank you for your services, piracy ports. You have my eternal gratitude," one user wrote. "But we will continue. More will rise where they have fallen because if buying isn't owning, piracy isn't stealing."