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Why Illegal Anime and Video Streaming Sites Won’t Disappear

January 25, 2025 09:22 PM EST
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We all remember the P2P platforms of the late 90s and early 2000s: Napster, LimeWire, and Kazaa. These platforms were a haven for malware, viruses, and every other "PC disease" you could think of. Yet, if you were lucky, they let you download your favorite TV shows, movies, and music. For years, these platforms were our go-to because cable television and radio just couldn’t provide the on-demand functionality we craved. BitTorrent, introduced in 2001, brought a new level of efficiency, but it was initially too complex for the average user to set up. Over time, the bloated and increasingly risky P2P platforms became less appealing, paving the way for torrents to rise in popularity.

With torrents, users weren’t tied to a single application. A simple .torrent file (or later, magnet links) gave access to hundreds or thousands of seeders and peers sharing the same file. Sites like the original Pirate Bay and Demonoid made this ecosystem relatively easy and reliable, lowering the risk of downloading something malicious or useless.

But as piracy surged, so did pushback. It wasn’t just the studios producing TV shows, movies, or music that were fighting back—major distributors wanted their piece of the pie too. This era of rampant piracy had a bittersweet undertone: we genuinely wanted to support our favorite musicians and actors, but the rigid structure of traditional media made that difficult. Waiting until Sunday night at 9 PM to catch a new episode? Painful. Shelling out for entire CDs just to listen to a few tracks? Expensive. Sure, iPods and early streaming services like Hulu and Netflix helped by offering more convenience, but for many, piracy remained the more practical option.

Fast-forward to today, and piracy for music has largely diminished. Why? Because the industry adapted. Services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music have nearly every artist and song you could want. It doesn’t matter which platform you use—you’re not locked out of listening to your favorite artists. Sure, there are differences in algorithms and curated playlists, but the core content is accessible across platforms. We can discuss the royalties to the artist from these platforms but that is another discussion overall.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for video streaming services.

 


The Fragmentation of Video Streaming Services


Unlike music platforms, video streaming services have leaned into exclusivity. Exclusivity might make sense in a competitive market, but it’s frustrating for consumers. Let’s take the example of "Pokémon":

  • Netflix has Season 1 and Seasons 23-26.
  • Amazon Prime has Seasons 2-22.
  • YouTube hosts the spin-offs/mini-series such as Paldean Wings, Hisuian Snow and so on.

Even within a single franchise, viewers are forced to jump between platforms and let's not even get into the movies. Now expand that headache across countless shows. You want to watch "Arcane"? That’s on Netflix. "Silo"? Apple TV. "Yellowstone"? Split between Peacock and Paramount+.

Imagine if music worked this way: Taylor Swift on Spotify, Blink-182 on Amazon Music, and Drake on Pandora. Worse, what if certain albums were split across these platforms?  This level of fragmentation would drive users insane—and yet, this is precisely the landscape video streaming services have created.

 


Why Anime Faces Unique Challenges


Anime, in particular, suffers even more from this fractured approach. While the medium has grown in global popularity, the industry’s distribution strategy hasn’t evolved in the same way music’s has. Instead, anime is split across Crunchyroll, Hi-Dive, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more. Each platform holds its exclusive catalog, making it hard for fans to follow their favorite shows without subscribing to multiple services.

Back in the day, anime fans didn’t have many legal options. For Western audiences, big names like "Dragon Ball Z," "One Piece," and "Naruto" were exceptions—widely available thanks to platforms like Toonami. For anything else, fans relied on torrents and fan subgroups. These communities worked tirelessly to provide high-quality translations and make shows available hours after their Japanese release. This grassroots effort played a significant role in spreading anime’s popularity.

Fansubs were created out of passion and love for the medium. When difficult-to-translate words arose, fansubbers often added on-screen notes to explain the cultural nuances—sometimes even with humor. These touches offered viewers deeper insights into Japanese culture, a layer of understanding that professional translations often overlook today. Fansub groups also added their creative flair, using unique fonts that matched their brand and occasionally conveyed a show’s emotional tone. And let’s not forget the karaoke-style translations for anime intros and outros—colorful, stylized, and perfect for those eager to learn a few Japanese phrases while singing along. This dedication wasn’t just about accessibility; it was about creating an immersive experience that made anime feel special. The groundwork laid by fansub groups in the 2000s played a pivotal role in growing anime’s global fanbase, something that modern streaming services rarely acknowledge, let alone replicate.

Even now, fansub groups haven’t disappeared entirely. They’ve shifted focus to niche anime series that streaming platforms neglect or release far too slowly. Some have also pivoted to manga translations, a space where global distributors have yet to fully dominate (though Crunchyroll has tried). While these groups are fewer and less visible compared to their heyday, they still thrive in specific corners of the anime world—especially in more niche genres like hentai, which mainstream platforms avoid altogether.

Yet, with anime’s growing popularity, streaming platforms are determined to monopolize the space. Japanese and international distributors have ramped up efforts to crack down on illegal streaming sites like Aniwave. However, every site taken down seems to spawn two or three replacements. This endless game of whack-a-mole exists partly because official platforms still fail to meet fans’ expectations. Many viewers face slow or mediocre translations, delayed releases, and limited availability for niche titles. Meanwhile, illegal streaming sites and fan subgroups consistently outperform official channels in both speed and quality. It’s no wonder the fanbase continues to rely on them despite the risks.

 


The Impact of Exclusivity on Piracy


The anime community, like all fandoms, wants to support the creators behind their favorite shows. But here’s the problem: most of the money from streaming subscriptions goes to the platforms, not the studios or artists. As a result, many fans justify piracy by arguing that it allows them to redirect their support—through merchandise, Blu-ray purchases, or crowdfunding campaigns—to the creators who need it most.

However, not everyone takes this approach. Many simply consume free content without giving anything back. This creates a vicious cycle: the studios lose revenue, and streaming platforms respond by increasing exclusivity, which drives more fans toward piracy.

If video streaming services want to reduce piracy, they need to take a page from the music industry’s playbook. Imagine a world where anime isn’t exclusive to one platform, where fans can access any show through their streaming service of choice. This would make piracy far less appealing while still ensuring creators are compensated.

 


A Call for Change


Streaming platforms like Netflix, Hi-Dive, and Crunchyroll need to rethink their approach. While exclusivity might seem like a competitive advantage in the short term, it’s ultimately harming the industry. There are too many anime releases each year for them to be divided up across a dozen platforms. By hoarding content, streaming services alienate fans and force them back into piracy—undermining the very studios they aim to profit from.

The solution isn’t simple, but it’s clear: the industry needs to prioritize accessibility over exclusivity. Platforms can still compete on features like user experience, recommendation algorithms, and value-added content. But the core catalog should be universal, ensuring that fans can support their favorite shows without jumping through hoops.

If the industry doesn’t adapt, we could find ourselves back where we were in the early 2000s: a piracy-dominated landscape where creators struggle to get the support they deserve. Let’s hope they find a way forward before it’s too late.

 


What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you’ve experienced similar frustrations with streaming services. Let’s keep the conversation going!


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Posted By:
Travis Bell
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