MPA Flags HiAnime as a Priority Piracy Site
The Motion Picture Association (MPA), representing major global entertainment companies like Disney, Netflix, Sony, Warner Bros., and Amazon MGM Studios, has submitted its latest report to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), spotlighting piracy operations worldwide. Among them, HiAnime—formerly known as Zoro.to and Aniwatch.to—has once again been labeled as a “Priority Notorious Linking and Streaming Site,” placing it among the top three piracy platforms globally.
According to the MPA, HiAnime amassed over 244 million visits from 17.5 million unique users in August 2025, with its servers allegedly operating from Vietnam, despite using Cloudflare’s reverse proxy to mask its true hosting location. The platform provides free access to thousands of anime series and movies, making it one of the most-visited anime streaming sites in the world.
The Growing Piracy Problem in Anime
The MPA defines “Priority Notorious Sites” as those causing the most significant harm to legitimate creators and distributors through illegal streaming and linking activities. Alongside HiAnime, other flagged anime-related platforms include AnimeFLV, Gogoanime, AnimeUnity, and AnimeFly, among others. These sites collectively contribute to a massive ecosystem of “Piracy-as-a-Service,” which provides ready-made tools for hosting, managing, and monetizing illegal content distribution.
The MPA warns that such operations have evolved beyond simple piracy websites—now functioning as business enterprises offering templates, content databases, and specialized hosting services to anyone seeking to launch an illegal streaming platform.
The Industry’s Fight Against Piracy
Anime piracy has long been a major issue for Japan’s entertainment sector, where losses to illegal streaming sites are estimated in the billions of yen annually. Legal streaming services like Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Disney+ have expanded their catalogs to curb piracy by offering simulcasts and affordable subscriptions, yet illegal platforms continue to thrive due to accessibility and availability gaps in certain regions.
Recently, the Japan Hacker Association and other cybersecurity initiatives have begun employing ethical hackers to identify and dismantle these illegal operations. Despite such efforts, HiAnime’s continued dominance highlights how challenging it remains to curb online piracy on a global scale.
The Ripple Effect Beyond Anime
The MPA report also highlights a broader crackdown on other forms of media piracy, including manga and light novels. Several prominent sites such as Comick, Reaper Scans, and Light Novel World have shut down over the past few months following intensified legal pressure. These closures show a growing global effort to protect creators’ rights and promote legitimate digital distribution channels.
What Lies Ahead
The repeated inclusion of HiAnime in the MPA’s piracy watchlist underscores the ongoing struggle between global entertainment companies and digital piracy networks. While enforcement measures continue to evolve, the allure of free, ad-supported streaming remains strong among users—particularly in regions where official services are limited or expensive.
As studios and publishers tighten anti-piracy efforts, fans are being urged to support legal streaming platforms that directly fund creators and studios responsible for producing the anime they love.
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