Anime vs Disney+: The Truth About Piracy’s Influence on Streaming Wars

In a surprising turn of events, the anime piracy website, HiAnime, has surpassed Disney+ in global monthly visits, according to SimilarWeb data. In October 2024, HiAnime attracted 364 million visits, outstripping Disney+ at 343 million. Even though there was a slight decrease in November 2024, it still maintained the lead. This piracy site now outpaces even Crunchyroll, the largest legal anime streaming platform, by threefold.

While other piracy sites like Aniwave and GogoAnime have either vanished or gone offline, driving more users to HiAnime, legal streaming services are facing a tough competitor in the battle for anime streaming supremacy. The fight now extends beyond legal platforms to ones operating on ad revenue from pirated content.

So, why are fans flocking to HiAnime? The astonishing traffic numbers are not a coincidence but rather a signal for the industry to take notice. Accessibility, rather than just cost, plays a major role in the rise of anime piracy. Fans have turned to illegal streaming due to issues like regional restrictions, subscription overload across various services, censorship on official platforms, and better user experience and convenience provided by sites like HiAnime compared to legal platforms.

The entertainment industry, however, is not idle in the face of growing piracy. Efforts led by Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) and actions from anime giants like VIZ Media and Toei Animation, directing takedown requests to Google against illegal streaming links, show a concerted push against piracy. Despite these crackdowns, piracy persists due to the resilient nature of illegal sites, with HiAnime being just one example of rebranding and adapting to avoid closure.

To combat piracy effectively, anime companies need to consider simplifying subscription models, offering global availability of content, and improving user experience on legal platforms. Until these changes are made, HiAnime or its potential successors will likely continue to thrive. The data indicates that anime piracy is not just surviving—it’s currently winning the battle against legal streaming options.