In recent times, anime has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment. It has transcended The Land of the Rising Sun, and has become a global phenomenon that closely resonates with audiences of all ages and generations.
The resonance lies in its distinct style, gripping storylines, and three-dimensional characters such as Son-Goku, Nagato Uzumaki, Guts, Nico Robin, and so many more. The global pandemic led to the meteoric rise of the art form, as some dedicated streaming platforms and a ton of piracy webpages aided in making it more accessible to the fans.
However, this popular form of entertainment is being eclipsed by a morbid vice—greed; this force has threatened the love for the entertainment form as several popular piracy sites like 9Anime, AnimeWave, etc. have suddenly been shut down. As a result, fans are furious, expressing their anger and criticizing Crunchyroll for ruining everything.
Fans Are Fuming With Anime Piracy Sites Suddenly Shutting down
In the longstanding history of anime, the prime source for its consumption internationally is piracy sites. While paid OTT platforms have been present, viewers have never felt so reluctant to use them. Instead, they preferred an alternative method of using piracy sites that aided the fans to access their beloved titles, such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, Death Note, and many more.
However, a controversy has taken place as several popular sites, which were running comfortably till last night, have suddenly been taken down without any prior warning.
A fan (@llKunaill) shared a screenshot of how AniWave, one of the most popular unofficial streaming portals, released a farewell message, stating that it is time for them to say “goodbye.”
However, what made the fans fume with anger was how the website asked its fans to “please use legal paid services. It’s something we should do to show our respect for creators and content producers.” This made the enthusiasts believe that Crunchyroll has allegedly resorted to unethical tactics by forcing its unofficial rivals to shut down.
Crunchyroll Faces The Wrath of Anime Fans
This sudden shutdown of the renowned pages was received with immense backlash on X when a page reported that several sites had been taken down.
The fans tweeted,
The news had caused a stir in the online community. Piracy obviously has a negative connotation in the entertainment industry as it denies the rights to its creators.
Nonetheless, these very sites had been majorly responsible for making anime so infectiously popular.
