HiAnime
 | |
Type of site | File streaming |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Headquarters | |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | 2024 |
| Current status | Online |
HiAnime, (formerly Zoro.to and Aniwatch.to) sometimes stylized as H!Anime, was an anime-focused file streaming website that hosted links and embedded videos, allowing users to stream movies and TV shows illegally for free.[1] It operated under its current name from 2024 to 2026.[1]
History
The website was formerly known as Zoro.to, which rebranded as Aniwatch in July 2023, and again to HiAnime (sometimes stylized as H!Anime) in March 2024.[2][3][4][5] At that time, it was already described as "massively popular",[4] while Zoro.to was already called "almost certainly the world's largest pirate site" a year before.[5] HiAnime rose to further prominence after the closure of a similar platform, AniWave, in August 2024,[3] within months becoming one of the most trafficked websites on the Internet;[1] in October 2024 it had a record 364 million monthly visits and a global rank of #120.[3] The numbers dropped subsequently (as of February 2026, it was ranked as the #219 most popular website on the Internet, with over 150 million monthly visits[6]), although it was still considered one of the leading streaming websites,[1] attracting more viewers than legal competitors like Crunchyroll[3] or Disney+.[7] Approximately 40% of its visits came from the United States, and a quarter from India.[2][4] The website popularity was attributed to its no-fee model, as well as to a vast library of titles, surpassing that of legal competitors whose libraries are limited by licensing.[8]
On 13 March 2026, it went offline with the caption "It's time to say goodbye. And thank you for a wonderful journey with great moments.".[1][8]
Legal troubles
As an illegal streaming site, the website has been the target of complaints and actions from bodies such as Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).[2] In early March 2026, a few days before the website was shut down, the U.S. Trade Representative added HiAnime to its annual list of notorious piracy markets.[1]
On June 1, the website permanently shut down.
See also
- AniWave – File streaming website (2016–2024)
- KissAnime – Anime-focused file streaming site (2012–2020)
- Nyaa Torrents – File sharing website focused on East Asian media
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Van der Sar, Ernesto (March 13, 2026). "Piracy Giant Hianimes.se Announces Mysterious 'Goodbye'". TorrentFreak. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Van der Sar, Ernesto (October 8, 2024). "ACE Targets Piracy Giant Hianimes.se and Dozens of Other Streaming Sites". TorrentFreak. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Maxwell, Andy (January 4, 2025). "HiAnime Outranks DisneyPlus in the U.S. With a Record 364m Monthly Visits * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Van der Sar, Ernesto (March 1, 2024). "Piracy Moghul Aniwatch Rebrands to HiAnime * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- 1 2 Maxwell, Andy (July 4, 2023). "Zoro.to: World's Largest Pirate Site Suddenly "Acquired" & Rebranded * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Hianime.com.pk Website Analysis for February 2026". similarweb.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- ↑ Kells, Lauren (January 6, 2025). "Believe It or Not, One of Anime's Top Piracy Platforms Now Brings In More Visitors Than Disney+". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- 1 2 Thomas, Matt (March 13, 2026). "HIANIME Goes Dark: Anime Piracy Site Responds To Shutdown Rumors". AnimeMojo.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.