9Anime Pirate Site Rebrands to AniWave After Legal Issues

By iptv.legal , in anime News , at August 2, 2023

9Anime, one of the most recognized names in anime piracy, has rebranded to Aniwave.

But what is behind this sudden change? Is it merely a reaction to legal pressures, or is there more to the story?

Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of piracy, the rise of 9anime, and the legal challenges that led to this change.

9Anime Rebrands to AniWave

9Anime first appeared on the scene in 2016 and quickly became an anime piracy juggernaut. For years this was one of the most popular anime streaming sites worldwide.

With 110 million monthly visits, it became a go-to platform for anime lovers. But this popularity also brought legal challenges.

Legal Pressures

Rights holders and anti-piracy groups such as the ACE coalition have actively sought to block 9anime.

The site, along with other giants like Fmovies and Putlocker, has been identified as part of a piracy conglomerate operated from Vietnam.

Legal pressures and complaints resulted in ISP blockades worldwide, making access to the site more difficult. But the 9anime’s operators were undeterred, at least initially.

If you visit the original 9Anime website (9anime.to), you will find the following message from the operators.

A similar message was also announced on the 9Anime Twitter account.

Hi everyone, we’ve rebrand 9anime to https://t.co/EQtJJ3w5AZ. Please check it out and bookmark the new domain. Thanks!

— 9anime.to – aniwave.to (@9animeOfficial) August 2, 2023

Rebranding to AniWave

The sudden announcement of the rebranding to Aniwave came as a shock. The site’s operators explained that DMCA issues and ISP blockings led to this decision, and now all 9anime domains redirect to aniwave.to.

This move temporarily bypasses ISP blockades and Google’s DMCA-related downranking measures, but the decision to completely change the branding is an intriguing one.

Many fake 9anime clones remain active, and the sudden change might confuse users.

Without concrete details, speculation abounds. Hollywood has recently strengthened its relationship with Vietnamese authorities.

Meetings between the MPA, ACE, and Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security hint at deeper cooperation in curbing online piracy and copyright infringement.

Interestingly, other piracy platforms connected to Vietnam have shut down following these meetings. The timing of 9anime’s rebranding, considering its connection to Vietnam, raises eyebrows.

9Anime Rebrands to AniWave – Final Thoughts

The rebranding of 9anime to Aniwave is a complex tale that speaks to the larger battle against piracy. While the official statement cites legal pressures and ISP blocking, the recent interactions between Hollywood and Vietnamese authorities suggest there might be more beneath the surface.

What this change means for anime piracy and how it affects the ever-shifting landscape of online content sharing is yet to be fully understood.

Will AniWave continue to thrive under its new name, or has a significant blow been dealt to one of the largest anime piracy sites in the world? Only time will reveal the full implications of this unexpected rebranding.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen notable anime sites shut down by ACE and other anti-piracy authorities.

For more information on this story, you can view this Reddit thread and the original report on TorrentFreak.

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