HiAnime
Type of site | File streaming |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | 2024 |
| Current status | Offline |
HiAnime (formerly Aniwatch and Zoro.to, and sometimes stylized as H!Anime) was an anime-focused file streaming website that hosted links and embedded videos, allowing users to stream or download movies and TV shows illegally for free.[1] It operated under current name from 2024 to 2026.[1]
The site was believed to be operated from Vietnam.[2]
History
The website was formerly known as Zoro.to, which rebranded as Aniwatch in July 2023, and again to HiAnime (sometime 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 364m 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 vast library of titles, surpassing that of legal competitors whose libraries are limited by licensing.[8]
On the 13th of March 2026 it was shut down.[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]
See also
- AniWave – Former anime-focused piracy file streaming site
- Bato (website) – Chinese file hosting website
- KissAnime – Anime-focused file streaming site (2012–2020)
- Nyaa Torrents – File sharing website focused on East Asian media
References
- ^ a b c d e f Van der Sar, Ernesto (March 13, 2026). "Piracy Giant HiAnime.to Announces Mysterious 'Goodbye' * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b c d Van der Sar, Ernesto (October 8, 2024). "ACE Targets Piracy Giant HiAnime.to and Dozens of Other Streaming Sites * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b c d Maxwell, Andy (January 4, 2025). "HiAnime Outranks DisneyPlus in the U.S. With a Record 364m Monthly Visits * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b c Van der Sar, Ernesto (March 1, 2024). "Piracy Moghul Aniwatch Rebrands to HiAnime * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b Maxwell, Andy (July 4, 2023). "Zoro.to: World's Largest Pirate Site Suddenly "Acquired" & Rebranded * TorrentFreak". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ "hianime.to Website Analysis for February 2026". www.similarweb.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ Kells, Lauren (2025-01-06). "Believe It or Not, One of Anime's Top Piracy Platforms Now Brings In More Visitors Than Disney+". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ^ a b Thomas, Matt (2026-03-13). "HIANIME Goes Dark: Anime Piracy Site Responds To Shutdown Rumors". AnimeMojo.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.