The popular cartoon and anime piracy website KimCartoon has announced its sudden and permanent shutdown, citing copyright infringement complaints as the cause. According to web analytics data, KimCartoon had been attracting over 10 million monthly visits and an estimated 120 million visits over the past year, making it a significant player in the illicit streaming ecosystem.
KimCartoon Responsible for Rampant Copyright Infringement
KimCartoon had previously weathered numerous legal challenges, with Disney securing a blocking order in India in 2020 to prevent local access. However, the site operators were able to simply redirect users to new domain names, effectively evading these enforcement actions. A similar scenario played out with the formerly largest anime piracy site, Aniwatch.to, which was forced to switch to new domains after court-ordered blocks.
However, KimCartoon’s recent shutdown appears to be permanent, with the site posting a message declaring it is “closed for good due to DMCA.” This closure comes amid a broader crackdown on piracy operations, particularly those focused on anime content.
International Operation to Shut Down Piracy Sites
An international law enforcement operation involving Brazil, South Korea, and Japan has led to the shutdown of 16 anime piracy sites worth over 100 million monthly visits. Additionally, 10 other major piracy sites, including both anime-focused and general live-action movie/TV platforms, went defunct overnight, representing a staggering 262.9 million monthly visits.
These coordinated enforcement actions against large-scale piracy operations suggest a concerted global effort to disrupt the illicit streaming ecosystem. Rampant piracy has long been a thorn in the side of the entertainment industry. The permanent closure of KimCartoon, a site that had built a massive user base over the years, represents a significant victory in this ongoing battle against online content theft.