Unauthorized streaming site Animeflix has been shut down, according to TorrentFreak. The anime-focused site unexpectedly went offline on Thursday (July 4).
The sudden closure of this anime piracy site quickly sparked discussions and reactions among its users. Animeflix, which attracted tens of millions of monthly visitors, had also established a vibrant Discord community with over 35,000 members.
Why did Animeflix shut down?
The operators of the site did not specify why it was shut down, but they stated that the decision was made after “careful consideration.” The site had recently been under significant legal scrutiny, which might have influenced their decision.
In a statement to their followers on Discord, the moderators stated: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Animeflix. After careful consideration, we have decided to shut down our service effective immediately. We deeply appreciate your support and enthusiasm over the years.
“Thank you for being a part of our journey. We hope the joy and excitement of anime continue to brighten your days through other wonderful platforms.”
TorrentFreak reported that Animeflix was identified as a shutdown target by the anti-piracy coalition ACE last December.
It’s uncertain whether these initial enforcement efforts led to the site’s closure. In May, rightsholders escalated their efforts through the High Court of India, securing a comprehensive injunction that effectively suspended Animeflix’s primary domain, Animeflix.live.
The court issued a restraint against the owners and all affiliates of 26 websites, such as movies123.la, vegamovies.yt, animedekho.com, and others. The order prohibits them from “communicating to the public, hosting, storing, reproducing, streaming, broadcasting, re-broadcasting, causing to be seen or heard by public on payment of charge and/or making available for viewing plaintiffs’ content through their websites.”
Despite the legal action, the impact on the site appeared minimal. Animeflix simply transitioned to new domains, Animeflix.gg and Animeflix.li, and informed its users that the old domain name had become “unavailable.”
However, the site became unreachable again last week, and the team appeared to completely shut down the site without prior warning.
Featured image: Canva / Ideogram