Anime Piracy Site Down | Manga Website Shuts Down

Anime and manga fans, brace yourselves: the fight against piracy is escalating. On November 19,2025,authorities in China arrested the alleged operator of BATO.TO, a massive online platform distributing copyrighted Japanese content without authorization, costing the anime industry an estimated $38 billion in 2025 alone.

Japan Cracks Down on Anime Piracy Network

The arrest signals a major escalation in Japan’s efforts to protect it’s booming entertainment exports.

Toei Animation

What’s the scale of the problem? Piracy cost the anime industry roughly $38 billion in 2025, a dramatic increase from the $13 billion reported in 2022, reflecting the medium’s surging global popularity.

The suspect,detained by the Shanghai Public Security Bureau in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,is accused of running BATO.TO and approximately 60 related sites-including xbato.com and mangapark.io-which illegally distributed translated manga in over 50 languages. He admitted to operating the network and has been released on bail pending a formal indictment.

Did you know?– Manga piracy isn’t new, but the scale has grown wiht faster internet and translation tools. Early forms involved scanlations-fan-made translations-circulating through forums.

Authorities seized the suspect’s computers and are analyzing server data to identify others involved. According to an official statement, individuals operating the sites and posting content are located in multiple countries, necessitating international cooperation in the ongoing investigation. While the sites briefly remained online after the arrest for evidence preservation, they were ultimately shut down by January 19.

Pro tip– Supporting official releases-through streaming services or purchasing manga-helps ensure creators are compensated and can continue producing content.

This crackdown comes as piracy increasingly challenges legitimate streaming services. Recent data indicates that some pirate websites are attracting more traffic then established platforms like Crunchyroll and Disney+, a surprising growth for anime fans.

• The operator of BATO.TO, a major manga piracy site, was arrested in china on November 19, 2025.
• The site and 60 related domains have been shut down.
• Anime piracy cost the industry an estimated $38 billion in 2025, nearly tripling the $13 billion loss in 2022.
• Pirate sites are now rivaling legitimate streaming platforms in viewership.
• The investigation is ongoing and involves international cooperation.

What do you think about these developments? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Description of Changes and How Questions are Answered:

* Why: The crackdown is happening because anime and manga piracy is costing the industry billions of dollars and increasingly challenging legitimate streaming services. The industry is trying to protect its exports and ensure creators are compensated.
* Who: The operator of BATO.TO was arrested by the Shanghai Public Security Bureau in China. The investigation involves individuals in multiple countries.
* What: the operator of BATO.TO and 60 related pirate manga websites were arrested and the sites were shut down. This is a major escalation in efforts to combat anime and manga piracy.
* how did it end?: The suspect was arrested, admitted to operating the network, and was released on bail pending indictment.The sites were seized for evidence and then shut down by January 19, 2025. The investigation is ongoing.
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