Top 10 most-watched anime on illegal streaming sites
Today, a vast majority of seasonal animes and genre staples are easier to watch than ever before.
Globally recognized streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and many others offer anime culture fans the ability to enjoy their favorite series freely, whether binge-watching or at their own pace.
It is quite common to discover a new gem by exploring alternative catalogs available on free services like Tubi or Freevee, which often highlight many captivating titles. Despite this democratization of legal streaming, some animes unfortunately remain prime targets for massive piracy, with episodes widely shared illegally online.
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Must-watch series like Sailor Moon, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Sword Art Online have been available for years on several official platforms. However, many popular shōnen, shoujo, and isekai remain among the most viewed animes on pirate sites. This reality is explained by the fact that, although legally accessible, these series are not always easy to access or affordable for everyone. As a result, some fans venture into what is called the "high seas" of the web, searching for their favorite franchises via illegal platforms.
10. Fullmetal Alchemist (2003): a cult work with still limited legal streaming
The 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime is an iconic series but unfortunately not widely available on usual legal platforms. Unlike its sequel more faithful to the manga, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which is widely accessible on services like Crunchyroll, this original version suffers from restricted availability. It can sometimes be purchased or viewed via Fandango, but these options remain expensive and inconvenient for many.
Moreover, the original DVD box sets have become true collectors' items, hard to find and often costly, which unfortunately pushes many fans toward piracy. It is a shame because this adaptation, although different from the manga and Brotherhood, contains many must-see scenes and a unique atmosphere that deserves to be rediscovered legally by a new audience.
It would be desirable for distributors to reconsider the availability of this series to allow all fans to enjoy it in perfect conditions without resorting to illegal sources.
9. My Hero Academia, a very accessible anime but heavily pirated
My Hero Academia is an anime and manga series whose popularity continues to grow with each season. Featuring a cast of lovable characters, spectacular fight scenes, and high-quality dubbing in many languages, it is accessible via platforms such as Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.
However, this popularity also fuels pirate sites. In 2023, MUSO ranked My Hero Academia among the most pirated animes worldwide, especially during the airing of season 6. This paradox — a huge success on official platforms coupled with heavy piracy — clearly illustrates the challenge of balancing legal supply and global demand. Fortunately, this phenomenon has encouraged distributors to expand the series' legal presence, making access easier for fans.
8. Solo Leveling: a widely praised success but also heavily pirated
Solo Leveling establishes itself as one of the best animated manhwa adaptations in recent years, notably thanks to its epic action scenes and charismatic protagonist Sung Jinwoo. Available legally on major streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, the series quickly gained a large audience.
Despite this official distribution, piracy remains a significant issue for this series. Solo Leveling is among the most illegally viewed action animes, paradoxically boosting its fame while posing a challenge for legal distributors. Demand remains strong, but it is uncertain if unauthorized site consumption will decrease in the future.
7. The limited geographic availability of The Eminence in Shadow fuels piracy
The Eminence in Shadow offers a story mixing action and humor in a well-loved isekai universe, with an offbeat tone that attracts many fans. However, its distribution is limited by territory. For example, North American fans can follow the series on HiDive, while in some European countries like Germany, official access is missing especially for season 2.
This access restriction has favored the proliferation of piracy. Indeed, season 1 of The Eminence in Shadow was among the most illegally downloaded animes in 2022, a trend that accelerated with season 2 in 2023. To prolong the success of this series, better distribution on official platforms and geographic expansion are essential.
6. Bleach: a loyal audience consuming the anime regardless of the source
For many years, the series Bleach has captivated a global audience with its rich universe, complex power systems, and a unique style that stands out from other shōnen animes. While some sometimes criticize the length of certain secondary arcs, the series maintains an engaging main plot full of twists.
Available on legal platforms like Crunchyroll and Hulu, the series still enjoys strong popularity on pirate sites. Notably, the first season ranked among the most illegally downloaded in 2022, due to the enthusiasm for the "Thousand-Year Blood War" arc, attracting fans eager to catch up sometimes via unofficial sources.
5. Chainsaw Man: incredible anticipation and significant piracy
Chainsaw Man was one of the most anticipated animes of the last decade, fueled by the manga's rapid rise in popularity, which sold over 5 million copies by 2021. During the launch, heavy traffic on Crunchyroll even caused interruptions, pushing some fans to seek other ways to watch the series.
In 2022, the anime ranked among the most pirated, placing second behind House of the Dragon. Despite broad availability on official platforms, demand remains high with no sign of slowing. With an upcoming animated movie announced, this trend toward illegal consumption will likely continue.
4. Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen: a phenomenal success, even on piracy sites
Jujutsu Kaisen has established itself as a modern shōnen anime essential, accumulating over 100 million manga copies sold worldwide. Its anime adaptation has won the hearts of fans and critics alike, available on major streaming platforms.
However, despite this accessibility, season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen was among the most illegally watched series, according to MUSO's 2023 report. This paradox highlights that enormous popularity drives some to seek all possible ways to follow the series, legal or not.
3. Naruto: a classic dominating both legal and pirate platforms
Naruto remains one of the most iconic anime franchises worldwide, with a strong presence on legal services as well as illegal streaming sites. Whether the original series or its sequel Naruto Shippuden, public interest remains strong.
A notable element is the popularity of the English dub, which was long partially unavailable on platforms like Hulu for episodes after 140. To access the full dub, fans often needed to buy DVD box sets, inaccessible for some. This lack of easy access contributed to increased unauthorized viewing searches, even piracy.
This legendary saga still captivates, but access constraints continue to drive persistent illegal consumption.
2. Dragon Ball Z: an anime monument hindered by digital distribution flaws
Despite its status as an absolute classic in the anime world, Dragon Ball Z suffered various issues with its digital release. The English DVD sets "Orange Bricks" featured poorly cropped widescreen images, deteriorating the viewing experience. Other editions like the "Level Sets" were never completed, while re-releases still offered disappointing image quality.
These technical problems frustrated the community, pushing some to prefer pirated versions for smooth streaming without interruption or audio/video degradation. This lack of standardization sustains a piracy cycle among fans seeking the best experience while awaiting a quality official version.
1. One Piece: the most pirated anime worldwide, a difficult phenomenon to contain
With over thirty years of existence and more than 1100 chapters, One Piece is a global pillar of shōnen anime. This legendary saga offers an impressive number of episodes, movies, and merchandise, cementing its place in fans' hearts everywhere.
The main challenge linked to massive piracy of One Piece comes from its limited accessibility. Although the franchise enjoys a huge fan base, several countries do not offer official and smooth distribution of the series. For example, in North Korea, licenses to broadcast foreign animes are lacking, depriving local fans of legal access to the Straw Hat adventures.
Faced with these legal barriers, many fans worldwide resort to piracy to not miss the protagonists' exploits, which largely explains One Piece's impressive popularity on unofficial streaming sites.
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