I
decided to write this up in light of recent events. It seems that
almost every person I have chatted with recently has been unaware that
they were utilizing illegal anime sites in one way or another. I don’t
blame them for not being aware, it’s a common issue nowadays. It
doesn’t help that if a person Googles “anime streaming” (or something
similar) that the first several results are illegal sites. So I decided
to make this handy guide to help my fellow anime/manga lovers out! I
hope you find it useful.
Manga Websites
These are actually the easiest to spot. If more than the first chapter, or on very rare occasions the first volume, are free then it is an illegal website. There should be prices on almost every one of the titles listed. For further confirmation check out the very bottom of the homepage. Look for either a link labeled "Legal" or the "copyright" info that may be listed in very small text. If it is something that talks about the site not hosting any of the files themselves and/or stating that they cannot be held liable for any illicit activities then that raises a massive red flag. Example (Illegal Site): None of the video content of this website is hosted on our servers or on servers of our staff, family members or otherwise related in any way whatsoever.
If it was a legal site they would not have to post anything like that since they would have a legal license to host the products. Example (Legal Site): All materials on this Site, including, but not limited to characters, images, illustrations, audio clips, video clips, and compilations are protected by copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights which are owned and controlled by FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and its affiliates (collectively, "FUNimation") or by other parties that have licensed their material to FUNimation. Materials on FUNimation.com and related sites are solely for your personal, non-commercial use.
This is just part of their copyright info, it was followed by a list of every single title they have a license for (200+).
Anime Websites
Checking out the copyright stuff works for anime streaming sites as
well. No legal site offers free downloads of episodes. Licensing a
title is very expensive, especially if a dub is produced for the show,
so the companies need to get every dollar they possibly can in order to
(hopefully) make a profit.
Indications the streaming site is illegal:
- Episodes are broken into two or more parts. This is most common with movies.
- Additional credits added to the opening and/or ending of a show that promotes the fansub group that subtitled it.
- Fancy subtitle font.
- No commercials. Aside from Hulu, the only way to legally stream commercial free anime is through subscribing to a legal site.
I hope that helps! If I think of anything to add later I will update
this document. I think I covered all the basics pretty well though.
Spread the word! Support the industry so they can continue to supply
us with the entertainment we love!
