For the first time in history, Japan achieved a significant milestone by leading the successful prosecution of an overseas anime piracy site.
The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) declared on March 4, 2024, that the operators of the notorious Chinese site “B9GOOD” were convicted of copyright infringement.
A staggering total of 45,880 anime were illicitly posted on B9GOOD, making it the largest anime pirate site targeted at Japanese viewers.
Over the last two years before its shutdown, the site recorded over 300 million accesses, with 95% originating from Japan, emphasizing its massive impact on the Japanese anime market.
The main operator, known as “A,” faced legal consequences, receiving a three-year prison sentence, suspended for 3.5 years, and a fine of 1.8 million yuan (US$250 thousand).
This amount almost equaled the revenue generated from site advertising. Furthermore, his residence, valued at $550k and funded through the site, was seized. “A” was convicted in December 2023, and after the appeals window passed, his sentence was finalized.
The CODA initiated investigations in 2021, identifying the operators and sharing information with the CODA Beijing office.
This collaboration resulted in the filing of criminal charges in China, leading to the successful prosecution. Notably, this marks the first instance of penalties imposed on anime piracy site operators through Japanese efforts.
In addition to “A’s” prosecution, accomplices were also held accountable. “B,” a female who received compensation from “A” for uploading anime, received a one-year suspended sentence.
“C,” a male, avoided prison due to China’s criminal law, while “D,” a woman who paid for uploading pirated anime, received an eight-month suspended sentence.
“A’s” relatively lenient sentence was attributed to being a first-time offender who voluntarily confessed and showed remorse.
The B9GOOD case is significant due to its similarities with Aniwatch, the world’s largest anime piracy site.
Both sites evaded shutdowns by frequently changing domains, and CODA’s press release concludes with a stern warning to pirate sites worldwide, asserting their commitment to eliminating unauthorized use of Japanese content.
