9anime (a free anime website) is likely one of those bookmarked sites that provide a steady supply of the newest anime TV series. However, using 9anime always feels like a chore, considering the seemingly endless ads you and other visitors have to put up with. As you’ve engaged with this platform and watched a few episodes of your favourites, there have probably been questions lingering at the back of your mind: “Is 9anime a legal anime streaming site? Is 9anime safe?” That’s what we are going to investigate and answer today. Before you begin downloading or streaming your favourite show, consider this.
Is 9anime Legal?
In a nutshell, 9anime is not a legal anime streaming site. But there’s a more extensive scheme behind 9anime that will make you think twice about using the website if you’ve been an avid supporter.
9anime and many other free anime streaming websites on the internet are running advertisements. While it may be nice to think that the ads are donated to studios/Mangaka, that is simply not the case.
With 9anime, you’re watching high-quality anime from their servers in exchange for the advertisements targeted at you (which is not legal at all). Unfortunately, once the ads generate revenue, these profits will only seep into the pockets of the person running the illegal streaming sites.
Is 9anime Safe?
Not quite. There’s the chance of picking up a virus (or viruses). Even if you are running military-grade encryption and the best VPN, you are putting yourself at risk when you use free piracy sites and torrent sites. While you are getting access to your favourite anime through these illegal sites, getting access to free movies, and it feels okay because it’s easy to access the best free anime, there are much better ways to go about it for your own internet safety and online privacy.
How To Enjoy Legal Anime Streaming
While piracy (and using illegal piracy sites like 9anime) may seem harmless, it affects a lot behind the scenes. Creating an anime requires costly resources, and the only way studios can confidently embark on a project is by receiving support. Legal anime streaming platforms are still your best bet if you want to support the creators. Avoid illegal anime sites such as 9anime, AnimeFreak, and various proxy sites. There are a ton of legal options waiting for you to try out.
Netflix is one of the cheapest and most affordable options for streaming anime legally. The streaming service has an extensive library of online anime with many different languages for subs and usually has English-dubbed options, too. There are some great anime and live-action adaptations on Netflix, including a few of the most-watched anime titles like Death Note, One Piece, and so much more.
Crunchyroll is known for its reliability, and this service is ideal for all age groups. It has plenty of options within the anime genres. Using it is a pleasant experience, and the site guarantees English subtitles and dubbing. This service also comes with an anime app you can use on a mobile device to read manga comics, watch short animation, or whole episodes in full HD. This is a great option because it’s a lot like YouTube, where you can make a free account and then decide if you want to upgrade it to a premium account.
Amazon Prime Video is home to our favourite and most popular anime, shows, cartoons, and more. The streaming service also has many animated originals, like The Legend of Vox Machina, all streamable in HD quality. New episodes are updated constantly.
Funimation has one of the most extensive catalogues of anime movies, TV shows, comics, and manga. It features some of the top anime series of all time.
There are a ton of benefits to consuming your favourite anime content using a paid service, starting with the benefit that they have the legal right to watch and share that content. Most of the time, if you are starting the service for the first time, you can even get away with using a free trial – meaning that they are sort of still free sites, and then you can decide if you want to keep your subscription or not.
So, in short, you might want to avoid 9anime as, unfortunately, it’s not a legally free or safe anime site. Also, check out our list of 12 sad anime movies to watch for a good cry or the 25 best anime movies of all time.