MPA claims Cineby and AnimeFLV shutdowns, names next targets
The Motion Picture Association says coordinated action helped close Cineby and AnimeFLV, while naming other anime piracy sites as targets.
The Motion Picture Association says coordinated action by its member studios and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment helped shut down the anime piracy sites Cineby and AnimeFLV, according to a filing reported by CBR 1. The disclosure gives the clearest public explanation yet for why two major streaming destinations disappeared in 2026.
The underlying filing, submitted in response to the U.S. Trade Representative's review of notorious markets, reportedly did not cite court orders or police action for these particular shutdowns 2. That suggests the closures were private enforcement operations, although the filing itself is the primary source for the MPA's account.
What the filing says
Cineby reportedly closed in stages in late August and early September after attracting more than 160 million monthly visits at its peak 1. AnimeFLV stopped delivering videos in mid-June before later going offline entirely, leaving its catalogue inaccessible 1.
The MPA also listed several other services as notorious-market targets, including Kisskh, Aniwaves, Animepahe, Anime-Sama and Animeunity 1. The list is not a court judgment against each site, and inclusion does not by itself confirm that a shutdown is imminent.
The trade group said the enforcement work benefited the American film and television workforce. That is a claim from the MPA's submission rather than an independently audited impact assessment 2.
A warning for unofficial anime platforms
The disclosure matters because it connects several apparently separate disappearances to a broader enforcement strategy. Earlier shutdowns had already pushed some viewers towards other sites and private messaging platforms, while the new filing identifies the services rights holders are watching most closely 1.
The USTR is expected to assess the submissions before publishing its final 2026 Review of Notorious Markets in early 2027 1. Until then, the named sites remain targets identified by rights holders, not a definitive timetable of future legal action.
Our opinion
The useful distinction here is between a platform going dark and a platform being formally prosecuted. The MPA's disclosure strengthens the case that the shutdowns were coordinated, but its filing still leaves important details — including the exact legal mechanisms used — unclear. Readers should treat the named targets as a warning, not a promise that every listed service will disappear next.
The hero is an abstract illustration rather than a photograph of a specific piracy site. Photo by Amar Preciado on Pexels 3.