The illegal anime streaming site AnimeKai shut its doors on May 10, 2026, according to reports from CBR. Users attempting to access the site encounter a message announcing the impossibility of continuing the project, urging them to back up their lists and find a new home for watching anime. The cause cited is a fire at its data centers.
A fire that wiped out servers and content 🔥
AnimeKai's infrastructure relied on servers at an undisclosed location, although it is speculated that the incident occurred at a data center in Almere, Netherlands. A fire of this magnitude not only destroys hardware but can also damage backup and redundancy systems if they are not in separate locations. The lack of external copies would have been fatal for the project, leaving administrators with no possibility of restoring the service.
Piracy also has fire insurance 😅
Who would have thought, even illegal sites need a good fire prevention plan. It seems AnimeKai's owners trusted their anonymity so much that they forgot to arrange a contingency plan. Now, fans who enjoyed One Piece for free will have to find another refuge, perhaps one with fire extinguishers. At least the fire didn't take their watchlists, though it did take their hopes of continuing for free.