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China's Massive Manga Piracy Site Bato.to Shut Down After CODA Complaint

A China-based manga piracy website, Bato.to, has been forced to shut down following a criminal complaint filed with Chinese authorities by Japan's anti-piracy coalition, CODA. The site was one of the world's largest manga piracy platforms, operating 60 domains and garnering up to 350 million visits per month. Its operator was arrested, has admitted to the crimes, and was reportedly making over $57,000 monthly in illicit advertising revenue. CODA's representative stated the group will continue its anti-piracy efforts due to the global popularity of Japanese manga, a problem exacerbated by AI making translation easier.

Key Points: Major Manga Piracy Site Bato.to Shut Down in China

  • Site had 60 domains
  • 350 million monthly visits
  • Made over $57k monthly ad revenue
  • Operator arrested and released on bail
  • Used AI for easier translation piracy
2 min read

China-based manga piracy website forced to shut down: Report

A major China-based manga piracy website, Bato.to, has been forced to shut down after a criminal complaint by Japan's CODA. The site had 60 domains and 350 million monthly visits.

"will continue to tackle the problem in view of the global popularity of Japanese manga - Goto Takero"

New Delhi, Jan 30

A China-based manga piracy website has been forced to shut down after a criminal complaint was filed with Chinese authorities, multiple reports said.

Japan's anti-piracy coalition, Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), worked with cyber security experts to identify the operator of Bato.To.

It is believed to be one of the world's biggest manga piracy sites and the illegally uploaded content included Japanese manga, reports www3.nhk.or.jp.

CODA says the site had 60 domains and was accessed up to 350 million times a month.

Reports said that Bato.to's operator has since been released on bail and is expected to be formally indicted. Bato's operator was reportedly making over $57,000 a month in illicit advertising revenue.

According to the coalition, the website "obtained illegally uploaded manga for scanning and translating comic books. The site is said to have had content in about 50 languages. The problem of copyright piracy is getting worse as translation has been made easier through the widespread use of artificial intelligence.

Goto Takero, CODA Representative Director, was quoted as saying that his group will continue to tackle the problem in view of the global popularity of Japanese manga.

CODA announced the arrest of an individual on suspicion of copyright infringement on November 19th, who "has admitted to operating" Bato.to and approximately 60 related sites, such as xbato.com and mangapark.io.

Bato.to grew to become one of the most recognisable online platforms for "scanalation".

In this technique, manga, manhwa, and other comics are scanned, edited with translated text, and then distributed by online user communities, according to reports.

According to reports, the 60 shuttered sites recorded a combined 350 million visits in May 2025 alone, with Bato.to making more than 400,000 yuan (around $57,000) in advertising revenue during peak months.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
$57,000 a month in ad revenue from stolen work? That's shocking. The scale of this operation is massive. Good to see international cooperation leading to action.
P
Priya S
As a manga fan in India, official translations and releases are often delayed or too expensive. Sites like these filled a gap, but I agree creators deserve to be paid. We need more affordable, timely legal options here.
V
Vikram M
350 million visits a month! This shows the insane global demand. The industry needs to adapt faster with better digital distribution. AI making translation easier is a double-edged sword for sure.
R
Rohit P
Respectfully, while piracy is wrong, the crackdown feels selective. What about the millions of piracy sites for movies, software, and music still operating freely? The enforcement seems inconsistent.
K
Kavya N
Many of us discovered manga through these fan-translated sites. It built the global fanbase. Now that the industry is bigger, they should work with those fan communities, not just shut them down. There has to be a middle path.

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