The 10 Best 9anime Alternatives Working Right Now (2024) (2024)

What happened to 9anime? We used to stream our favorite anime shows like Ninja Kamui until 9anime disappeared. Actually, the site hasn’t shut down despite what many users believe –it simply rebranded. But you can still use a whole bunch of solid 9anime alternatives, just in case those DMCA problems follow 9anime to its new home.

Today, 9anime is called AniWave. It’s just one of the decent anime streaming websites we’ve collated as part of our research into the best 9anime alternatives. But before you visit any of these sites, you need to download a good VPN service.

Why? Your internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t like you using these websites. What’s more, there’s a risk of malware if you visit the wrong site or accidentally click on a malicious advert. Fortunately, we’ve got NordVPN backing us with malware protection and IP cloaking to negate these risks. Get NordVPN now, then take a look at our top 9anime alternatives!

Why Do You Need a 9anime Alternative?

To be fair, you could just as easily hop over to AniWave – 9anime’s newly rebranded site. We’ve checked out the site for ourselves, and much of the content looks and works the same way as 9anime did.

But in our experience, once these kinds of free streaming sites get hit with copyright infringement notices, they don’t tend to stick around. You might need a 9anime replacement if:

• 9anime’s (AniWave’s) operators decide to shut down the website to avoid prosecution.
• You want to try a different anime library to access shows or movies not on 9anime or AniWave.

Thankfully, we’ve found loads of strong 9anime alternatives that serve the same purpose – letting you watch great anime shows and movies out of Japan and other parts of the world.

The Best 9anime Alternatives

To find the best 9anime alternatives, we’ve spent hours trawling through loads of free anime streaming sites. We also came across loads of recommended alternatives that turned out to be shut down. That’s why we regularly update our guide and look for new streaming sites to add to the list.

For now, these are the best free anime sites like 9anime still working in 2024.

1. AniWave: 9anime’s new home for streaming anime shows and movies

Visit: AniWave

• Direct replacement of 9anime with the same UI
• Filters make it easy to find new content
• Loads of adverts that open in new windows

We picked AniWave because: It’s literally 9anime in all but name, making it the closest 9anime alternative we could find.

In August 2023, 9anime announced their rebrand as AniWave. It’s no wonder that the interface looked so familiar to us, and it’s a great UI, too. Everything is easy to find thanks to filters that include a release date sorting option.

Scrolling through shows and movies based on their title image, we were easily able to find new content like My Hero Academia and Ranking of Kings. But while the shows streamed easily in high definition, we saw a ton of ads that opened in new browser windows. Remember what we said about malicious ads and the risk of malware? Get NordVPN to protect yourself and block all ads automatically.

2. Anime Freak: A good 9anime alternative for variety and choice

Visit: Anime Freak

• Useful filters, including popular user search terms
• Has a content library of over 10,000 shows and movies
• Full of ads that open in new tabs

We picked Anime Freak because: You can navigate through a huge content library, which is easy with the included filters.

Among the 9anime replacements we’ve tested, Anime Freak had some of the best content filters. Once on the site, you can head straight to anime shows streaming right now in Japan. There are other useful filters too, like genre and year of release.

But this is another 9anime alternative that bombards you with ads. We saw a lot of adult-themed ads that were tedious to see time and time again. Once we enabled NordVPN’s built-in ad blocker though, they all went away, leaving us to stream in peace. So, get NordVPN to avoid having your anime movie or show interrupted.

3. Chia-Anime: Access to English-dubbed anime without subtitles

Visit: Chia-Anime

• Watch anime with English dubbing – no annoying subtitles
• Simple to navigate website, with easily-accessible filters
• Tons of adult-themed ads that are very off-putting

We picked Chia-Anime because: There’s heaps of content and useful filters that let us find what we wanted quickly.

Chia-Anime has a packed library that lets us find content quickly, especially with the quick filters you can access right on the homepage. Navigating around the website was simple, and we were particularly impressed by the English dubbed audio – no need for subtitles.

However, this is another 9anime alternative that you should use with NordVPN. That ad blocker is essential if you want to block Chia-Anime’s adverts. And believe us, you do want to block them – they’re full of hentai (explicit, anime-themed images) and pop up relentlessly. Get NordVPN to block those ads and enjoy watching without the risk of malware.

4. Anime Planet: Quick-access filters make browsing simple

Visit: Anime Planet

• Loads of recent content and popular titles from past decades
• Drop-down filters in the menu bar for quick navigation
• Adverts open in a new tab and get in the way

We picked Anime Planet because: With the exception of adverts, it’s a clean UI with quick-access filters.

On Anime Planet, we found loads of new and old content, with everything from The Silver Guardian to Studio Ghibli’s award-winning range of movies. Finding new titles to binge was a cinch too, thanks to the categories that let you find shows popular among the site’s user community.

The usual drawback applies here – Anime Planet has quite a lot of adverts, including ones that pop out in a new browser tab. This happened to us even when we clicked play on a video. But they’re easily shooed away if you use a good ad blocker.

5. GoGoAnime: Hands you the latest anime releases on a silver platter

Visit: GoGoAnime

• Recent content is listed on the homepage for easy access
• Simple but effective UI that’s great for night-time watching
• Riddled with pop-up ads that can be stopped with an ad blocker

We picked GoGoAnime because: There are thousands of hours of anime, including movies and TV shows, on a well-built platform.

GoGoAnime gave us access to heaps of anime content, and the homepage throws you straight into recent releases. New shows straight out of Japan are featured on this page, and the website even flags the latest episode for you. If preferred, you can filter purely by dubbed content to avoid subtitles.

Just make sure you get NordVPN first. When we tested GoGoAnime, even starting a stream was difficult. Without NordVPN, we saw upward of eight pop-up adverts. Not to mention, they all tend to be adult in nature. So, install NordVPN and check your ad blocker is working – you’ll never see a single ad.

6. AniWatch: Great source of new releases with a very active community

Visit: AniWatch

• Excellent interface – among the best we’ve seen while testing 9anime alternatives
• Have chats with other AniWatch users and comment on your favorite shows
• Some ads, though less than other platforms

We picked AniWatch because: Great community feel and a top-notch interface that reminds us of paid platforms.

Honestly, AniWatch was one of our favorite 9anime alternatives. We had to score it down when comparing content availability with others, but the interface is excellent. If you struggle with cheap UIs on free streaming sites, we think you’ll get along well with AniWatch’s crisp and uncluttered interface. Sure, there are ads, but not too many.

What’s more, you’ll be able to get involved with other anime fans – something other sites tend to leave out. You can comment on your favorite movies or shows, and you can get into debates about whether One Punch Man could beat the Hulk in a one-on-one showdown.

7. Crunchyroll: Legal 9anime Alternative with official streams

Visit: Crunchyroll

• A good spread of anime movies and TV shows
• Unlike other 9anime alternatives, this one’s official and licensed
• There’s been some controversy around user data breaches

We picked Crunchyroll because: You won’t face the same malware or legal risks as other 9anime alternatives.

If you prefer to stay on the straight and narrow, we think you’ll like Crunchyroll as a solid 9anime alternative. Unlike our other recommended 9anime alternatives, this one’s fully licensed. That means that all the streams are licensed officially and not risking copyright infringement. There’s a decent amount of content on here, and of course, we enjoyed using an ad-free, uncluttered interface.

That said, there is a catch – you’ll get the best library of content by unblocking Crunchyroll in certain countries. Simply use NordVPN to change your IP address to the US, where they’ve got the biggest catalog. Claim your 58% discount and open up the floodgates now.

8. Anime Land: One of the bigger anime content libraries we’ve found

Visit: Anime Land

• English-dubbed content for subtitle haters
• Download your favorite shows to watch later
• Interface feels a bit dated, and ads are frustrating

We picked Anime Land because: It has some unique features, despite the drawbacks around adverts and a dated UI.

We had to include Anime Land on our list of 9anime alternatives. Aside from offering a good amount of English-dubbed content, this is the only site we’ve found that lets you download anime to watch later. If you’re traveling or just want to watch on the commute, this alternative will suit you well.

Unfortunately, those benefits don’t come without a catch. This is one of the more annoying 9anime alternatives for adverts. They’re embedded all over the UI, and you’ll also see a wealth of pop-out ads. Make sure you grab NordVPN’s 30-day VPN free trial ahead of your journey to Anime Land if you want to cut through the chaff and just enjoy your stream.

9. Anime Frenzy: Request your favorite content if you can’t find it

Visit: Anime Frenzy

• Custom anime requests – ask for your favorite shows
• Surprisingly lacks many adverts
• Interface isn’t as pleasing as other 9anime alternatives

We picked Anime Frenzy because: While the content library isn’t the largest, you can ask for shows or movies to be added.

Our first impressions after landing on Anime Frenzy were that the site felt a bit minimalistic – but we’re glad we stayed for a while. The content library has a good selection of shows and movies, but the best part is being able to ask for new content to be added. If something’s missing, the site’s operators might be able to source streams for you.

What’s more, our ad blocker didn’t have to put in such a long shift when compared to other 9anime alternatives. There were no on-screen ads, and we only saw a couple of pop-up adverts when we turned off NordVPN’s ad blocker.

10. KickAssAnime: Less content than others, but regularly updated

Visit: KickAssAnime

• Features recent anime releases and gets updated regularly
• Pleasing interface that handles filtering well
• Some of the worst ads we’ve seen while reviewing 9anime alternatives

We picked KickAssAnime because: It’s another good place to try recent releases and regularly adds new content.

KickAssAnime has the usual features you’d want, including subtitles and English-dubbed streams. It doesn’t have quite the same spread of shows and movies as other options listed above, but we found a lot of new releases. Delicious in Dungeon has already managed to make its way over from Netflix, for example!

The bad side? We saw a ton of ads that wanted us to install some kind of software. Do that, and you’ll almost inevitably be installing malware on your device. While you probably know this already, accidents can happen. Make sure you install NordVPN to stop these ads from appearing and there’ll be zero risk.

How We Selected the Best 9anime Alternatives

While AniWatch is available for long-time 9anime fans, we wanted to see what other 9anime alternatives existed. Since many sites show signs like a rebrand before finally kicking the bucket, it might only be a matter of time until you need one, too.

So, how did we pick our winners? We looked for specific things:

• A good range of content: We’ve only chosen sites that have both movies and TV shows, as well as content from recent years and decades ago.
• HD streaming quality: Who wants to watch cam-quality streams? Not us. We only chose sites that have HD anime streaming.
• Safe websites: Ads can be a risk, but that’s why you have an ad blocker. We’ve only included sites that aren’t trying to install malware on your PC.

Remember that while these websites were “safe” enough to stream with at the time that we visited, they’re still unofficial streaming platforms. That means that they could be hijacked to install malware on your device. They could also land you in hot water with your ISP or national copyright authorities.

Get NordVPN to minimize the risk. It’ll stop third parties from figuring out what you’re doing online. It’ll also put a stop to annoying adverts that try to slip malware past you and onto your device. Right now, you can claim your 58% discount and 30-day VPN free trial.

Best VPN for Anime Sites Like 9anime: NordVPN

We’ve already talked a whole bunch about NordVPN, but here’s a little more on why this software is going to keep you safe while you stream anime. In total, we tested 15+ VPNs with these 9anime alternatives to see which worked best, and this service came out on top for offering:

• Powerful encryption: Encryption stops potentially risky sites from spying on and stealing your personal data.
• Dodgy site blocking: If you visit a site that’s been hijacked, or any other malicious website, NordVPN will block it before it loads.
• Robust ad blocking: You know those malicious, adult-themed ads we talked about above? NordVPN blocked every single one of them.
• IP cloaking: Stop your internet provider from seeing your activity online – some can react badly to unofficial streaming activity.

NordVPN’s absolutely our best provider for streaming and generally keeping safe while you do so. Best of all, it’s just $ 3.09/month with this bumper discount, available from the button below.

Does 9anime Still Exist?

Yes, 9anime is still around, but now it goes by another name. From time to time, we lose some of our favorite free streaming sites, and anime streaming websites are no exception.

This usually happens when the website owners receive a DMCA takedown request – in other words, the owners of copyrighted material complain that their content is being shown freely online.

Fortunately, 9anime alternatives provide a way to continue enjoying your favorite movies and shows. What’s more, 9anime mirror sites provide more than one way to keep watching anime for free.

9anime Mirror Sites

9anime mirror sites are essentially copies of the 9anime website. If one goes down, the others should continue to function and let you watch your preferred anime online.

Here’s a quick list of the alternative anime websites like 9anime you can try if the main site goes down for any period of time:

1. 9anime Mirror Site 1: https://aniwave.vc
2. 9anime Mirror Site 2: https://aniwave.li
3. 9anime Mirror Site 3: https://aniwave.io
4. 9anime Mirror Site 4: https://aniwave.ru.com
5. 9anime Mirror Site 5: https://aniwave.link

Access Sites Like 9anime Now

If you’re worried that 9anime has suffered the same fate as many other streaming sites of late, don’t be. It was simply rebranded to AniWave, which is just one of the ten best 9anime alternatives we’ve rounded up for you.

We see the writing on the wall – when free anime sites like 9anime start to encounter difficulties, it’s often the first step on the road to the site disappearing. That’s why we’ve collated the best sites like 9anime for you. In our opinion, they’re all excellent places to watch anime for free online.

But before you visit any of them, protect yourself and your device:

1. Get NordVPN to hide your activity and block malware installers.
2. Connect to a VPN server – the US is often the best choice and the option we chose.
3. Enjoy watching free anime online for as long as you want, without limitations.

If you’re curious about our experience in reviewing streaming alternatives, check out our related guides below:

• 10 Best KissAnime Alternatives Working Right Now
• The Best Popcorn Time Alternatives for Streaming
• The Best Putlocker Alternatives Working Right Now

Chris BluvshteinAuthor

Senior Journalist

Chris is a tech journalist with many years’ experience covering online privacy and cybersecurity. He’s also a published author and works as a Product Manager for some of the most innovative software development companies.

More articles from the Streaming section

Where to Watch Murdoch Mysteries for Free Online

April 13, 2024

10 Best KissAnime Alternatives Working Right Now (2024)

April 10, 2024

How to Unblock p*rnhub in Texas and Other States

April 15, 2024