Chaos quietly brewed behind the scenes as Bato.to struggled with relentless server failures. The primary operator, Larry, vanished without warning, leaving the team scrambling. Fans initially assumed another temporary glitch; investigations later revealed a complex web of legal pressure and targeted shutdowns drove the permanent closure.

Earlier this week, Bato. to, one of the largest global manga piracy sites, officially shut down. Kakao Entertainment, the publisher behind the worldwide hit Solo Leveling, is responsible for the action, as TorrentFreak has reported.

P.CoK, Kakao’s anti-piracy division, traced the site’s founder and key developers, confirming legal proceedings are underway. The team also targeted moderators, sub-developers, and community administrators, issuing Cease and Desist (C&D) letters.

The official Bato.to the Discord server and subreddit fully distanced themselves from the platform amid rising legal concerns, as TorrentFreak has reported. Former staff later launched a new community, implementing strict no-piracy rules to protect members.

Meanwhile, Kakao Entertainment’s anti-piracy efforts forced administrators and operators to face legal action. This crackdown ultimately led to the shutdown of Tachiyomi and reinforced the consequences of hosting or promoting pirated content globally.

After Bato.to’s dramatic closure, MangaPark and AniXL now face the spotlight. Legal teams are gearing up, promising stricter crackdowns and tighter enforcement against piracy networks worldwide.

Next in line: MangaPark and AniXL face anti-piracy crackdowns

The operator of Kakao Entertainment’s anti-piracy division told TorrentFreak that many former Bato.to individuals are also involved with MangaPark and AniXL. The company is preparing strong legal actions against these platforms and newly formed Bato-affiliated sites. 

"We are aware that some of these individuals are also involved in the operation of MangaPark and AniXL, and we are preparing strong legal actions against Mangapark as well as newly established Bato-affiliated sites," the operator shared with TorrentFreak.

In February 2025, Kakao Entertainment released its sixth anti-piracy white paper, revealing the removal of 240 million pieces of illegal content during the latter half of 2024. The company’s relentless enforcement also forced the shutdown of Reaper Scans, a major English-language manhwa piracy site. 

Its aggressive DMCA actions impacted MangaDex, resulting in the deletion of roughly 7,000 titles. Kakao’s tracking now monitors anonymous communities and social media worldwide. As Bato.to faces shutdown, these measures signal that piracy networks can no longer operate safely.

What do you think about the Solo Leveling publisher’s role in the Bato.to shut down? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by

Yusra Miraj Khan

Edited by

Itti Mahajan