Cybercriminals are increasingly camouflaging malware as anime content to exploit the growing global fascination with Japanese animation, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. Their recent analysis of phishing incidents between Q2 2024 and Q1 2025 revealed over 250,000 attacks leveraging anime themes to deceive victims.
Anime, a stylized form of animated entertainment that originated in Japan, has become immensely popular, particularly among Gen Z — individuals born in the early 2000s. Kaspersky’s research highlights that anime is now more mainstream than ever, especially with younger audiences. Approximately 65% of Gen Z reportedly consume anime regularly, a trend that has made them prime targets for themed phishing campaigns.
“They connect to the characters,” Kaspersky noted, adding that viewers often become “emotionally invested” in the shows. This emotional connection is being weaponized by threat actors who are tricking fans into clicking on malicious links under the pretense of offering “exclusive episodes”, “leaked scenes”, or “premium access”.
Among the anime franchises most frequently used in these scams, Naruto topped the list with around 114,000 attack attempts. Demon Slayer followed with 44,000 incidents, trailed by other popular titles like Attack on Titan, One Piece, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
However, anime isn’t the only bait being used. Hackers have also disguised malicious content using names from other pop culture phenomena including Shrek, Stranger Things, Twilight, Inside Out, and Deadpool & Wolverine, with these non-anime themes accounting for an additional 43,000 phishing attempts. A notable spike in such attacks occurred in early 2025, coinciding with the release of the latest Shrek trailer.
As a precaution, Kaspersky advises users to steer clear of suspicious links or downloads, especially when the offer appears too good to be true. Instead, viewers looking for the latest episodes should use verified platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ to avoid falling victim to cyber scams.
