Imagine if you could earn money from reading comic books. Actually, you can (sort of), thanks to anime affiliate programs.
A few years ago, barely anyone outside Japan had even heard of the anime niche. But things have changed. The global anime industry was worth almost $25 billion in 2021 and is expected to exceed $56 billion by 2030.
In the US, a 2020 survey found that 11% of adults have a very favorable opinion of anime movies.
Unsurprisingly, anime is most popular among younger audiences, with 27% of 18 to 29-year-olds feeling very favorable about the genre and 17% having “somewhat favorable” opinions. However, there is still a decent anime following among older Americans, with one-quarter of 45 to 54-year-olds and one in five 55 to 64-year-olds feeling at least somewhat favorable about anime. Men are more likely than women to be anime fans.
Know the difference between anime and manga? Obsessed with Studio Ghibli? Consumed every piece of Naruto content you can find? Read on for our list of the 11 best anime affiliate programs…
Anime Affiliate Programs
- Right Stuf Anime
- Saiyan Stuff
- Entertainment Earth
- SoKawaii
- Tokyo Otaku Mode
- CDJapan
- Jist
- Things From Another World
- Anime Art Academy
- Anime Corner Store
- Senpai Mart
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1 Right Stuf Anime
Right Stuf Anime claims to be North America’s largest anime retailer, with a huge selection of 22,000+ products.
As well as running an online business, it has an independent video publishing division specializing in bringing anime movies and other foreign live-action content to English-speaking audiences. It also resells and distributes anime products on behalf of other suppliers.
The Right Stuff Anime affiliate program is managed through the ShareASale affiliate network. It has a 30-day cookie window and pays commissions of 2% – 8% per sale, with an estimated earning per click of $10.31. The store also boasts a solid, if unspectacular, conversion rate of 2.25%. Right Stuf says its average order value ranges from $50 – $250.
With percentage-based commissions, the earning potential is theoretically unlimited. However, Right Stuf Anime caps commissions at $100 per transaction.
All applications to the affiliate program are reviewed manually, with responses typically sent via email within 48 hours.
- URL: Right Stuf Anime affiliate program
- Commission rate: 2% – 8%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
2 Saiyan Stuff
Saiyan Stuff is an online retailer specializing in Dragon Ball Z clothing, although it also stocks products from other anime series like Naruto, One Piece, and Demon Slayer.
The store also has a team of professional graphic designers who can create custom merchandise for picky anime fans who can’t find what they’re looking for. Send a sketch or picture of your desired creation, and Saiyan Stuff will add it to T-shirts, hoodies, or snapbacks.
Saiyan Stuff’s in-house anime affiliate program pays a flat commission of 10% per sale. It has a payment threshold of $50, with commissions paid monthly after completion.
Affiliates can sign up and get started with this program immediately. Once they have done so, Saiyan Stuff provides banner ads on demand to help affiliates drive traffic
- URL: Saiyan Stuff affiliate program
- Commission rate: 10% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
3 Entertainment Earth
Entertainment Earth sells thousands of licensed products in various niches, from cult movies and TV shows to sports teams and pop culture icons. While it’s not a dedicated anime retailer, the website currently has more than 7,000 products under the theme Anima/Manga.
All products sold by Entertainment Earth carry a mint condition guarantee and come with a hassle-free 90-day return period.
The retailer’s affiliate program has a sliding commission scale based on sales volume, with commissions available as cash or store credit:
| Sales volume | Cash commission | Store credit |
|---|---|---|
| Under $500 | 7% | 10% |
| $500 to $1,999 | 8% | 13% |
| $2,000 to $3,999 | 9% | 14% |
| $4,000+ | 10% | 15% |
Entertainment Earth has a threshold of just $20 for cash payments but no minimum for store credit. Commissions are paid at the beginning of each month on a NET 30 basis, meaning sales that shipped in January will be rewarded on March 1st.
- URL: Entertainment Earth affiliate program
- Commission rate: 7% – 10% in cash or 10% – 15% in store credit
- Cookie duration: 30 days
4 SoKawaii
Let’s start with a Japanese lesson. “Kawaii” is basically a combination of “cute”, “tiny”, and “lovable”. It’s a popular aesthetic in Japan, characterized by rounded forms and bold, cartoony lines.
That brings us to SoKawaii, a monthly subscription box containing five to eight cute, anime-related products. All merchandise is officially licensed, including brands like Studio Ghibli, Pokemon, Kirby, and Sailor Moon. The company ships worldwide.
SoKawaii’s anime affiliate program is on the ShareASale affiliate network. It pays a flat $5 per subscription and has a 30-day cookie window, while anime affiliates also get a $100 bonus for referring 10 transactions in a 30-day period. ShareASale’s figures show a 30-day EPC of $9.97 and a conversion rate of 3.41%.
The company supplies all the creatives you need to drive traffic and sales, including banners, images, and logos.
- URL: SoKawaii affiliate program
- Commission rate: $5 per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
5 Tokyo Otaku Mode
Tokyo Otaku Mode (TOM) sells Japanese pop culture products in various manga and anime-related niches, including games, music, and fashion. All products are authenticated by its team of experienced buyers. The company has a substantial social media presence, with over 20 million likes on Facebook.
The Tokyo Otaku Mode affiliate program offers a 5% commission rate on all orders placed via your affiliate links, even if the customer is already a member of TOM. Commissions are paid via PayPal.
To help optimize your performance, TOM offers periodic sales reports that show how your commissions were generated.
If you’re planning to join this affiliate program, bear in mind that all applications are carefully vetted. If approved, you should receive a response within 48 hours.
- URL: Tokyo Otaku Mode affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
6 CDJapan
CDJapan is an online shop selling figures of popular anime characters, plus various other anime-related products, including books, magazines, Blu-rays, and video games. It serves customers in more than 200 countries. The company is owned by Neowing Corporation, which specializes in exporting Japanese products.
Unlike the majority of other affiliate programs, CDJapan pays commissions on your own purchases. So if you buy an item via your affiliate link, you still earn a cut.
To join the CDJapan affiliate program, you must create a customer account. Once accepted, you’ll earn commissions of 5% – 7% per transaction, with the rate determined by the volume of confirmed sales in the previous month. However, gift certificates and magazine subscriptions are currently non-commissionable. The program has a 30-day cookie window.
CDJapan is open to working with affiliates from any country, but be aware that communications and support are handled in English.
- URL: CDJapan affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% – 7%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
7 J-List
Under-18s look away: J-List is a retailer of adult content with a distinctly Japanese flavor, including anime, otaku, and hentai. Its products include calendars, action figures, and… ahem… lotions.
The company runs a points-based loyalty program, with every dollar earning the spender two points and each point worth $0.01. Points are valid for two years.
J-List’s affiliate program pays a flat commission of 8% per sale and has a 10-day cookie window. Commissions can be paid in PayPal or store credit, but there’s no hike in commission rate if you choose the latter option.
The program has a $40 threshold and pays affiliates monthly for commissions confirmed in the previous month. All commissions are subject to a 30-day verification period, giving the customer time to finalize, cancel, or return their order.
- URL: J-List affiliate program
- Commission rate: 8% per sale
- Cookie duration: 10 days
8 Things From Another World
Similar to Entertainment Earth, Things From Another World (TFAW) is a retailer carrying a huge selection of pop culture products. It stocks 30,000+ items across various categories, including comic books, toys, statues, and graphic novels. The store sells products from hundreds of brands, from DC Direct and Dark Horse to Hasbro and Tokyopop.
TFAW’s affiliate program is managed through ShareASale’s affiliate network. It has a dedicated affiliate manager, a lengthy 90-day cookie window, and a generous 14% commission rate on most products. The only exceptions are:
- Comics priced at <$14.99: 7% commission rate
- Gift cards: Non-commissionable
As well as those standard commissions, affiliates earn a $5 bonus after driving their first sale. They also get a $25 reward for hitting $1,000 in monthly sales and an additional $50 for driving $2,000 in net monthly sales.
According to ShareASale’s 30-day figures, the program has an average order value of $44.02 and an EPC of $28.11. The site also has an excellent 6.06% conversion rate.
- URL: Things From Another World affiliate program
- Commission rate: 14% per sale
- Cookie duration: 90 days
9 Anime Art Academy
Anime Art Academy sells online courses for aspiring anime artists led by professional Japanese illustrators and manga-ka.
Every course offers at least one free lecture, giving customers peace of mind that they’re making the right choice before signing up. Courses can be purchased on a one-off basis or paid for via a subscription.
The Anime Art Academy affiliate program pays 20% commissions on all transactions. However, most affiliate marketers will naturally promote subscription courses, which pay recurring commissions for as long as the customer retains their subscription.
With one-off course prices starting at $325 and subscriptions priced from $35 per month, affiliates could earn a bounty payment of $65+ or ongoing monthly commissions of $7+ from a single sale.
All commissions are paid via PayPal two months after the transaction on the 5th of the month.
- URL: Anime Art Academy affiliate program
- Commission rate: 20%
- Cookie duration: 365 days
10 Robert’s Anime Corner Store
Robert’s Anime Corner Store is one of America’s oldest anime retailers, having served anime fans worldwide for 25 years. It sells an exhaustive range of anime products, including all North American released and licensed DVDs and Blu-rays. All DVDs and CDs are priced at 20% – 40% off retail, while cheaper deals are available on bundles and box sets.
The company ships hundreds of orders per week to customers across the world from its 14,000 sq ft distribution center in Virginia.
Before you start promoting the Robert’s Anime Corner Store affiliate program, bear in mind that it only pays commissions in store credit. For every customer you refer, you’ll earn a 5% cut to spend on the website.
Sounds good? Sign up by emailing the retailer with your website URL, full name, email address, street address, and phone number. All affiliates are vetted before being accepted to the program.
Once approved, you’ll receive your dedicated affiliate link and get access to a catalog of banners. Links can be directed to the website’s front page or to specific product pages.
- URL: Robert’s Anime Corner Store affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% in store credit
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
11 Senpai Mart
Senpai Mart aims to offer the best deals on various Japanese pop culture products, including action figures, toys, books, and collectibles. It stocks items across three collections:
- Korekushon: Anime collectibles, action figures, cosplay products, and rare geek items.
- Ava Nice: Fashion, novelty items, wigs, and other niche products.
- TEKI-On!: Gadgets, kitchen products, and other tech.
Sign up for the retailer’s affiliate program on Refersion to earn a flat 10% on all sales originating from your affiliate links. Self-dealing is allowed, which means you can earn commissions when you buy through your own links.
The program has a payment threshold of $50, with commissions paid via PayPal on the 30th of the month. Applications are vetted within 24 hours of submission.
- URL: Senpai Mart affiliate program
- Commission rate: 10% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
Are Anime Affiliate Programs Right For You?
The anime niche has a dedicated fandom desperate to get their hands on the latest anime products. And with the industry growing faster than Eren Jaeger transforming into a Titan, there’s never been a better time to become an anime affiliate.
But new affiliate marketers can’t expect to earn a job replacement income overnight. Building and optimizing an anime website and developing a content strategy requires a significant investment in time.
Fortunately, your senseis at Authority Hacker are here to help. We’ve built authority sites in more niches than we can name. And we’re happy to share our learnings.
Just sign up for our free training, and we’ll reveal seven secrets to make new sites 83% more successful.
