Rakuten is celebrating its Japanese roots with a limited-edition credit card design that features a popular anime property.
About the Rakuten NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Card Design:
Fans of the global anime NARUTO SHIPPUDEN may be tempted to apply for the Rakuten American Express Card. For a limited time, new cardholders can select a special card design that features Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. As Rakuten notes, these two characters have a rivalry that is “one of the most enduring arcs in the series.”
This unique card design is limited to the first 10,000 new cardholders. Unfortunately, at this time, the design is not available to existing cardmembers.
With the Rakuten American Express Card — which is powered by Imprint — customers can earn an extra 4% back on Rakuten purchases made online or in-store. This 4% comes in addition to any cashback earned from the Rakuten portal. However, the 4% rate is capped at a total of $10,000 in purchases during a calendar year. A 1% bonus will apply to purchases above that cap.
Additionally, the Rakuten card earns an extra 5% on Rakuten Dining purchases (for a total of 10%) plus 2% back on all other dining and 2% back on groceries. The card earns 1% back on everything else.
Currently, the Rakuten credit card is also offering a welcome bonus. Now, new cardholders can earn $100 in bonus cashback after spending $1,000 on the card within their first 90 days.
The Rakuten American Express card has no annual fee. Outside of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN limited edition card, customers can also choose from a silver or purple card design.
What They’re Saying:
Discussing this special card release, the Chief Marketing Officer of Rakuten Rewards Wendy Bergh explained, “Rakuten is all about making everyday life more rewarding for our members, and this partnership with NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is yet another way we’re bringing that to life. Naruto has connected deeply with fans for decades, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their fandom with a limited edition design that turns everyday purchases into something even more rewarding.”
My Thoughts:
I’ll admit that this may not be the biggest news of the week, but I found it fascinating — and I’m not even an anime fan. In my mind, these types of limited edition card designs are reserved for flagship cards (see: American Express Platinum and Gold refreshes or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve making cards from airplane metal). Yet, here, we have a fairly under-the-radar product making a splash with one of the most popular pop culture properties on the planet.
Obviously, this speaks more to the size of Rakuten as a global company and less to this card itself. But that’s exactly why I thought this story was worth featuring, even if it’s not exactly Earth-shattering for most people.
