Rakuten launched a new limited edition Naruto credit card in the United States on October 15, 2026, partnering with VIZ Media and American Express to feature Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha on the front face. This co-branded release keeps the standard cashback structure but limits supply to 10,000 approved applicants [3].
How the Naruto Credit Card Illustrates Both Ninjas
The Naruto credit card artwork shows a direct clash between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha across the entire front face. Both ninjas appear in their older forms from the television series, facing one another with their signature combat techniques ready for action. It replaces standard silver plastic with full-color anime art [1].
Their rivalry forms the backbone of the original manga and the sequel anime Naruto Shippuden, which followed their split after Sasuke left the Hidden Leaf Village of Konoha. Sasuke descended from Indra Ōtsutsuki as one of the last living members of the Uchiha clan, driven to avenge his relatives after his brother Itachi wiped them out. That backstory turned him into an outlaw in the eyes of the ninja world, but Naruto refused to give up on bringing his friend home [1].
Rakuten chose this dynamic because the characters spent years growing from bitter rivals into allies who fought together for the safety of their world. Wendy Bergh, Chief Marketing Officer of Rakuten Rewards, said, “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.” She added that the company wanted to turn regular shopping runs into a fun tribute to long-term anime fandom [3].
Cashback Tiers on Everyday Spending
Cardholders earn an extra 4% cash back on qualifying purchases made through the Rakuten shopping portal, which connects buyers to more than 3,500 partner stores. That rate stacks on top of the everyday rebates already provided by merchants on the website or mobile app. The bonus rate caps out at $10,000 in spending each calendar year, after which qualifying transactions earn 1% [3].
Spending outside the Rakuten portal uses a tiered payout system. Everyday dining at participating Rakuten Dining spots pays 10% back, while supermarket grocery aisles and other restaurants return 2%. All other eligible spending receives 1% back without requiring rotating category enrollments [2].
New accounts also qualify for a $100 cash bonus after charging at least $1,000 in eligible purchases within their first 90 days. The cash bonus posts to the user balance once the 90-day qualification window ends, though processing may take up to 15 additional days. Members can take their money through PayPal, a paper check, Bilt Points, gift cards, or American Express Membership Rewards points if they hold an enrolled account [3].
First Electronic Bank and Imprint
While the Naruto credit card carries American Express branding, it’s actually issued by First Electronic Bank under a formal license. Daily card management runs through Imprint, a financial tech firm founded in New York in 2020 that handles co-branded cards for large consumer retail brands and serves over two million members nationwide. The account has no annual fee, so cardholders can hold it without paying yearly maintenance costs [3].
Rakuten itself started in Japan in 1997 before expanding its shopping network into North America, where members have accumulated more than $4.6 billion in cash back since 1999. American Express (NYSE: AXP), founded in New York in 1850, provides the payment network and handles retail protections for shoppers. Cardholders get access to Amex Offers for lodging and dining as well as curated tickets for music, theater, and sporting events [3].
Market tracking on Pluang showed that 98 out of 142 priced US financial sector stocks rose on October 15, 2026, while 44 fell during the trading session. Financial products tied to anime remain rare on Wall Street. Partnering with VIZ Media helps Rakuten connect directly with younger consumers who collect niche Japanese pop-culture items [5].
Rules for New Naruto Credit Card Applicants
The Naruto credit card is restricted to 10,000 new cardholders in the United States, and Rakuten won’t print additional units once this run sells out. Applications opened online on October 15, 2026, through Rakuten’s dedicated campaign page. Prospective applicants must pass standard credit approval checks before receiving a physical card in the mail, and terms require them to review interest rates and fees during signup [2].
Can current members swap their plastic right away? They can’t, because Rakuten set up the Naruto edition solely for new signups who don’t already carry the existing Rakuten American Express Card. Existing account holders can only join an online waitlist to register their interest in case the company makes replacement designs available down the road [2].
Rakuten said in its product rollout that “Cardholders also have access to American Express Network benefits, including Amex Offers for shopping, dining and travel, Amex Experiences spanning music, theater, sports events and more, along with retail protection.” That means fans who secure one of the 10,000 slots receive normal American Express protections on their merchandise purchases. It’s a setup that pairs collectible art with standard credit card safeguards [3].
Merchandise History Beyond Manga
Anime merchandise now reaches far beyond shirts and toys. Earlier in 2026, license holders unveiled an official Rasengan-themed electric guitar designed around Naruto’s signature spiraling chakra sphere. In 2025, Converse launched a limited-edition lineup of sneakers and apparel featuring Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi in US retail stores [2].
Masashi Kishimoto first introduced Naruto Uzumaki in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999. His serialized story followed an orphan who dreamed of rising through ninja ranks to become Hokage, the leader of his village. The manga earned its first television anime adaptation in 2002 before continuing with Naruto Shippuden in 2007. Voice actors Junko Takeuchi and Maile Flanagan voiced Naruto across Japanese and English broadcasts, while Noriaki Sugiyama and Yuri Lowenthal played Sasuke with other cast members like Chie Nakamura and Kazuhiko Inoue. The narrative challenged Naruto to train against dangerous Akatsuki operatives while attempting to reconcile with his former teammate. That long character arc cemented their bond as one of anime’s most enduring stories. These releases followed another major event in the franchise timeline, where Masashi Kishimoto announced new Naruto projects at NYCC to expand the ninja universe for modern audiences [1].
Video games have also explored this ninja world across decades of console hardware. Fans played through major story beats in titles like Naruto Ninja Council, Ultimate Ninja Storm, Ninja Voltage, and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact. While interactive mobile crossovers like the Free Fire Naruto update brought the Nine Tails into multiplayer battle arenas, this payment collaboration gives American fans a physical keepsake they can carry in their pockets [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Dodge, J. (2026, October 18). Naruto Shippuden Officially Reunites Naruto and Sasuke for U.S. Release Limited to 10,000. CBR. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Williams, R. (2026, October 17). Rakuten Reveals Limited-Edition Naruto Shippuden AMEX Card Featuring Naruto and Sasuke. Essential Japan. [Article Link]
- PRESS RELEASE Rakuten. (2026, October 15). Rakuten Introduces Limited Edition NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Credit Card Design for the Rakuten American Express Card Featuring Naruto and Sasuke. Cision PR Newswire. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE MarketChameleon. (2026, October 15). AXP Press Release: Rakuten Introduces Limited Edition NARUTO SHIP. MarketChameleon. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Pluang News. (2026, October 15). Rakuten launches limited edition Naruto-themed. | Pluang. Pluang News. [Article Link]
