Rakuten

Rakuten Group (楽天) is a Japanese technology mega-conglomerate based in Tokyo, founded in 1997. Often referred to as the “Amazon of Japan” it operates in 30 countries around the world with more than 28.000 employees.

Originally launched as an online shopping marketplace, Rakuten has grown exponentially over the years and now mangage a wide range of businesses, including financial services, telecommunications, OTT digital content, messaging apps, and, of course, e-commerce.

Perhaps due to its origins or the economic impact this segment generates in Japan, it’s not uncommon to see partnerships with anime and manga series on Rakuten’s e-commerce platform, offering exclusive merchandise for sale and sometimes variant covers. Pre-order bonuses for the purchase of DVD/Blu-ray box sets are also quite frequent.