I run an anime YouTube channel with over 800,000 subscribers. I have been pitched by dozens of brands, negotiated my own sponsorship deals, and watched the anime creator sponsorship market evolve firsthand over the past several years. This is not a list I put together by Googling — it comes from real experience and from the data inside GetSponsored's database of 20,000+ brands.
If you create anime content on YouTube and want to land paid sponsorships, this article will tell you exactly which companies are spending money in your niche, what they typically pay, and how to approach them.
Why Anime Is a Strong Sponsorship Niche
Anime content on YouTube occupies an interesting position in the sponsorship market. The audience skews young (16–34), is highly engaged, and tends to be loyal to creators they follow. Watch time on anime commentary, theory, and review channels is significantly above average because the content is narrative-driven — viewers stick around for the full video.
For sponsors, this means strong ad recall and high completion rates on sponsored segments. A viewer watching a 15-minute anime theory video is far more likely to hear the full 60-second sponsorship read than someone skimming a 3-minute news recap.
The downside is that anime audiences skew lower-income compared to finance or tech viewers, which is why CPM rates are lower than those niches. But the volume makes up for it — anime channels routinely pull 200K–2M+ views per video, which means a $15 CPM still translates to $3,000–$30,000 per sponsored video.
The Brands Actively Sponsoring Anime Creators
VPN Services
VPN companies are the most consistent sponsors across all of YouTube, and anime channels are no exception.
NordVPN is the single most prolific YouTube sponsor in history. They sponsor anime creators of all sizes, from channels with 50K subscribers up to multi-million subscriber accounts. NordVPN typically pays $20–$40 CPM for dedicated integrations and provides custom landing pages and promo codes for tracking.
Surfshark tends to target mid-tier creators (100K–500K subscribers) more aggressively than NordVPN. Their deals are often slightly lower in CPM but they are more willing to work with smaller channels and offer multi-video packages.
ExpressVPN is the premium option — they pay the highest CPM rates among VPN sponsors but are more selective about which creators they work with. If your channel has strong US/UK audience demographics, ExpressVPN is worth pitching.
All three of these brands can be found on our sponsors directory with data on which channels they work with.
Mobile Games
Mobile game publishers have enormous marketing budgets and anime creators are a perfect fit because the audience overlaps heavily with mobile gaming demographics.
Raid: Shadow Legends by Plarium has sponsored thousands of YouTube creators across every niche. Their anime sponsorships tend to be flat-rate deals ($1,500–$10,000 depending on channel size) rather than CPM-based.
AFK Arena and Rise of Kingdoms by Lilith Games follow a similar model — flat-rate sponsorships with specific creative requirements (show gameplay footage, mention key features, include a download link).
Genshin Impact by HoYoverse is uniquely relevant to anime creators because the game itself has an anime art style. HoYoverse sponsorships tend to pay premium rates because the content integration feels natural rather than forced.
Streaming Platforms
Crunchyroll is the most obvious sponsor for anime creators and the most sought-after. Landing a Crunchyroll sponsorship is a strong signal to other brands that your channel is brand-safe and relevant. Crunchyroll typically sponsors creators during major season launches and tends to offer flat-rate deals tied to specific show promotions.
Funimation (now merged into Crunchyroll) historically ran separate sponsorship campaigns, but most anime streaming sponsorships now flow through Crunchyroll's marketing team.
Browser and Tech Products
Opera GX has become one of the most active sponsors in the anime and gaming space. They target entertainment and gaming creators with competitive CPM rates and are known for being easy to work with. If you are in the 50K–500K subscriber range, Opera GX is one of the most accessible sponsors to land.
Displate sells metal posters and wall art, including a large selection of anime-themed designs. Their sponsorships feel natural on anime channels because creators can genuinely showcase products their audience would buy. Displate typically pays in the $15–$25 CPM range.
Food and Lifestyle
HelloFresh sponsors across every niche on YouTube, including anime. Their CPM rates are moderate ($15–$20) but they offer multi-video packages that provide consistent income over several months.
Audible is another universal sponsor that frequently works with anime creators. The integration angle is usually around manga audiobooks, light novel adaptations, or general reading recommendations.
Anime-Specific and Merchandise Brands
Several brands specifically target anime creators:
- Right Stuf Anime — anime merchandise and manga retailer
- Tokyo Otaku Mode — anime figures and goods
- Viz Media — manga publisher, sponsors review and discussion content
- Sentai Filmworks — anime licensor
- Aitai Kuji — anime merchandise subscription boxes
CPM Rates for Anime YouTube Channels
Based on data from our database and from my own experience running an anime channel, here are typical sponsorship CPM rates for anime content in 2026:
| Sponsor Type | Typical CPM / Rate |
|---|---|
| VPN sponsors | $20–$40 CPM |
| Mobile games | $1,500–$10,000 flat rate |
| Streaming platforms (Crunchyroll) | $15–$30 CPM |
| Browser/tech (Opera GX) | $15–$25 CPM |
| Merchandise brands | $10–$20 CPM |
| Food/lifestyle (HelloFresh, Audible) | $15–$20 CPM |
The entertainment niche overall sits in the $10–$20 CPM range according to industry data, but anime channels with strong engagement and US-heavy audiences can push into the $20–$30 range consistently. Your audience geography matters enormously — a channel with 70% US viewers will command 2–3x higher CPMs than one with 70% Southeast Asian viewers.
How to Get Sponsored as an Anime YouTuber
1. Know Your Numbers
Before approaching any brand, you need to know your average views per video (last 10 videos), your audience demographics (age, gender, geography from YouTube Analytics), your watch time and retention rate, and your subscriber count and growth trend.
Brands care about views and demographics more than subscriber count. A 50K subscriber channel averaging 100K views per video is more attractive than a 500K subscriber channel averaging 20K views.
2. Build a Media Kit
A media kit is a one-page document that presents your channel statistics, audience demographics, content style, and past sponsorship experience. It makes you look professional and saves the brand time evaluating whether you are a fit.
We are building a free Media Kit Generator that will create one for you automatically based on your YouTube channel data.
3. Find the Right Brands
Instead of cold-emailing random companies, start by looking at which brands are already sponsoring creators similar to you. Check what sponsors appear on channels in your niche that are slightly bigger than yours — those brands are already buying in your category and are likely looking for more creators.
You can search for anime sponsors directly in our sponsors database or browse the entertainment category to see which brands are most active.
4. Pitch With Specifics
When you email a brand, do not send a generic pitch. Reference a specific campaign they ran with another creator. Explain why your audience is a fit for their product. Propose a specific integration format (dedicated video, mid-roll read, or Shorts package). Include your media kit and a link to a recent video.
For templates and guidance on writing sponsorship emails that get responses, read our guide to writing sponsorship pitch emails.
5. Start Small and Build
Your first sponsorship will probably be a product deal or a low flat-rate payment. That is normal. The goal of your first deal is not the money — it is the case study. Once you can show a brand that their sponsored segment performed well (strong retention during the ad read, good click-through on their link), you can negotiate higher rates for the next deal.
Over time, your sponsorship rate will climb from $500 per video to $2,000 to $5,000+ as your channel grows and your sponsorship track record builds.
Brands to Avoid
Not every sponsorship opportunity is worth taking. Be cautious of brands that require you to say misleading things about their product, crypto and gambling sponsors (can damage your channel reputation and may violate YouTube policies), sponsors that demand ownership of your video content, and brands that refuse to disclose that the content is sponsored (this violates FTC guidelines and YouTube's policies).
If an offer seems too good to be true — a brand you have never heard of offering $50 CPM — it usually is. Stick with established brands or verify the company thoroughly before agreeing to anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What brands sponsor small anime YouTubers?
Opera GX, Surfshark, Displate, and mobile game publishers like Plarium (Raid: Shadow Legends) are the most accessible sponsors for anime creators under 100K subscribers. They actively seek mid-tier and smaller creators. You can browse brands that sponsor channels under 100K on our small channel sponsors page.
How many subscribers do you need to get sponsored as an anime YouTuber?
There is no strict minimum, but most brands start considering creators at around 10,000 subscribers with consistent viewership (averaging 5,000+ views per video). Engagement rate and audience demographics matter more than raw subscriber count.
How much do anime YouTubers make from sponsorships?
A mid-tier anime channel (100K–500K subscribers) averaging 100K–300K views per video can typically earn $1,500–$9,000 per sponsored video, depending on the brand and deal structure. Top anime creators earning 1M+ views regularly can command $10,000–$16,000+ per integration.
Is anime a good niche for YouTube sponsorships?
Yes. Anime audiences are highly engaged with above-average watch times, which brands value. While CPM rates are lower than finance or tech ($15–$30 vs $40–$80), the high view counts in anime content compensate. The niche also has strong overlap with gaming, tech, and lifestyle sponsors.
How do I find brands that sponsor anime creators?
The fastest way is to use GetSponsored's sponsor database to search for brands active in the entertainment and anime niche. You can also watch other anime creators' videos and note which brands appear in their sponsored segments — those brands are actively buying in your category.
Ready to find sponsors matched to your channel? GetSponsored analyzes your content, matches you with brands from our database of 20,000+ sponsors, and helps you pitch them with AI-powered outreach tools. It's free to start — just paste your channel URL.