New Ways of Legally Making Money Through Anime & Manga Derivative Content!

The creator economy in the anime and manga industry is evolving rapidly.

It now brings together intellectual property (IP) holders, independent creators making derivative works, and the flow of money that comes from passionate global fandoms.

For decades, the ability to make real income from derivative content—such as fan edits, review videos, watchalongs, reaction streams, and commentary—was largely restricted to a closed circle.

This circle typically consisted of trusted influencers, production partners, and companies with both the financial resources and business leverage to secure official licenses from rights holders.

As a result, the majority of fans and smaller creators found themselves in a grey legal area.

It was never clear when a publisher or studio might crack down on a piece of fan-made content, often discouraging creators from even trying.

The lack of transparency and the threat of copyright enforcement not only stifled creative fan engagement but also left significant amounts of untapped money and marketing potential on the table.

However, the situation is starting to change.

Entertainment companies across multiple industries have begun to recognize that derivative content plays a crucial role in keeping IP relevant.

It can expand a fandom faster and more organically than in-house marketing efforts alone—often with a viral, unpredictable reach that paid campaigns cannot easily replicate.

In recent years, this shift in thinking has led to more licensing agreements with major platforms such as TikTok.

On YouTube, rights holders are increasingly using built-in content management tools not only to claim derivative videos but also to monetize them directly—keeping the content available while benefiting from its ad revenue.

This tacit acknowledgment shows that fan-made derivative content, once seen primarily as a copyright risk, is now valued as a promotional asset.

Two of the biggest players in the Japanese publishing industry, Kodansha and KADOKAWA, are now actively embracing the creator economy.

Both companies are developing new initiatives that aim to guide, empower, and monetize fan engagement rather than shut it down.

This includes more transparent guidelines for derivative content creation, experimental licensing schemes for smaller creators, and dedicated support programs to help fans legally share in the financial benefits of their work.

By bringing creators into the fold, Kodansha and KADOKAWA are signaling a long-term strategy: fostering vibrant, self-sustaining fan communities while maintaining brand integrity.

It’s a model that could reshape how anime and manga IP is promoted worldwide, opening the door to more collaboration between fans and publishers than ever before.

As the creator economy grows, the line between official content and fan-made works may continue to blur—turning once-untouchable IPs into living ecosystems where everyone, from global corporations to a teenager with a TikTok account, has a stake in the success of the story.