- By Simran Srivastav
- Sun, 18 Jun 2023 11:29 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Anime has gained a lot of popularity across the world and its fan following has reached India too. While many people think of anime being just a cartoon, it is much more than that. From trending on streaming platforms to having its merchandise to hosting fan events, anime has become a cultural phenomenon in India. But how did anime become so popular in India?
Introduction Of Anime In India:
Animated shows like Shinchan, Pokemon, Beyblade, Ninja Hatori, Dragon Ball Z, Perman, Kiteretsu and Doremon will take many 90s and early 2000s kids on a nostalgic trip as it is a big part of their childhood. These Japanese anime become extremely popular in India and lead to the start of anime culture in India. However, the target audience of these shows was children. During the lockdown, anime become more popular in India due to the OTT platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll.
The Rise Of Anime Culture In India:
As anime is not just limited to children but to adults as well, it became widely popular in India. Moreover, they are also avaiable in different genres including fantasy, action, romance, comedy sci-fi, among others, thus, making its target audience wider. Talking about anime shows, their runtime is only 20 to 30 minutes for each episode, therefore it is easier for the audience to watch and is less time-consuming.
Apart from these factors, word of mouth for the shows like 'Death Note', and 'Demon Slayer', among others was the main factor in the success of anime in India. Streaming platforms and Japanese studios have made anime more accessible to the Indian audience by making Hindi subtitles and audio available.
Anime Culture To Stay In India:
In 2022, India's biggest Japanese Cultural event called 'Atsumaru' was organised in Bengaluru. Indian fans gathered at the event cosplaying their favourite anime characters. The event included a musical festival, food, games, and much more.
On May 19, 2023, the Makoto Shinkai Film Festival began in India in which anime films like 'Your Name', '5 Centimeters Per Second', 'Weathering With You, and 'Suzume', among others were released in theatres. Moreover, director Makoto Shinkai visited India to promote his film 'Suzume' which was well-received by the Indian audience. The movie also crossed over Rs 10 crore at the box office in India.
The anime merchandise industry is also growing popular in India. According to CNBCTV, retail brand Celio launched clothing in collaboration with the popular anime Naruto. The brand also launched collections in collaboration with Pokemon and Attack on Titan after the success of Naruto merchandise. Several websites like Redwolf, ComicSense, and OtakuCulture, among others have their own anime merchandise which includes t-shirts, mobile covers, masks, stickers, posters, backpacks, etc.