Manga Fever Takes Over India

‘Netflix,
Amazon
Prime
Video,
Crunchyroll,
and
Disney+
Hotstar
are
continuously
expanding
their
Anime
libraries.’

Investments
in
Japanese-style
comic
books
and
graphic
novel
content,
famously
known
as
Manga,
will
see
more
interest
from
the
Indian
media
and
entertainment
industry.

This
comes
as
producers,
rights
holders,
over-the-top
(OTT),
gaming
platforms,
developers
and
studios
look
to
expand
their
offerings
in
this
segment.

“India’s
Manga
and
Anime
content
market
has
seen
exponential
growth
post-Covid,
with
a
remarkable
increase
of
300
to
400
per
cent,”
Chandrashekhar
Mantha,
partner,
media
and
entertainment
sector
leader,
Deloitte
India,
told

Business
Standard.

“India
is
becoming
a
priority
market
for
Anime
and
Manga
content
producers
due
to
its
expanding
consumer
base,”
Mantha
added.

“OTT
platforms
like
Netflix,
Amazon
Prime
Video,
Crunchyroll,
and
Disney+
Hotstar
are
continuously
expanding
their
Anime
libraries.
This
has
played
a
pivotal
role
in
driving
Anime
and
Manga
consumption,
with
the
average
daily
watch
time
exceeding
60
minutes.”

Mantha
added
that
investments
in
Anime-based
games
like
Naruto:
Slugfest
and
Dragon
Ball
Legends
are
also
on
the
rise,
tapping
into
India’s
expanding
gaming
market.

The
Hashira
Training
Arc
in
the
Japanese
Manga
series

Demon
Slayer:
Kimetsu
no
Yaiba
trended
for
a
total
nine
consecutive
weeks
on
Netflix
India.

It
is
one
of
the
biggest
hits
in
India,
whereas

Dandadan,
another
Manga
series,
made
it
to
India’s
Top
10
TV
for
a
week.

Sony
Group
acquired
Crunchyroll,
a
global
Anime
brand
offering
a
wide
Anime
library,
in
2021.
It
officially
entered
India
in
2023,
marking
a
significant
investment
in
the
region.

For
Crunchyroll,
India
is
one
of
the
fastest-growing
markets
for
Anime
worldwide.

“The
enthusiasm
for
Anime
in
India
is
undeniable,
with
the
country
emerging
as
the
world’s
second-largest
Anime
audience
only
behind
China,”
said
Akshat
Sahu,
senior
director
of
marketing,
APAC,
Crunchyroll.

“Projections
indicate
that
India
will
drive
60
per
cent
of
the
global
increase
in
Anime
interest
over
the
coming
years,”
Sahu
added.

“This
fervour
for
Anime
underscores
its
status
as
a
significant
cultural
phenomenon
among
Indian
youth,
shaping
their
entertainment
preferences
and
consumption
habits.”

Jatin
Varma,
founder,
Comic
Con
India,
corroborates
Mantha’s
views
stating
that
this
segment
gets
a
boost
as
the
superhero
genre
is
kind
of
on
the
downturn
right
now
due
to
overexposure.

In
India,
Crunchyroll
is
expanding
its
offering
by
dubbing
Anime
in
Hindi,
Tamil,
and
Telugu
languages,
making
it
accessible
to
a
broader
base
of
fans.

It
currently
has
over
100
shows
dubbed
in
these
three
languages.

“The
availability
of
regional
language
dubs
has
significantly
boosted
engagement,
demonstrating
the
importance
of
localisation
in
connecting
with
Indian
audiences.
We
also
partnered
with
Indian
actors
like
Ali
Fazal
and
Rana
Daggubati
to
voice
a
character
in
the
popular
Anime
series

Solo
Leveling
in
Hindi,
Tamil,
and
Telugu,”
Sahu
added.

Additionally,
major
Japanese
publishers
such
as
Kodansha
and
Shueisha
are
collaborating
with
Indian
distributors
and
digital
platforms
to
introduce
Manga
in
regional
languages,
according
to
Deloitte
India.

“The
books
segment
is
estimated
to
have
between
300,000
and
500,000
copies
in
circulation.
With
a
projected
compound
annual
growth
rate
(CAGR)
exceeding
20
per
cent
and
the
Indian
market
is
expected
to
surpass
$260
million
by
2030,”
Mantha
said.

Teenagers
aged
between
13
and
19
years
and
young
adults
between
20
and
30
years
are
the
largest
consumers
of
Manga
and
Anime
content
in
India.

On
the
other
hand,
the
audience
is
primarily
concentrated
in
metropolitan
cities
like
Mumbai,
Delhi,
Bengaluru,
and
Chennai,
where
access
to
bookstores,
streaming
platforms,
and
community
events
is
more
prevalent.

P
Jayakumar,
CEO,
Toonz
Media
Group,
which
produced
the

The
Adventures
of
Tenali
Raman
through
Toonz
Animation
and
collaborated
with
international
studios,
including
Marvel,
BBC,
and
Lionsgate,
points
out
that
the
technological
advancements
in
animation
and
special
effects
have
also
enhanced
the
visual
appeal
of
these
adaptations,
making
them
even
more
captivating
for
audiences.

As
exposure
to
Anime
and
Manga
grows,
demand
is
expected
to
rise,
paving
the
way
for
even
more
diverse
and
engaging
content
in
the
future.

Toonz
Media
Group
has
explored
and
actively
considered
adapting
Japanese
Manga
for
OTT
platforms
while
collaborating
with
Japanese
studios,
creators,
and
publishers.

“We
are
currently
working
on
an
Anime
series
for
global
audiences
with
a
Japanese
partner,
which
aligns
with
this
strategy,”
said
Jayakumar.

The
Anime-inspired
merchandise
market,
including
apparel,
collectibles,
stationery,
and
gaming
accessories,
has
seen
significant
investment.

Events
like
Comic
Con
India
and
AnimeCon
India
have
witnessed
a
surge
in
participation
and
sponsorship,
providing
opportunities
for
brands
and
publishers
to
engage
with
fans.

Neena
Dasgupta,
founder
and
CEO,
The
Salt
Inc,
an
independent
content
and
design
agency,
said
this
rise
presents
a
significant
opportunity
for
brands
to
connect
with
a
growing,
passionate
audience.

As
Manga’s
popularity
rises,
Dasgupta
said
brands
can
use
this
as
an
opportunity
to
build
a
cult
and
target
these
cults
around
new
trends.

“In
all,”
Jayakumar
added,
“the
future
of
Anime
and
international
content
in
India
looks
promising,
with
exciting
growth
on
the
horizon.”

Feature
Presentation:
Ashish
Narsale/Rediff.com