At Delhi Comic Con 2024, Indian Printer & Publisher noticed a growing inclination toward Japanese and Korean art and literature in the forms of cosplays, light novels, webtoons, manga, manhwa, anime, and tons of merchandise in clothing, action figures, props and more.
Action figures from fictional characters from Marvel, DC, and more from anime such as Naruto, Goku, Luffy, Zoro, Itachi and others. Photo IPP
More collectible items on display. Photo IPPAmid the chaos of fandom at the event held at Okhla NSIC from 6 to 8 December, we met Aparna Chaurasia, an Indian mangaka (manga artist), with the first chapter of her newly released manga Soul Contract at the Indian Comics Association (ICA) stand.
The highlight of Comic Con was the Cosplays, where participants creatively embodied their favorite anime, gaming, and other fictional characters. Another significant highlight was the Gaming Dome, which showcased consoles from Nintendo, Sony’s Play Station, Xbox, and Android gaming. As we walked amid the crowd, we could easily hear fans screaming Narutooo!, Sasukeee!, Kaizoku ni ore wa naru otoko da!— paying homage to their favorite shows.
Viz Media stand featuring several volumes from Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy X Family and more. Photo IPPThe ICA, founded in 2023, is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the comics culture in India. It is a platform for artists, writers, and publishers, encouraging high-quality comic production and fostering collaboration. Through events, workshops, and publications, ICA aims to elevate Indian comic artists to a global stage. Alpha Comics, Amar Chitra Katha, Cheese Burger Comics, Chitra Gatha, and Comics Adda are some of its affiliated members.
Chaurasia, originally from Madhya Pradesh, attended this year’s edition of Comic Con to promote her manga. As she explained, the manga delves into the Isekai genre of storytelling wherein a character is transported, summoned, or reincarnated into a fantasy world parallel to our own yet significantly different.
According to her, the Japanese and Korean art forms are gaining huge ground among Indians. The best example, she says, is that the distinction between anime and cartoons is clearer to the audiences. While cartoons are mostly for children, anime can have a more serious subject matter with a rating of PG or 18+ due to some of the gore elements.
On her journey and inspiration as a manga artist, Chaurasia said, “My earliest memory is watching anime relentlessly in class 6. I was always drawn to the forms of supernatural storytelling. My inspiration for writing a manga is a mix of Japanese art forms with themes derived from Chinese manhua mangaka Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, presented in an Indigenized format. The characters in Soul Contract go through several obstacles both mystic and political. The manga contemplates the juxtaposition between real and surreal challenging the notion of the ideal god and devotion to some extent.”
Isekai is a genre that Indians are well acquainted with serious stories such as Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation, and Re: Zero − Starting Life in Another World; on a more comical note are Konosuba –God’s blessing on this wonderful world, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill, and The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic; and some are long format tragicomedy with gripping core such as That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime, and Saga of Tanya the Evil.
The show featured several cut-out promotional material from the most celebrated fictions. photo IPPWAVES Delhi
The growing trend is not just limited to Comic Con. In a landmark initiative to promote anime and manga culture in India the Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), in collaboration with the Union ministry of information & broadcasting, hosted the WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga Contest) in Delhi on 30 November 2024. Held at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication Delhi, this latest installment of WAM! Drew an enthusiastic crowd and showcased the immense creative potential of India’s manga, anime, and webtoon creators.
Building on its success in Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Varanasi, WAM! Delhi featured 199 participants across categories, including manga, webtoon, and anime. The event hosted 28 vibrant cosplay and voice-acting participants, bringing beloved anime and gaming characters to life.
