A mega convention of Japanese culture will bring anime, manga, J-pop, gaming and street food under one roof this weekend
Cosplayers dressed as popular anime characters at a previous event by the organisers. PICS COURTESY/ANIME INDIA
Do the names Naruto Uzumaki, Light Yagami, Sosuke, or Saitama mean anything to you? No, we’re not interrogating you on suspicion of Japanese espionage. If you recognised these popular characters from series like Death Note, Naruto, One-Punch Man and the classic Studio Ghibli films, we have good news. Anime India, a first-of-its-kind convention dedicated to anime and J-culture hits the ground running tomorrow at a venue in Goregaon.
We’ve scoured the itinerary to pick the best events from the three-day fiesta that will host stalwarts like Tetsuro Araki, the brain behind series like Death Note and Attack on Titan. But before that, we dared to address the elephant in the room with organisers Mishaal Wanvari and Neha Mehta of AnimationXpress. Is anime really only for children? “We have movies like Demon Slayer doing over 500 million dollars globally in the box office. This wouldn’t be possible if it was just for kids. Anime is created for adults, teens, kids and people of all ages. The stories are beautiful, nuanced and filled with emotional lessons,” they say.
ON August 22 to 24; 10 am onwards
AT NESCO, Western Express Highway, Goregaon.
LOG ON TO district.in
ENTRY Rs 299 onwards (single day pass)
The Guide’s top picks
DAY 1
Hideo Katsumata
Manga musings
You’ve pored over manga comics before, but what if you could turn your own story into manga? Join illustrators Gaurav Bhandari and Aparna Chaurasya in ideating, drawing, and completing a six-panel manga strip in a single session.
AT Panel Stage; 12.30 pm to 2 pm
A participant holds up a character sketch from a workshop
Hear it from Hideo
Hideo Katsumata, one of the foremost voices in the anime community and the executive producer behind the critically acclaimed Fullmetal Alchemist will address the rise of anime worldwide in a tell-all interview.
AT Flagship Stage; 12.40 pm onwards
DAY 2
Participants perform in their best suits
Tune in
How well do you know your anime songs? Belt out your favourite tracks at Aidol, a singing-meets-quizzing showdown. There are prizes to be won.
AT Shoutengai Stage; 2.45 pm to 4 pm
The Japanese arcade zone will feature retro games
Dress to impress
Slip into your best costume and ready your props to battle it out in the flagship cosplay contest. Winners from the day are slated to face it off in the national level finals on Day 3.
AT Shoutengai Stage; 5 pm
DAY 3
Tetsuro Araki and Toko Nakamura
All eyes here
The highlight of the convention, a panel discussion featuring Tetsuro Araki about his widely-loved
series Attack on Titan and Death Note among others. Araki will treat fans to a deep dive into his creative process and workflow.
AT Flagship Stage; 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm
Party the J way
End the day with cosplayer, DJ, and voice actor Tsunko (below) and Tokyo-based Toko Nakamura. Expect an introduction to J-pop with a dash of anime soundtracks.
AT Flagship Stage; 7 pm to 9 pm
Also at the venue
Shop, game and tuck into delicious Japanese fare at these experience zones at the venue
>> Game on: Get transported to a Japanese arcade room at Versus Experience’s gaming zone. Try your hand at smash hits like Street Fighter 6 and Under Night In-Birth Ii Sys:Cels. Extra points if you show up in your best cosplay.
>> Dine o’clock: Be the Master (goshuujin-sama) or a Princess (ojou-sama) at this recreation of the popular ‘maid cafés’ from Japanese pop culture. Pick from the classic Japanese Omurice (above), Kawaii Cola and Doku Doku Iced Tea among other dishes.
>> Merchandise mania: Get your hands on special Naruto posters at Byculla-based anime artist Jazyl Homavazir’s stall. Don’t forget to sneak a peek into the artist’s The Beast Legion, Mumbai’s first award-winning web manga.
At: Stall S6
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