Business is booming for Japanese anime in India as new streaming services launch in the world’s most populous country

MUMBAI – Japanese animation is getting a lot of promotion in India, where interest in the genre has soared since the pandemic. More and more companies have started streaming the shows to the world’s most populous country.

An anime event held in April in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, was packed with young people cosplaying as characters from “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (“Demon Slayer”) and “One Piece.”

“I am thrilled by the dedication and emotional power of the characters. I want to watch more Japanese anime,” said a fourth-year university student, 22, who is a “Demon Slayer” fan.

The event, organized by Crunchyroll, an American video distribution company affiliated with Sony Group Corp., was attended by the voice actors of ‘Demon Slayer’.

Bandai Namco Amusement Inc., which operates an arcade in Mumbai, displayed “Dragon Ball” figures and set up a booth where visitors could experience plastic models from the “Mobile Suit Gundam” series, and both drew large crowds.

In India, Japanese anime, especially those for children such as ‘Doraemon’, have been broadcast on TV since the economy was liberalized in 1991. When the pandemic kept people at home for long hours, many anime became popular online.

Crunchyroll launched its full video streaming business for the country in 2022.

Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini says the characters’ compelling visuals and personalities, exciting action sequences and interwoven stories have proven to be winners with young people.

The company specializes in Japanese anime and wants to distinguish itself from competitors such as American video streaming giant Netflix and The Walt Disney.

In December 2023, a joint venture funded by 13 companies including video production company Avex Pictures Inc. began. and publisher Shueisha Inc., the “Anime Times” channel to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

British research firm EY estimates that the Indian entertainment market will be worth 3.1 trillion rupees (about ¥5.8 trillion) by 2026, more than 30% more than in 2023. As a result, Japan’s anime industry is likely to boost the experience question.

But according to the Indian government, the country’s per capita income reached 200,000 rupees (about ¥370,000) in the 2023 financial year. There seems to be a ceiling for the time being on the number of people who can afford anime. Companies can have a hard time making a profit.