Anime India Revives Fandom Spirit, but Needs Fine-Tuning

On a mundane Sunday, I decided to embark on a particularly nerdy side quest and attend Anime India. Held at NESCO grounds in Mumbai, it was a 3-day convention for all things Anime and Japanese pop culture. With panels boasting of industry legends such as Tetsuro Araki (Director of Death Note and Attack on Titan (AOT)), DJ Tsunko, Touko Nakamura and Hideo Katsumata (President, AVEX Pictures), it also had official merchandise stalls, gaming setups and an exciting cosplay showcase.

Walking through the convention halls, I could feel my inner weeb defrosting. As someone who spent most of her time reading manga, crying over fictional characters, pitching for cosplay clubs, and seriously considering learning volleyball (thanks, Haikyuu!), attending such a convention felt right, like reconnecting with the remnants of my fandom-riddled adolescence. What I was also looking forward to was finally witnessing cosplays of my favorite characters in the flesh. As someone who’s studied fashion, I’ve always been curious about the inspiration, construction and execution of these fictional identities.

It was exciting to see the multiverse of madness unravel on a random Sunday afternoon. One minute you’re in the suburbs of Mumbai, next you’re bumping into Denji from Chainsaw Man. Only in Mumbai would you spot your favorite anime character (albeit cosplayers) queuing up at the food lounge for pav bhaji. Multiple Gojo Satorus and Osamu Dazais were cracking up, trying to recreate the famous Spider-Man meme. A Mikasa Ackermann impersonator proudly flaunted her handmade ODM gear next to an Attack on Titan cutout, while JoJo characters lined up together, flamboyantly in character. Even Jinu from Kpop Demon Hunters stood patiently as fans swarmed around, dying for a snap. A group of best friends, in color-coordinated outfits, giggled audibly as they attempted to pose like their favorite characters. You could tell that the couples had gone through similar Pinterest boards on complementary costumes. Nevertheless, hand in hand, they were seen perusing through the array of gaming and merch stalls. Maybe a matching outfit is the sixth love language, a visible yet intimate reciprocation of shared interests.

As “Blue Bird”, the iconic Naruto opening, crackled through the speakers, I could hear the attendees hum the melody in cohesion. Surrounded by Japanese paraphernalia, I felt like a kid walking into a candy store. Wading through an unpleasantly crowded manga stall, I caught sight of the anthologies of Hirohiko Araki and Ai Yazawa, authors of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (JJBA) and Nana, lying on the top shelf. Seeing the works of my two favorite mangakas in the flesh felt quite dreamy, although the price tag ( starting from 1,500/-) of the manga burst the bubble. As far as the eyes could tell, from trading card games and posters to crocheted accessories and thematic jewelry, there was something in store for everyone. It was also heartwarming to see independent frontrunners like Vaibhavi Studios and Indie Comix Fest, representing the best of India’s print and animation scene. On the main stage, pop culture heartthrob Rohan Joshi was seen testing the crowd’s otaku knowledge with a good old-fashioned round of dumb charades.

Next up, the Attack on Titan panel, featuring the legendary Tetsuro Araki, gave the audience interesting behind-the-scenes trivia from his directorial stint on Death Note and Attack on Titan (AOT). Although inherently demure, his eyes would light up when explaining how sports like baseball and judo were referential while designing fight sequences and hashing out stances for titans in AOT. Upon asking his favorite memory of working with Hajime Isayama, the author, he shyly mentioned, “receiving praise from him.”

Despite the enthusiastic turnout, there were a couple of organizational loopholes that dampened the experience. For starters, navigating the panel schedules became a recurring bottleneck, considering that the last-minute changes were never communicated on time. What’s more, the unpreparedness of the moderators, along with technical and audio snags, made the experience even more bothersome.

A hangry sushi break later, I grabbed a seat for the much-awaited cosplay showcase. On the judging panel were Surya Sreenivasan (scythesskunkworks), Rohit Kailashiya (redemptionprops), and Akshay Churi (the_redcomet), some of India’s finest cosplayers who’ve also bagged international laurels.

If attending fashion shows has taught me anything, it is that showbiz is experienced best from the front row. My eyes immediately gravitated towards the glittering cascade of embellished headgear, vibrant wigs and intricate ensembles. Up front were the finalists, doing last-minute touch-ups before the show began. From larger-than-life armor to elaborate costumes, DIY craftsmanship was a pertinent theme across the line. Special mention to the ones who made hyper-realistic mechanical suits, sword shields, and movable gear via mere cardboard! While they got into the zone, a few parents of the participants endearingly wished them luck, waving enthusiastically with their phones in hand.

As the lights dimmed, adrenaline pulsated through the gathering as the first contestant, cosplaying Turbo Granny from DanDanDan, crawled up to perform onstage.

Next, a slew of contestants, ranging from Grell (Black Butler) and Denji (Chainsaw Man) to Jotaro Kujo (JJBA) and Alucard CastleVania, performed effortlessly. Representation from the gaming world, too, made a mark, as the crowd erupted cheerfully at the sight of Omen from Valorant. While some were more focused on extreme replication, others relied on audio-visual theatrics to charm the crowd. Be it voice modulation or Japanese dialects, every little detail was sincerely emulated. Some, such as Vergil (Devil May Cry) and Tanjiro (Demon Slayer), dazzled everyone with their katana-bending skills.

 Personally, my bets were placed on Strawberry Hatsune Miku, who eventually emerged as one of the victors of the competition (called it). Upon striking up a conversation with her, she revealed herself to be “Cosplola,” or Prisha Srinivasan, a medical student who’s been pursuing cosplay for the past two years. Bubbly and sweet, she mentioned how it was her visit to conventions that ignited her love for cosplaying. “Visiting Comic-Con as a kid, it was fascinating to see my childhood characters standing in front of me,” she mentioned.

When asked about her extensive costume, which boasted of intricate corsetry and sewing skills, she mentioned that it was purely handmade (my jaw dropped here). “It took well over two months and 150 hours. Embodying Miku gave me the chance to broaden my skillset craft-wise. From embroidery to vinyl transfer designs, complex techniques were used. My favorite details are the 30 hand-beaded strawberries wrapped around the skirt, which are made to look like musical notes,” she shared. She also emphasized the effort that went into making her iconic Miku wig. “It’s made from scratch with wires, Worbla sheet, all-purpose glue, hair gel and lots of patience”, she remarked.

Regarding her inspirations, she promptly mentioned Iris Van Herpen, along with revered cosplayer Anaelic. Being an artist, dancer and singer, she loves experimenting and working with materials, which explains the meticulousness of her costumes. “All my interests come together in harmony when in cosplay. From creating sketch drafts to putting together fabric, I love seeing my ideas come to living fruition.”  

As I left the main stage, I also bumped into Kaustubh, A.K.A Chaostubh, an Indian content creator, filmmaker, voice artist, and cosplayer who’s known for his ingenious Anime Marathi dubs, especially JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures (JJBA), which is also his eternal muse. Coming from a family of Marathi theatre artists, he blends his love for VFX, cinematography, digital media, and pop culture via cosplay and anime “shitposting.” “I started cosplaying as a hobby in 2017 after seeing Comic Con on social media. My first cosplay was from JJBA, back when no one even recognized the character,” he stated. Often found in his signature suits, Kaustubh is picky with his portrayals. “I pick characters that may not be mainstream but resonate with me, which makes it easier to bring them to life.”

As I questioned him regarding the Indian cosplay scene, he had a rather somber outlook. Commenting on its mainstream allure, he mentioned how the pandemic was a driving force, bringing many like-minded fans together. Yet, behind the expansive garbs and immersive events were exploitative business practices, pushing a passionate endeavor towards the edge of commercialization. “Anime and entertainment-centered brands initially hired cosplayers on a gig basis. Now, due to a vicious cycle of mismanagement and exploitative promotional tactics, they simply offer barter collabs or tickets in exchange for a valuable cosplay. These ‘by fans, for fans’ events have become business-first, promotional dumpster fires, where artists often get treated as mere mascots. Honestly, I’ve been more creatively fulfilled outside the cosplay community than within it. It’s more drama than progress these days,” he sighed.

As an admirer and fellow creative, I was disappointed but not surprised to hear of exploitative practices infiltrating even the cosplay scene. But one can only hope for stricter guidelines and ethical business practices to be set up for Indian cosplayers. 

In many ways, stepping into Anime India felt like opening a time capsule, not just of my teenage self, but of what the internet once was. Despite the commercial frictions and logistical flaws, it was a reminder to nerd out, to reject nonchalance and embrace obsessions fearlessly. The internet may have changed, but fandoms, in all their glue-gun-wielding glory, still live on. And maybe, just maybe, the cost of community, along with inconvenience, is preserving everything that shaped our younger selves.