● The three-day convention hosted by AnimationXpress brought together fans, creators, and industry professionals at the NESCO Exhibition Center.
● The event was headlined by an international Japanese delegation, marking the highly anticipated first official Indian visit of legendary Naruto director Hayato Date.
Mumbai: Anime India Mumbai 2026, an initiative by AnimationXpress, officially concluded on 30 August at the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, Mumbai. Drawing an attendance of over 45,000 people, the three-day event brought together fans, creators, artists, performers, gamers, cosplayers, and industry professionals under one roof. Held from 28 to 30 August, the convention offered comprehensive programming across anime, manga, gaming, cosplay, Japanese music, voice acting, creator interactions, screenings, competitions, and community-led activities.
The opening day included the Otaku Quiz, The Last Verdict anime gameshow, the Ramen Quiz Competition powered by Wok Tok, Gunpla: More Than Models sessions, manga, manhwa, and comic book launches, a Closet Cosplay segment, and voice acting sessions featuring talent associated with titles like Spy x Family, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Action Kamen.
Programming on the second day featured creator sessions, meet and greets, gaming activities, a session with Ryota Hasegawa, Sakamoto Days producer, quiz competitions, XP-PEN and Wacom engagements, a Japanese song learning session, an ASCA meet and greet, a Zee trailer launch, and a gaming cosplay competition.
Most notably, the day was anchored by a dedicated fan session with legendary Naruto director Hayato Date, marking his first official visit to India and providing the community with direct access to one of the industry’s most influential creators.
The third and final day featured community-driven highlights including the Naruto Cosplay Competition, the Grand Cosplay Competition, the Mage Masquerade, Anime Times Presents: Discover Japanese Animation, Naruto commentary sessions, the Gacha Realm session, anime screenings, prop-making, and manga art competitions. The convention concluded on the evening of 30 August with a live musical concert featuring performances by Luna, Mofomofomo, Yura Akari, and ASCA.
Speaking about the response to the event, Neha Mehta, Co-Founder of Anime India, said, “Anime India Mumbai 2026 has been an incredible celebration of the passion, creativity and community that make India’s anime fandom truly special. What started as a vision to bring global anime closer to Indian fans has grown into a movement that connects fans, creators, artists and the industry under one roof. Seeing thousands of fans come together, celebrate the stories they love and create memories of their own has been deeply fulfilling. Mumbai has shown us that India isn’t just an audience for anime anymore, it is becoming an important part of the global anime ecosystem. This is only the beginning, and we are excited to take Anime India to even greater heights.”
The Mumbai edition followed previous Anime India events in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, further strengthening the platform’s presence across India and reflecting the growing scale of the country’s anime ecosystem.
Mishaal Wanvari, Co-Founder of Anime India, added, “Mumbai has once again shown us the extraordinary power of fandom. Anime India was created with a simple belief, that Indian fans deserve to experience the world of anime in a truly immersive way, while also giving Indian creators a platform to be seen and heard. This edition has taken that vision several steps forward. From legendary Japanese creators and artists to cosplayers, gamers, collectors and young creators, Anime India Mumbai 2026 brought the entire community together. We are incredibly grateful to every fan who made this experience possible. The energy we witnessed over these three days tells us one thing very clearly, the future of anime in India is bigger than ever.”
The scale of the Mumbai gathering highlights the evolution of Indian anime fandom into an active, participatory community shaping regional pop culture. For AnimationXpress, the event reinforces its commitment to developing dedicated platforms that unite the entertainment, animation, gaming, and pop-culture sectors while creating new avenues for creators, brands, and industry stakeholders.
The next edition of the convention is scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on 14 and 15 November 2026, continuing the platform’s focus on connecting the anime community across the country.
