Anime India Convention: Kolkata Debut in February 2026

Anime India will hold its second edition in Kolkata in February 2026, following a three-day run in Mumbai that drew 29,000 attendees, according to announcements on the convention's Instagram account.

The August 22-24 event at Mumbai's NESCO BEC featured meet-and-greets with Japanese directors, cosplay competitions, and merchandise vendors. Organizers have confirmed similar programming for Kolkata but haven't released a detailed schedule.

Tetsuro Araki, director of "Attack on Titan" and "Death Note," headlined the Mumbai gathering. Pokémon Company corporate officer Susumu Fukunaga and Avex Pictures President Hideo Katsumata also attended, participating in panels and fan sessions.

Corporate participation extended beyond entertainment companies. Toyota Kirloskar Motor displayed the Urban Cruiser Hyryder and Glanza models at an anime-themed booth targeting younger consumers, illustrating the commercial appeal of Japanese intellectual property partnerships in India.

Mumbai ticket prices ranged from INR 199 for single-day general admission to INR 1,499 for premium packages. Pricing for the Kolkata event hasn't been disclosed at the time of writing.

Why Kolkata Is Hosting One of India's Largest Anime Conventions in 2026

The venue shift reflects economic and geographic calculations. Kolkata offers lower operational costs than Mumbai or Delhi and provides access to northeastern states through established transportation networks.

Infrastructure investments support the decision. West Bengal's government is developing Kolkata's New Town entertainment hub, known as Biswa Angan, which includes convention centers and cultural parks. The complex features an open-air amphitheater with a combined seating and standing capacity of 70,000 to 75,000.

Kolkata Comic Con's debut in February 2025 demonstrated the city's capacity for large pop culture events, drawing substantial attendance with diverse merchandise offerings and active cosplay participation. Multiple vendors at the 48th Kolkata International Book Fair sold Japanese manga and light novels, indicating sustained local interest in the content.

Convention organizers are testing whether eastern India can sustain anime-focused gatherings that have primarily concentrated in western and southern cities. The expansion fits a pattern across India's animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics industries, where events have proliferated in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata as companies look beyond Mumbai's traditional concentration of media activity.