Anime India Mumbai is turning up the volume. Anime Times has joined Anime India and AM Summit 2026 as the presenting partner, bringing another major Japanese anime player on board as the festival prepares to take over Mumbai from 28 to 30 August 2026.
Held at the Nesco Exhibition Centre, Anime India Mumbai will bring Japanese pop culture and fandom under one roof, with anime, cosplay, gaming, merchandise and independent creators taking centre stage. The event will also feature the Japan pavilion, fandom realm, artists alley, Versus experience and cosplay circuit, alongside Aidol, cosplay competitions, a maid café, Dome 360, an anisong concert and other fan-focused programming.
Anime India will run alongside the Animation & More Summit 2026, which takes place on 28 and 29 August. Built around this year’s theme, “India to the World: Creating Global IPs for the Next Generation,” the summit will bring together creators, studios, technology companies, investors, broadcasters and policymakers to discuss the next phase of India’s animation industry.
Hideo Katsumata, president and CEO, The Anime Times Company, said, “Since joining the inaugural edition of Anime India Mumbai last year, we have had the pleasure of being part of Anime India events in cities across India. It is especially exciting for us to return to Mumbai this year as the title sponsor.
Anime India has become an important platform for bringing together Japanese anime with the creativity and passion of fans in India. Through initiatives such as the Anime idea contest, we have also been exploring new ways for fans in India to engage with anime not only by enjoying the stories they love, but also by sharing their own ideas and creativity.
This year in Mumbai, we are excited to celebrate this creativity while also bringing the worlds of some of Japan’s most popular anime titles to life at the Anime Times booth. We look forward to experiencing the incredible energy of fans in Mumbai once again and making this year’s Anime India another memorable experience together.”
The guest list brings serious anime firepower, with Hayato Date, director of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, and Ryota Hasegawa, producer of Sakamoto Days and Dr. Stone, joining the programme.
“Our vision has always been to connect global anime creators with one of the world’s most passionate fan bases,” stated Anime India co-founder Mishaal Wanvari. “Bringing Director Hayato Date to Mumbai is a milestone. His work shaped Naruto for more than two decades. Fans will get a direct line to the craft behind the stories they grew up with.”
“India is now one of anime’s critical growth markets,” added Anime India co-founder Neha Mehta. “Hosting Date shows the international industry is watching. His work set a global standard. Putting a creator of that stature in Mumbai is a clear signal about the scale of the Indian anime ecosystem.”
The three-day fan celebration will culminate with the Ann Awards 2026, recognising work across animation, digital content and creative storytelling, including the Arnab Chaudhuri Award, Ram Mohan Award, Ramoji Animation Excellence Awards and DigiCon6 Asia Awards.
With Anime Times joining as presenting partner, Anime India Mumbai is shaping up as more than a convention, it is becoming a meeting point where Japanese anime, Indian fandom and the business of global IP collide. Mumbai, consider the stage set.
