Following a milestone debut in Mumbai, Anime India extends its national footprint with Zebu Animation on board as a silver partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026. The partnership strengthens the festival’s mission to champion India’s rising animation and creative content sector, alongside curated fan-centric pop culture programming.
On 14 and 15 February 2026, Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan will come alive with Anime India Kolkata, the first stop in the festival’s regional rollout and the launchpad for its 2026 national journey. Across two thrilling days, fans can dive into Japanese pop culture alongside India’s buzzing anime scene, gamers, creators and storytellers, celebrating imagination, fandom and culture in full force.
Zebu Animation is a creative animation studio working at the intersection of storytelling, design and digital media. With a focus on original content and visually distinctive animation, the studio is part of India’s emerging generation of creators shaping the country’s animation and pop culture landscape.
Drawing inspiration from India’s dynamic youth culture and evolving storytelling ecosystem, Zebu Animation has partnered with Anime India Kolkata 2026 as a silver partner to engage with a new generation of fans and creators. The partnership reinforces Anime India’s vision of building a collaborative platform that connects fandom communities with brands shaping India’s creative and consumer landscape.
“We’re excited to be part of Anime India this year, not just to celebrate anime, but to also unpack how cinema is built,” shared Zebu Animation Studios founder & creative director Veerendra Patil.
“We’ll be breaking down a short film – not just asking what happened, but how did it make you feel that and why? That’s where cinematic craft lives. What makes this even better is the community. The cosplay, the characters, the full-send energy people bring into the space, that passion is real. We’re excited to plug into that energy while shining a light on storytelling that makes those moments iconic in the first place,” said DATSI School for Storytellers director Michael Manuel Joseph.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will present a fan-first cultural platform with cosplay championships, Vocaloid fan hubs, Japanese-inspired food activations and community meet-ups. Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild and competitive tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC and more will cater to anime fans, gamers and creators. Adding to the global stature of the event, acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as a guest of honour, taking part in panel discussions, live interactions and curated fan engagements.
Neha Mehta, co-founder and director at Anime India, added that, “Anime India Kolkata showcases the power of anime as a cultural and creative movement, bringing fans, creators, and the industry together to shape the future of pop culture in India.”
Connecting global creators with Indian studios and engaged fandom communities, Anime India Kolkata 2026 seeks to emerge as India’s premier pop culture platform, paving the way for a year-long nationwide celebration of anime and fandom. Planned editions in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad in 2026 will further connect fandoms, creators and communities across India.
