Anime India Kolkata 2026, day two marked not only the continuation of the festival’s vibrant celebration of anime and gaming culture, but also its grand finale in the city. Building on the energy of the opening day, the second and final day brought together fans, creators, and industry leaders for another round of screenings, panels, contests, and meet and greets. With anticipation running high, day two carried forward the momentum of the nationwide expansion tour while offering a fitting conclusion. It became a showcase of creativity, community, and cultural exchange that left attendees with lasting memories and set the stage for the festival’s journey across India.
The second day unfolded across the festival’s five stages: the Flagship Stage, the Panel Stage, the Shoutengai Stage, the Adda O Otaku Stage, and the Meet and Greet Stage. Each stage hosted its own line‑up of screenings, panels, contests, and interactive sessions that kept the energy high and the audience engaged throughout the finale.
On the Flagship Stage, the day commenced with No Bets, No Life (quiz finals), presented by Anime Times. The finals brought an extra layer of excitement, drawing fans into a spirited competition that set the pace for the rest of the day. This was followed by a fan panel titled Haikyu!!: What’ll You Become Tomorrow?. The session explored why Haikyu!! connects with fans so deeply, the life lessons hidden in its simplest moments, and how its characters inspire both longtime fans and first‑time viewers to live life with purpose. The highlight session of the day came next, an international guest panel with the legendary director of Haikyuu!!, Susumu Mitsunaka. The panel offered fans a rare opportunity to hear insights directly from the creative mind behind one of the most beloved sports anime of all time.
Up next was the grand event of Anime India, the Grand Cosplay Royale presented by Anime Times. As the flagship cosplay contest of Anime India Kolkata, it featured a prize pool of Rs 1,20,000. Judging criteria included crafting (50 per cent), fit and mobility (30 per cent), and disposition (20 per cent). Prizes were set at Rs 60,000 for first place, Rs 25,000 for second, Rs 15,000 for third, along with four Judges’ Choice Awards of Rs 5,000 each. Next in line was Anime India Live House: Local Talents, showcasing performances from emerging artists and giving the spotlight to homegrown creativity. The last event of the day on the Flagship Stage was Anime India Live House: Yura Akari & Misaki, where the guest artists brought music and energy to close out the stage’s lineup.
The first program on the Panel Stage was a fan panel titled Beyond Romance: Rewriting the Narrative on Shoujo & Josei. The discussion examined how these genres go beyond traditional romance, highlighting themes of personal growth, resilience, and diverse storytelling that resonate with audiences today. This was followed by another fan panel titled Battling Monsters with Your Boyfriends: How Love and Deepspace Flips the Otome Game Genre and Continues to Top Charts. The session explored how the game redefines the otome experience by blending romance with action, offering fresh storytelling that has kept it at the top of the charts.
Up next was a screening of Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (Japanese with English subtitles), giving fans a chance to enjoy the series together on the big screen. Post the screening was an 18 plus fan panel titled She, the Ultimate Weapon: Japan’s Beautiful Fighting Girls Who Conquered the World. The session explored the rise of powerful female characters in Japanese media and how they shaped global perceptions of anime and pop culture. Next in line was another 18+ event, My Little Quiz Can’t Be This Cute (quiz finals), which brought fans together in a spirited competition with a playful twist on the quiz format.
Moving ahead, the focus shifted to an industry fireside chat titled How can Kolkata lead Design & Creativity in India (Bangla & English). The speakers for this session were HiTech Animation founder and managing director Subrata Roy, former additional IP chief secretary and retired IAS Debashis Sen and Kolkata Literary Meet curator director Malavika Banerjee. The session was moderated by Techno India Group chief innovation officer Meghdut Roy Chowdhury. The discussion focused on Kolkata’s potential to emerge as a hub for design and creativity in India, with insights on nurturing talent and fostering innovation.
Following the atmosphere created by the event, the stage prepped for the next fan panel titled In‑betweening the Key Frames of Time: How Anime Puts the Story in History. The session looked at how anime weaves historical themes into its narratives, using visual storytelling to connect past and present. The last segment on this stage was Fan Panel Workshop (Part II), continuing the interactive format and giving attendees hands-on insights into fan‑driven creativity and discussion.
On the Add‑O‑Otaku Stage, the day began with the Closet Cosplay event. Focused on creativity over expenditure, it challenged participants to craft costumes within a budget of Rs 3,000 using thrifted clothing, repurposed household items, or improvised materials such as wigs made from wool or fabric. Next was Cosplay Show‑and‑Tell, a presentation‑based event where participants shared their passion for a character or series through storytelling and explanation, with the emphasis on personal connection rather than elaborate costumes. The last event on the Add‑O‑Otaku Stage was The OG Anime Quiz (Finals), where participants tested their knowledge in a spirited contest celebrating classic anime.
The Shoutengai Stage opened with an industry presentation titled Techno India University – Mission & Vision, conducted by Techno India Group director professor Ujjwal Chowdhury.
Next in the line was a fan panel titled Hanakoloid & UTAU: Synthesize Your Sound, Vocaloid Style, where fans explored the creative world of voice synthesis and how Vocaloid and UTAU open up new possibilities for music production. Up next was an interactive session by Zebu Animation Studio. The session was titled If You Can’t Read a Film, You are Only Watching It. Conducted by Datsi School for Storytellers director Michael Manuel Joseph and Zebu Animation Studio concept artist Samhita Shandilya, the session encouraged participants to look deeper into cinematic language and storytelling techniques.
The next fan panel was Everyone Keeps Opening Dark Fountains – How to Design Your Very Own Darkner OC, where fans discussed creative approaches to building original characters inspired by the Deltarune universe. This was followed by an interactive session by Wacom. The speaker for this session was Wacom India regional sales manager Vikas Jaiswal. Post this was another interactive session by XP Pen, an Anime Quiz with NinjazGirl. The session was conducted by XP Pen artist Roshni “NinjazGirl” Mishra, engaging fans in a lively quiz format. Next was the Shoutengai Mini Live: Local Talents, showcasing performances by emerging artists and giving the stage to homegrown creativity.
Moving ahead was an interactive session conducted by Huion India country manager Rajeev Nagar. To bring back the energy, up next was another fan panel titled How Your Favourite Anime/Manga May Not Be the Same After Learning Japanese. The session highlighted how understanding the original language can shift interpretations of characters, dialogue, and cultural nuances.
The last event on the Shoutengai Stage was the much‑awaited Aidol, presented by Amazon MX Player. Bringing the spirit of anime music to life, performers took to the stage to sing their favorite songs from across the medium. In keeping with the tradition of idol culture, special emphasis was placed on renditions from popular idol franchises.
The meet and greet with Susumu Mitsunaka gave fans the opportunity to interact directly with the acclaimed anime director in a more personal setting. A fan panel titled City‑pop: How New York’s Nights Gave Us Modern Japanese Music, traced the genre’s roots in western influences and its evolution into a uniquely Japanese soundscape. This was followed by another fan panel titled All About CLAMP: No Sakura Were Harmed in This Timeline, celebrating the works of the iconic manga collective and exploring their influence on generations of readers. The next fan panel was How to Not Survive an Apocalypse – An Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Encyclopedia, a playful exploration of the popular web novel’s themes, where fans discussed character archetypes, survival tropes, and creative ways to design their own encyclopedic takes on apocalyptic storytelling.
The next segment was an 18‑plus fan panel titled Agree, Disagree, Destroy: Hot Takes in the Animeverse!, where fans debated bold opinions and challenged each other’s perspectives on anime and manga in a lively, no‑holds‑barred format. The next fan panel was The World as Narrator: From Software’s Secrets of Environmental Storytelling, and the Silent Power of Dark Souls, where fans examined how atmosphere, design, and subtle cues in Dark Souls and other FromSoftware titles convey narrative without words. The last fan panel on this stage was The Currents of Anime, a reflective discussion on the evolving trends, influences, and cultural waves shaping anime across generations.
As the curtains fell on Anime India Kolkata 2026, the festival’s final day in the city stood as a testament to the passion and creativity of its community. From thought‑provoking industry sessions and fan‑driven panels to electrifying performances and cosplay showcases, the event captured the full spectrum of anime and gaming culture. The finale not only celebrated Kolkata’s role in shaping India’s creative landscape but also reinforced Anime India’s mission of building bridges across fandoms nationwide. With memories made, voices shared, and talents spotlighted, the Kolkata chapter closed on a high note setting the stage for the festival’s onward journey across India, where new cities and new audiences await the same spirit of imagination and exchange.
