When every click is counted and every character has a potential merchandise price tag, has animation lost a little of its magic? That was the question at the ‘Has Monetisation Stolen the Magic?’ panel at Animation & More Summit 2026, where the industry took a hard look at the tug-of-war between creative ambition and commercial reality.
The discussion brought together Carmond Infinity founder and CEO Ananthakrishnan T.U; Artha Animation CEO Gaurav Malhotra; and Ssoftoons Entertainment Media co-founder and CEO Sourav Mondal, with Vaibhav More Films founder/director Vaibhav More, moderating.
The panel questioned whether an industry increasingly driven by analytics, monetisation targets and toy shelves risked producing animation that was formulaic, predictable and, quite simply, less magical.
The conversation centred on how studios could protect the creative core while still keeping the business ticking. The panellists explored ways to give writers and animators room to take creative risks, rather than allowing every decision to be dictated by numbers. But creativity and commerce need not be sworn enemies. The discussion also examined the financial value of artistic excellence, particularly how emotionally resonant, high-quality stories can build stronger audiences and sustain longer monetisation lifecycles than products designed purely around short-term commercial returns.
The panel also tackled the delicate relationship between commercial producers and creative directors and the need to find a balance where budgets, business objectives and creative instincts can coexist without one swallowing the other.
The debate arrived as Animation & More Summit 2026 broadened its gaze towards the global animation and anime ecosystem. The landmark edition featured international industry voices including Naruto and Naruto Shippuden director Hayato Date, alongside Sakamoto Days and Dr. Stone producer Ryota Hasegawa.
Running alongside the summit, Anime India brought fans, creators, artists, studios and brands together through a packed line-up of experiences, including shoutengai street, artist alley, gaming zones, fan panels, live concerts, screenings and cosplay experiences.
Together, the summit and festival reflected an industry that is growing fast but also asking harder questions about what it wants to become. Because audiences may buy merchandise, follow algorithms and drive the numbers. But in animation, the magic still has to come first.
