Strengthening the growing partnership between India and Japan in the creative technology sector, a series of initiatives focused on manga, anime, digital creativity, and skill development brought together Japanese industry experts, technology leaders, and India’s emerging AVGC ecosystem.
As part of the collaboration, a manga masterclass was held on 22 June 2026 in partnership with Wacom India, featuring renowned Japanese manga artist Akiko-San, who brought over three decades of industry experience. The session explored the history and evolution of manga, traditional creation techniques, storytelling approaches, and professional industry practices.
Hosted at the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai, the workshop was conducted in two batches of 30 participants each, including a dedicated session for IICT students and another open to the public. The free masterclass attracted more than 250 registrations.
As part of the engagement, a strategic meeting was held between Wacom Japan global head of the creative experience unit Koji Yano; Wacom India senior director Rajiv Malik; from Jetro Jenica Kalra; and representatives from IICT, including members of its leadership team and faculty from the animation and comics departments.
IICT CEO Dr Vishwas Deoskar stated, “India’s creative economy is at a stage where global partnerships, industry exposure and access to advanced tools will play a key role in building future-ready talent. Such initiatives will help create stronger pathways for learning, innovation and international engagement for aspiring creators.”
Wacom Japan creative experience unit global head Yano shared, “I hope this experience will inspire young creators and strengthen the creative connection between Japan and India. Wacom has been supporting creative education in India through its partnership with IICT, and we look forward to building an even stronger partnership to help nurture and empower many more creators in India.”
Wacom India senior director Malik added, “At Wacom, we believe India has the potential to become a global leader in the AVGC ecosystem. Our collaboration with IICT reflects Wacom’s long-term commitment to strengthening the country’s creator economy by investing in skill development, industry-academia partnerships and access to world-class digital creative technologies.”
The courses will provide a framework for joint workshops, expert-led sessions, industry-focused training programmes, access to professional creative tools, inter-institutional initiatives, Japanese anime artist-led courses, and mentorship opportunities for students.
