Anime India Mumbai’s fourth edition draws nearly 50,000, organisers say

Rithvik Sharma came to Anime India Mumbai dressed as a favourite anime character, one of nearly 50,000 people who attended the convention’s fourth edition, according to organisers.

The Mumbai event featured cosplay, gaming, music and fan art. Fans compared costumes, swapped recommendations and met others drawn to the same shows and characters. Pratham Jha attended as Spider-Man, while Hrishita Kothari chose Nami from *One Piece* for her first convention.

For Sharma, cosplay offered more than an outfit: “For a few hours, you are not just watching the story; you are part of it.”

Anime India co-founder Mishaal Wanvari said India has more than 100 million anime fans and that interest rose sharply after Covid, with fans increasingly looking for in-person spaces to meet and celebrate the medium. The Mumbai event included both first-time convention-goers and experienced cosplayers.