Anime can no longer be called just a popular art form originating from Japan. Seasoned otakus (anime fans in Japanese) now stand to make ‘big money’ as they turn their passion into profit in a market that has already crossed $1 billion and is projected to grow at over 11-13% annually through 2030 in India.
India has emerged as the world’s second-largest anime market with 118 million viewers across TV and digital platforms, accounting for nearly 10% of the population, as per a FICCI-EY report released earlier this year. Also, 50% of Gen Z and millennials are now watching anime content weekly.
Life-Changing Cash and Cars
So no surprise then that anime contests are becoming seriously big when it comes to money. One of the largest ever prize pools for an anime art contest globally is happening in Chennai, where winners stand to win from Rs 3 crore, including a 2-BHK house. The GIANT Hunt, an international anime art contest organised by IMAGE Infotainment, a creative education provider based in Chennai, opened on April 1, with entries closing on June 30. Results are expected by the end of July, followed by an awards ceremony on August 8-9.
On offer are a range of rewards, including a 2-BHK home for the best overall artwork, cars, motorcycles, gold coins, PlayStation consoles and more in each category and a trip to Japan for nine winners (exclusive to entries from India).
“We wanted prizes that change lives. Because that is the message we are sending — that being a serious anime artist in India is a life-sustaining, dignity-conferring and materially rewarding pursuit,” says K Kumar, founder and CEO of Image Group of Companies.
“We are no longer talking about a niche interest among a handful of English-speaking urban fans. We are talking about a cultural movement, a billion-dollar market, and box-office power that is attracting attention in Tokyo and Hollywood alike,” adds Kumar.
If that’s not enough, just refer to the recently-held Delhi edition of Anime India, considered the largest anime convention and anison concert in the country, bringing fans, creators, and global guests together. During the two-day event, anime enthusiasts won a total prize pool of `3 lakh across its cosplay contests.
The flagship Grand Cosplay Royale event offered a cash pool of Rs 2 lakh, with Rs 1 lakh going to the first place, followed by Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 for the second and third spots, respectively. Similarly, the Cosplay Show ’n Tell and Closet Cosplay events had a prize pool of Rs 50,000 each.
Meanwhile, Anime India is also holding Anime Idea Contest, a global anime contest connecting creators from Japan and India, in association with Anime Times, a Japanese anime streaming platform. Your ‘anime ideas’ can now get you 1,000,000 Japanese yen (close to Rs 6 lakh) as part of the ‘Video Category Grand Prize’ and 300,000 Japanese yen (about Rs 1.78 lakh) in the ‘Idea Category Prize’. The deadline for submission of applications is July 31.
Box Office Records
The GIANT Hunt and the Anime India contests highlight the scale and financial backing that anime art is attracting in India. Before 2020, the country saw just about five to six annual theatrical releases for anime films. The figure has now expanded to 15-16 films a year. Also, franchises like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle released across 600 Indian cities and 1,900 screens, collecting Rs 47.7 crore in its opening week in September last year. Its presale tickets even beat top grossing Hollywood movies like Frozen 2.
The EY-FICCI India M&E Report 2026 puts the broader context well. India’s overall animation and VFX segment stood at Rs 105 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to Rs 138 billion by 2028. “Demand for anime content is increasing by leaps and bounds and there is a scarcity of trained talent in the country. It’s definitely a great time to enter the industry and make it a successful career,” says Anjan Cariappa MM, who has been part of the animation industry for more than three decades now.
“Anime started seeing traction in India in the last decade or so and there was a spike during the Covid lockdown. Unique storytelling and animation style are the main reasons for viewers to start gravitating towards anime,” adds Cariappa, who directed one of the world’s earliest and India’s first 3D animated film Alibaba in 2000.
“Anime has risen in a huge way in India and it was only a matter of time. Audiences are evolving, their tastes are changing. Anime resonates way more with the youth,” says Jazyl Homavazir, an anime artist and creator of The Beast Legion, an award-winning fantasy web manga series from India.
Globally, the anime market is anticipated to reach $34.9 billion in 2026, with projections pointing to nearly $79 billion by 2036. Taking note of this opportunity, even centuries-old auction powerhouses are now entering the space. In March, Christie’s hosted its first-ever anime-focused auction titled ‘Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition’, which soared 4x its low estimate, with 90% of the lots sold. The top anime work was Ito Ikuko’s Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, which went almost 18 times its low estimate, to realise $88,900.