Anime is no longer niche, and otakus are no longer dismissed as geeks or nerds, or bullied in school corridors. Coming from a Tier 3 small town, I personally never knew what anime was as a child, even though I wholeheartedly loved watching Naruto and Pokémon, and occasionally Dragon Ball Z. Pokémon was my favourite, and I would religiously rush back from school to catch every episode at 5 pm. So imagine the disbelief when I realised that what was once dismissed as “just another cartoon” had now created a box office uproar strong enough to overtake mainstream Bollywood films.
The shift has been gradual, but decisive.
_Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – Infinity Castle Arc_ emerged as one of India’s highest-grossing films of 2025. Earlier, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 had also enjoyed massive theatrical success. Yet, there is a catch. While India’s anime fandom is expanding rapidly, much of the audience seems concentrated around a few headline titles, driven by hype cycles and peer conversations. Beyond the juggernauts like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, or Solo Leveling, several releases struggle to find comparable traction. A recent example is
_Chainsaw Man: The Reze Arc_, which, despite strong critical buzz, failed to replicate similar box office results.
This raises a larger question. How does anime move beyond urban pockets and blockbuster titles to establish deeper cultural roots across India?
Crunchyroll appears to have found a compelling answer. By bringing together actress Rashmika Mandanna and cricketer Shubman Gill as its India brand ambassadors, the platform is attempting something more layered than standard celebrity endorsement. The campaign frames Gill as a newcomer to anime who is gradually drawn into the medium through Mandanna’s recommendations, particularly Solo Leveling. Beyond its playful tone, the move reflects a calculated effort to shift perception, making anime feel familiar, approachable, and culturally embedded.
Rashmika Mandanna: Pan-India appeal meets anime fandom
Rashmika Mandanna’s casting is an intuitive choice. Over the years, she has established herself as a rare pan-India star, commanding visibility across Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema. Her reach cuts across language barriers, age brackets, and viewing preferences.
By positioning her as an open anime enthusiast, Crunchyroll effectively bridges the gap between Japanese animation and mainstream Indian entertainment. Her youthful image and relatability allow anime to enter households that may not otherwise explore the medium. More importantly, it normalises anime consumption among mainstream moviegoers, particularly young women, a demographic that has often remained peripheral in India’s anime discourse.
Shubman Gill: Cricket’s cultural scale meets anime curiosity
If cinema provides emotional resonance, cricket delivers unmatched reach. Shubman Gill’s presence extends anime’s visibility far beyond metropolitan youth clusters. Cricket transcends geography, language, and class in India, making Gill a gateway for introducing anime to casual viewers and family audiences.
His portrayal as a curious first-time viewer also carries symbolic weight. It subtly reinforces the idea that anime is not restricted to a particular age group or subculture. Discovery is possible at any stage, and enjoyment is not limited by prior familiarity.
The campaign’s timing further amplifies its impact. Launching during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ensures anime is placed within everyday viewing rituals rather than confined to niche digital spaces. It integrates seamlessly into India’s most dominant entertainment ecosystem.
Why Rashmika and Shubman together make strategic sense
Movies and cricket remain India’s two most powerful cultural forces. By aligning anime with both, Crunchyroll is tapping into emotional identification and mass scale simultaneously.
“As anime continues to grow in India, it’s evolving into a natural part of everyday entertainment,” said Raúl González Bernal, Vice President of Regional Marketing at Crunchyroll. “By bringing together anime superfan Rashmika and a newer fan like Shubman, two influential voices from film and sport, the campaign reflects how anime today connects with audiences across interests and backgrounds. Their participation underscores how anime has become part of broader cultural conversations in India.”
The statement underscores a clear intent to reposition anime from a subculture into mainstream pop culture.
Building fandom beyond urban bubbles
Crunchyroll’s strategy also extends well beyond celebrity association. Research commissioned by the platform indicates that teenagers form the most engaged anime audience in India, with nearly three out of four identifying as fans. This focus on younger demographics suggests long-term thinking, capturing viewers early, shaping viewing habits, and nurturing loyalty over time.
Equally important is language accessibility. Crunchyroll’s expanding catalogue of Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubs plays a crucial role in lowering entry barriers for first-time viewers. By offering anime in familiar languages, the platform is transforming it from a niche English or Japanese-led subculture into a mass-friendly entertainment format.
The broader ambition is evident. The campaign reflects a deliberate attempt to reframe anime as everyday pop culture rather than a specialised fandom. By embedding anime within dominant cultural spaces and pairing it with figures who command emotional and national appeal, Crunchyroll is engineering a perceptual shift. Anime, in this vision, is no longer alternative entertainment. It becomes part of India’s regular media consumption.
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