The Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, successfully hosted WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga Contest) in Mumbai today. Following its resounding success across cities like Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Varanasi, and Delhi, WAM! continues to champion India’s creator economy under the Create in India initiative.

Held at Whistling Woods International, the event saw an outstanding 297 participants competing across three key categories—Manga, Webtoon, and Anime—alongside a Voice Acting showdown (34 participants) and an electrifying Cosplay contest (45 participants).

Industry Stalwarts Celebrate India’s Growing Anime & Manga Scene

WAM! is a flagship segment of WAVES (World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit), India’s largest AVGC-XR and media industry platform. The event featured some of the most respected names in the industry, including:

Mr. Sushil Bhasin – President, Media & Entertainment Association of India
Mr. Abhishek Dutta – Associate Vice President – Acquisition & Programming (Kids Cluster), Star India Pvt Ltd
Mr. Sumeet Pathak – Actor, Chief Operating Officer & Managing Director, Gulmohar Media
Mr. Ankur Javeri – Actor, Voice Artist, and Founder & Past President of the Association of Voice Artists
Mr. Jazyl Homavazir – 2D Animation Professional and Creator of India’s first Manga – Beast Legion
Ms. Dakshata Pawar – COSPLAY Artist and founder of MAGE

The event culminated in a grand award ceremony honoring the next generation of Indian manga, anime, and webtoon creators.

The Champions of WAM! Mumbai 2025

The grand finale of WAM! 2025 was a celebration of creativity and innovation, with awards presented to the most outstanding creators in each category. Here’s a look at the winners:

Voice Acting Competition:

Winner: Chinchakar Ganesh Sanyog
Runner-ups: Aditi Joshi & Payal Vishal

Cosplay Contest

Winner: Kaizad Sheshbaradaran as Okarun
First Runner-up: Yash Mokal as Monkey D. Luffy
Second Runner-up: Esha Joshi as Robin

Manga Category

Student Winner: Jay Kumar Nagori
Professional Winner: Hriday Biswas

Webtoon Category:

Professional Winner: Eesha Chavan

Anime Category:

Student Winner: Chinmay Narote
Professional Winner: Reubun Saldanha

Exciting Rewards & Industry Recognition

The winners in the Manga, Webtoon, and Anime categories were presented with a host of exciting prizes, including WACOM Pen Tablets, Faber-Castell goodies, official merchandise from TRIO, and cash prizes. Notably, the Anime category winners were also awarded the opportunity to have their pilot episode dubbed in English, Hindi, and Japanese, opening doors for international exposure. Additionally, Toonsutra confirmed the distribution of the Webtoon winners’ work on their platform, giving them a wider audience.

India’s First Anime TRIO Makes Its Mark

In a special segment, attendees got an exclusive first look at TRIO, India’s first anime currently in development by Vaibhavi Studios, adding further excitement to the gathering.

Quote from Ankur Bhasin, Secretary, MEAI

“As WAM! reaches new heights, the enthusiasm from India’s anime and manga community is truly inspiring. Today’s turnout reinforces our belief that India is on the brink of becoming a major global player in animation and comics. This event isn’t just a competition—it’s a movement. We are committed to empowering artists, building a strong IP ecosystem, and ensuring Indian creators gain recognition on the world stage.”

WAM! – The Road Ahead

WAM! remains at the forefront of India’s efforts to develop animation, gaming, and manga as key creative industries, fostering innovation and nurturing homegrown talent.

Bookmark our Website to stay tuned for more updates as WAM! continues its journey, uniting and inspiring India’s next generation of manga, anime, and webtoon creators!