JetSynthesys has launched an insightful survey on anime consumption in India on the occasion of World Anime Day on 15 April. A leading force in the digital entertainment category, JetSynthesys aims to encourage and increase conversations around the niche category in India and highlight the massive demand for this genre of entertainment. Showing intent and inclination of audiences in our country, the survey found that 83 per cent of the individuals were biased towards anime across all animated content options, with 48 per cent favouring Naruto, 38 per cent voting for Death Note and 38 per cent inclined towards Attack on Titan, making these the top three favourites in India.
Interestingly, with the proclivity for the consumption of anime content amongst Indians being high, it has also led to a stronger connection between fans of the medium and all things Japanese with 50 per cent wanting to have better understanding of the culture, the language, the food, coupled with a strong desire to actually visit Japan. 84 per cent of the participants indicated that they were willing to invest in merchandise and would pay a substantial amount for the same, showcasing a high demand but, a supply shortage of homegrown players in this category.
Anime fans from across age groups, predominantly Gen Z and millennial have extended their interest to experience deeper engagement avenues. During the survey they expressed how they’d love to participate in anime related game-offs and are on the lookout for dedicated platforms that cater to all things anime. On the flip side, majority of the fans found it difficult to find like-minded people and fellow fans to discuss and partake in the fandom surrounding anime. This exhibits the giant window for brands based out of Japan, the capital of anime, to address and build a stronger base in India.
Deep diving into this further, JetSynthesys vice chairman and MD Rajan Navani, said, “While nascent, Anime as a category is attracting high interest and demand in a market like India. For the longest time, the category suffered from a perception challenge, getting labeled as kids’ content. However, this perception has shifted, especially in the last decade, yielding a huge headroom for growth and potential for the industry to enter mainstream conversations in India. Interestingly, in addition to the growth of anime as a content category, the bedrock of anime, i.e., animation will also have a critical role to play in future especially with respect to emerging technologies like the Metaverse. The visual aspects of immersive experiences like AR/VR/XR will be greatly elevated through advanced animation and this will open up a world of possibilities for people to explore animation as a source of livelihood. We hope that this study brings to light this massive untapped opportunity for both global and Indian players in the ecosystem to work together to grow this space further in the country.”