9 months ago
Indian Comics Evolve to Compete with Anime
Indian comic book heroes like Chacha Chaudhary and Nagraj are getting a modern makeover.
Publishers are adding new stories about things like mental health and using AI to make these old favorites appealing to younger generations who love anime.
They're also making animated versions of these characters to reach more people.
Even though anime is very popular, Indian comics are trying to keep up by making their stories more relatable and fun for today's kids and teens.
Some of these comics are even being sold online quickly, making it easy for fans to buy them.
The goal is to keep these classic characters loved by both old and new fans.
Indian comic heroes are being modernized to appeal to Gen Z and compete with anime.
Publishers like Prans and ACK Media are updating stories to include themes like mental health and AI.
Animation projects are being developed for characters like Suppandi and Shikari Shambu.
Manga sales have surged, accounting for 70-80% of comics sales in Bengaluru.
Indian comics are expanding digitally and through quick-commerce platforms for easier access.
- Who
- Indian comic publishers and creators
- What
- Indian comics are being modernized to appeal to Gen Z and compete with anime
- Where
- India, with a focus on digital and animation adaptations
- When
- Ongoing, with recent updates and projects
- Why
- To stay relevant and attract younger audiences who prefer anime and manga
Key facts
- Indian Comic Heroes
- Chacha Chaudhary, Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv, Doga, Suppandi, Shikari Shambu
- Anime Legends
- Naruto, Tanjiro, Goku, Saitama, Light Yagami, Luffy
- Publishers
- Diamond Comics, Raj Comics, Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle
- Gen Z Appeal
- Selfies, AI, Mental Health, Modern Themes
- Revenue Shift
- Millennials spending ₹200-1,000 on comics
- Animation Projects
- Suppandi, Shikari Shambu, Chacha Chaudhary
- Manga Sales
- 70-80% of comics sales in Bengaluru
- India's Animation Market
- Expected to grow to $14 billion by 2030
Quotes
Savio Mascarenhas
Group art director at ACK Media
“To stay relevant across generations, we’re reworking our old IPs while creating new ones for younger audiences. For instance, we’re developing stories about a young girl in a wheelchair going on adventures, a trio of high-spending teenage girls raised by a cost-conscious father, and an adventure series set in a modern international school—all relatable themes for today’s youth”
livemint.com
“In the late ’90s, when we were creating fantasy stories like Janoo and Wooly Woo at Tinkle, we faced the same thing with Harry Potter. Anime is a competitor that won’t go away. The only way for a comic to survive is to catch the pulse of readers and keep evolving”
livemint.com
Faisal Mohammad
Founder of Garbage Bin Studios
“Millennials who once bought books for ₹10 are now spending up to ₹1,000 on special editions, and an average of ₹200-300 on the latest releases”
livemint.com
Saraansh Pran
Head of studio at Prans and grandson of legendary cartoonist Pran
“We aim to keep our intellectual properties (IPs) evergreen by staying true to their original flavour while modernizing the packaging of content”
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Sanjay Gupta
Co-founder of Raj Comics
“Gen Z is 'compelled' to read manga because, despite India’s rich comic legacy, readers lack access to high-quality, up-to-date content that suits their tastes”
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Raúl González Bernal
Vice president of regional marketing at Crunchyroll
“Localization has been key—Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubs account for a significant share of our viewership and have helped anime move firmly into the mainstream. We’re also seeing early signs of a shift toward digital manga consumption, in line with global trends”
livemint.com
Mayi Gowda
Owner of Bengaluru’s iconic Blossom Book House
“Manga now accounts for nearly 70-80% of comics sales, far outpacing Indian titles. Demand has surged because many manga series come with OTT (over-the-top content platforms) tie-ins—once a show releases on Netflix, sales pick up immediately”
livemint.com
Vedang Patel
Co-founder of The Souled Store
“Pop culture stays relevant because it keeps evolving. If one character stops trending, a new show or storyline takes over—that’s the beauty of this ecosystem”
livemint.com
Sumit Kumar
Founder of Bakarmax
“The biggest difference between ’90s comics and today’s is that new creators aren’t trying to appeal to everyone. We make what we enjoy, and it naturally finds its own niche audience”
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