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Crunchyroll’s Head of Theatrical & Distribution, Mitchel Berger, shared insights into the global potential for anime during the Cannes Marché’s Animation Day and Streaming Forum.
Speaking with Deadline, Berger pointed to India, Latin America, and Southeast Asia as major growth markets for anime.
“There’s close to a billion people worldwide who are interested in anime. But when we look at specific territories, there’s big opportunity for us in India. Southeast Asia is also a place where we think there’s a lot of growth,” noted Berger.
While France has long been a stronghold for anime, Berger sees room for growth in other European countries. He also noted the Middle East’s young demographic as a promising market, and also Latin America, as a region with significant box office successes.
India’s Growth in the Anime Market:
Among the regions that are highlighted by Berger, here’s how India is quickly shaping up to be a major hotspot for anime.
Crunchyroll has already begun tailoring its content for Indian viewers, offering Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubs of popular anime series. This localized approach aligns with growing recognition of India’s anime market, further fueled by government initiatives like the WAVES Anime & Manga Contest (WAM!).
Launched by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with the Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), WAM! is the country’s first national program dedicated to promoting original Indian content in anime, manga, webtoons, and cosplay.
This contest is part of the “Create in India Challenge”, aiming to nurture local talent and tap into the growing interest in Japanese manga and anime among Indian audiences.
Demonstrating its commitment to the Indian market, Crunchyroll partnered with MEAI as the title sponsor for WAM! 2025.
As part of this collaboration, Crunchyroll introduced a Creator Development Grant, offering financial support to emerging Indian talent across various categories.
Crunchyroll has also been actively engaging with Indian fans through its presence at major pop culture events. They brought Natsuki Hane, the Japanese voice actor behind Tanjiro in Demon Slayer, and Yuma Takahashi, an Aniplex producer for the series, to Mumbai Comic Con 2024.
Building on this, at Mumbai Comic Con 2025, Crunchyroll brought in Kappei Yamaguchi and Hiroaki Hirata, the Japanese voice actors of Usopp and Sanji from One Piece, where they performed live dubbing for the audience.
However, Crunchyroll isn’t the only major player recognizing India’s anime potential. Sony YAY! has also made significant inroads by bringing popular franchises like Jujutsu Kaisen and Naruto to Indian television.
The channel’s dedicated anime block has dominated TV ratings, attracting record viewership across the country, according to a recent interview with Animehunch.
Sujoy, Sony YAY!’s marketing head, also indicated in the interview that simulcasting anime on Indian linear TV channels is a distinct possibility in the future.
Adding to the growing momentum, TV Asahi has also recognized the potential of the Indian market. After a long-held ambition, the broadcaster has officially released a Shin Chan movie in India, Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary.
This move, according to Maiko Sumida, Head of Animation Sales and Development at TV Asahi, was a long-term ambition made possible by the increasing popularity of anime in India.
