After a wait of almost four months, the WAVES Anime & Manga Contest (WAM!) is returning with its new chapter in Mumbai.
The Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, is bringing WAM! to Mumbai on March 23, 2025.
The contest will be hosted at Whistling Woods International and is anticipated to draw over 200 participants. You can still register by heading over to the official website of WAM!
This event marks the next stop in WAM!’s nationwide tour, following successful gatherings in Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, and Delhi. The previous instalment of the competition came in Nov 30, 2024 at Varanasi.
Competitors will showcase their talents in categories including Manga (Japanese-style comics), Webtoon (digital comics), and Anime (Japanese-style animation). Beyond the competitions, the event will feature a Voice Acting and Cosplay competition, as well as an exclusive sneak peek of TRIO, touted as India’s first homegrown anime currently in development by Vaibhavi Studios.
The day will culminate in an award ceremony to recognize the winners and celebrate their achievements.
A panel of esteemed industry veterans will be present to evaluate the competition and present the awards, including Mr. Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Vice President of Whistling Woods International and CEO of the National Centre of Excellence – Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics & Extended Reality; Mr. Abhishek Dutta, Associate Vice President – Acquisition & Programming (Kids Cluster) at Star India Pvt Ltd; Mr. Sumeet Pathak, Actor, Chief Operating Officer & Managing Director of Gulmohar Media; Mr. Ankur Javeri, Actor, Voice Actor and Founder and Past President of the Association of Voice Artists; and Mr. Jazyl Homavazir, a 2D Animation professional and creator of India’s first Manga, Beast Legion.
Ankur Bhasin, Secretary of MEAI, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming event, stating, “As WAM! makes its way to Mumbai, we are excited to witness the growing enthusiasm for manga and anime in India. This event transcends competition; it is a celebration of creativity and an opportunity for artists to showcase their unique voices. Our commitment to fostering a robust IP ecosystem in India is unwavering, and we believe that events like WAM! will play a pivotal role in establishing our nation as a powerhouse for creative content on the global stage.”
WAM! is a significant component of the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES), recognized as India’s largest platform for the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics & Extended Reality) and media industries.
With WAM! MEAI seeks to stimulate the creation of intellectual property (IP) and further popularize manga and anime throughout India. The initiative aims to nurture a pipeline of creative talent and drive innovation within these burgeoning industries.
Source: Press Release
