Ready to Anime? Rashmika & Shubman Level Up Crunchyroll

MUMBAI: Anime isn’t just sneaking into India’s living rooms any more, it’s bursting through the door with a celebrity double act that’s hard to ignore. Crunchyroll has launched its cheeky new India campaign, “Ready to Anime?”, starring actor Rashmika Mandanna and cricket star Shubman Gill in a two-part ad film that perfectly captures how Japanese animation has gone from niche obsession to everyday entertainment staple.

The first spot drops during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with extra airtime woven into Shark Tank India Season 5 on Sony Liv. The second film is lined up for the IPL season, ensuring anime stays front and centre across live sport, streaming binges and casual viewing moments.

The storyline is delightfully simple yet spot-on. On a shoot set, anime enthusiast Rashmika enthusiastically pitches Solo Leveling to Shubman. He nods politely… then keeps glancing at his phone. Everyone assumes he’s distracted until the reveal: he’s completely hooked, streaming on Crunchyroll. Message received: once anime grabs you, good luck stepping away.

Rashmika brings genuine super-fan energy, while Shubman plays the perfect relatable newcomer, bridging longtime otakus and curious first-timers. Together they mirror how anime is crossing over from dedicated fandom into broader cultural chat.

A 2025 National Research Group study (commissioned by Crunchyroll) backs up the buzz, 62 per cent of general entertainment consumers in India say they “love” or “like” Japanese anime. Among teenagers the figure rockets to 74 per cent, making them the most passionate age bracket by far.

Crunchyroll vice president of regional marketing Raúl González Bernal called the pairing a natural fit. “Anime is evolving into a normal part of daily entertainment in India,” he said, noting how the campaign uses two massive influencers from film and sport to show its widening appeal across interests and backgrounds.

Tilt Brand Solutions (under Quotient Ventures) crafted the campaign, with production handled by Studioq. It will roll out across TV, connected TV, digital platforms and social media nationwide.

On the service side, Crunchyroll offers more than 900 anime titles in India, including over 160 dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. New episodes land the same day they air in Japan, with subscriptions kicking off at just Rs 99 per month.

In a market where global pop culture keeps finding fresh footholds, this campaign proves anime isn’t waiting for permission to become mainstream, it’s already here, phone in hand, ready for the next binge.