Event Coverage
Mipcom Junior kick starts in Cannes
CANNES: The winds were gusty and howling at Canne’s Le Croissette on the eve of the flag off of Reed Midem’s Mipcom Junior market at The Hotel Martinez.
One could see some summer wear during the warm day giving way to protective gear such as cardigans and sweaters as late evening grew. Would the response to this year’s Mipcom Junior be as cold as the cold evening wind?
The fear proved unfounded even as night gave way to day. This morning the sun shone bright and while it was breezy, the nip in the air was not as cold. In fact, it had given way to warmth and sweat was seen streaming down executives’ necks even as they got down to focusing on two days of trying to understand what kind of programming will be on offer globally for young international TV audiences during the coming season.
Pilots and finished series for half hours, and movies – both animation and features – were slated to be on offer. Programme acquisition executives from television networks and channels, distributors and sales people from production houses from countries as diverse as US to Hungary to Spain to France were all seen scurrying around.
The mood was extremely businesslike with the screening booths witnessing rapid activity as buyers made their bookings for VHS from the library of what they wanted to watch even as a young Frenchman dressed up as Pink Panther kept going around in the lobby of the Hotel Martinez keeping everyone distracted.
Prominent in the lobby of the Martinez was also the Licensing and Merchandising Lounge which had representatives from Cinar Entertainment, MGM, Warner Brothers, among others displaying their wares in order to strike deals to put their characters on products ranging from text books to shoes to clothing to toys and what have you.
Today’s major gigs were slated to be the opening conference (at 15 hrs Cannes time) on Licensing and Merchandising moderated by License USA editor-in-chief Joyceann Cooney. The two main speakers for this chat session were slated to be 4Kids Entertainment Chairman and CEO Alfred Kahn and Warner Brothers Consumer Products Executive Vice President Worldwide Marketing Jordan Sollitto. This was to be followed by an opening cocktail at the same venue.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
