Event Coverage
Mouse all over the Mart
CANNES: Remarkable! How a year can make such a difference to a network. If there is one media powerhouse that seems to be here, there and everywhere at Mipcom 2005 it is Disney. Right from the main Palais and splashed across the frontal facades of the main hotels facing the waterfront, the Little Big Mouse can be seen almost anywhere you look.
And it’s not as if Disney is doing the Mickey on the delegates attending the mart. It’s been a stellar year on the television front for the media powerhouse. And all of that great news has been principally on the back of three monster global hits – Desperate Housewives, Lost and Grey’s Anatomy. ABC is currently the number one network in the US and has shown double digit ratings growth in all demographics.
As for Buena Vista International Television, the distribution arm of Walt Disney Television International, it’s been a wild ride on the gravy train. $ 1 billion in revenues, and 28 per cent growth and counting are just some of the numbers thrown up by BVITV.
Not surprisingly, a huge amount of business for BVITV has been coming in from the “emerging markets” (maybe its time they did away with that nomenclature) India, China, Russia and Central Europe.
As regards properties that are expected to make a splash when they hit Indian shores BVITV-AP senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister mentioned Grey’s Anatomy (the medical drama is second biggest new show in the US) and Commander In Chief (revolves around the US president). In the kids category, there is Little Einstein, O Ban Star Racer (part of the Jetix block) and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
A notable feature at Mipcom is that Disney has made the mart the launch pad for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The education oriented CGI animated series will premiere on Disney channels worldwide in the second quarter of 2006 and will be available for debut on terrestrial outlets in September 2006.
And in keeping with the general gung ho feel within BVITV, the market has seen a number of announcements being made. Some of the notable ones of interest to Asia include the local production for India of Extreme Makeover and the sale of Home Improvement in the Russian territory.
Meanwhile, BVITV-Asia Pacific announced today that it had completed a deal with Korea’s largest multi-program provider Orion Cinema Network, to acquire Asian distribution rights for OCN’s first TV miniseries production, COMA. The show is expected to start broadcasting in Korea in November on OCN’s movie channel. Among other announcements made today was the production licencing agreement for the reality series I Wanna Be A Soap Star with Ukranian commercial broadcaster Inter TV.
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.
