Bengaluru played host to an electrifying edition of the WAVES Anime & Manga Contest (WAM!) on April 15, 2025, at VVN Degree College, Basavanagudi. A celebration of Indian creativity in anime, manga, webtoons, and cosplay, WAM! Bengaluru marked the final state-level qualifier before the National Finale at WAVES 2025.

What made the event truly special was the diverse age group and wide reach — with participants as young as 9 years old, and creators and cosplayers traveling from other cities such as Raipur and Chennai to take part in the contest. The energy, enthusiasm, and creativity on display proved that Indian youth are not just consuming global content — they’re ready to create it.

Esteemed Jury Panel:

•    Veerendra Patil, Founder, Zebu Animation
•    Ajay Apparoop, Head of Special Projects, Studio Illuzion
•    Sushil Bhasin, Chairman & Managing Director, Bhasin Group
•    Vishakh Vijayan, ToonSutra

The jury applauded the participants for their imagination, technical skill, and storytelling sensibility — noting the strong emergence of Indian-themed narratives and original world-building across categories.

Launch of Anime Bengaluru Club

WAM! Bengaluru also witnessed the official launch of the Anime Bengaluru Club — a community-driven collective for anime and manga lovers in the city. Founder-President Sayantan Ghosh shared that the club will organize regular meetups, anime watch parties, manga reading circles, and other community-building activities throughout the year. He expressed gratitude to WAM! for offering a national platform that helped catalyze the launch of this much-needed fan collective.

Winners:

•    Manga - Student - Rohit Sharma
•    Manga - Professional - Mukunda K
•    Webtoon Professional - Vishal Maravi
•    Anime Professional – Ganesh
•    COSPLAY
◦    Winner - Puneeth v
◦    Runner Up - Prerana Bagrecha
◦    Second Runner Up - Sherone D'Souza 
•    Voice Acting
◦    Winner - Poonam Tripathi
◦    Runner Up - Sherone D'Souza 

Prizes & Opportunities

State-level winners were awarded:
•    WACOM Pen Tablets
•    Faber-Castell Art Goodies
•    Official TRIO Merchandise
•    Cash Prizes
•    5 night stay + travel support to participate at WAM! Finale during WAVES (1-4 May 2024)

Winners will now advance to the WAM! National Finale, with the opportunity to win an all-expense-paid trip to Anime Japan 2026 in Tokyo, representing India’s original content on a global anime stage.

Additional Creative Support
•    Winning anime pilots will be dubbed in Hindi, English, and Japanese by Gulmohar Media, enhancing international reach.
•    Winning webtoons will be digitally distributed by Toonsutra, connecting Indian storytellers with global readers.

A Word from MEAI

“WAM! Bengaluru exceeded all expectations. As the final state-level qualifier, it was a showcase of raw talent and boundless imagination. From 9-year-old kids to working professionals, we saw stories that were rich, daring, and deeply rooted in personal vision. Bengaluru has once again proved to be a hub for future creators, and we’re proud to give them a national platform to rise.”
— Ankur Bhasin, Secretary, Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI)

About WAM!

WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga Contest) is India’s first national initiative to promote original Indian IPs in anime, manga, webtoons, and cosplay. Organized by the Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI) and supported by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, WAM! is part of WAVES – World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit, the country’s largest AVGC-XR industry platform.

Contact:
•    Website: https://meai.in/wam
•    Instagram: http://@meaiofficial
•    Email: http://secretary@meai.in

 

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