印度动漫产业的扩张：本土动画内容和漫画故事的兴起

India’s animation and comic industry is undergoing a dynamictransformation, evolving from a service-based outsourcing hub into avibrant ecosystem of original storytelling, culturally rooted characters,and globally relevant intellectual properties (Ips). At its core, animation refers to the process of creating moving visualsthrough successive frames, encompassing 2D, 3D, stop-motion, and CGItechniques. Comics, on the other hand, are sequential art forms thatcombine visuals and text to narrate stories, often serialised throughmagazines, digital platforms, or graphic novels. In recent years, theconvergence of these formats has given rise to cross-platformstorytelling, where IPs like ‘Chhota Bheem’ or ‘Bahubali’ seamlesslytransition from comics to animated series, mobile games, merchandise,and streaming platforms. This interplay between formats is creating atransmedia narrative universe that engages audiences across age groupsand media channels.D The significance of this sector lies in itspotential to contribute to India’s creativeeconomy, a sector driven by knowledge,talent, and cultural capital. With risingdemandfor regional and relatablecontent,India’s homegrown animationand comics are not just entertainmentassetsbut also powerful vehicles ofe c o no m i cg r ow t h .T he y g e ne r a teemploymentacross sectors,includingde s i g n ,vo i c e a c t i n g ,pu bl i s h i n g ,technology,and education,while alsoencouragingentrepreneurship in IPcreation and licensing. Moreover, India’s animation and comiccontent is becoming a key tool in its softpower strategy, projecting Indian culture,m y t ho lo g y,a nd v a l ue s to g lob a laudiences. As countries increasingly seekto influence global perceptions throughculturalexports,India's indigenousstorytelling has begun carving its nichealongsideJapanese anime,Americansuperheroes, and Korean webtoons. Withstrategic support from the governmentand industry stakeholders, India stands atthe cusp of positioning its animation andcomic industry not just as a domesticsuccessstory but as a global culturalforce. andhistorical stories among Indianreaders and created an early template forindigenous storytelling. In the 1980s and90s, Raj Comics introduced a new waveofIndian superheroes such as Nagraj,S u p e rC o m m a n d o D h r u v a ,a n dDoga—charactersrooted in Indiansettingsbut inspired by Westernsuperhero tropes. The Indian animation industry, however,started gaining momentum much later.In the early 2000s, animation studios inIndiaprimarily served as outsourcingpartners for global entertainment giantslikeDisney,Nickelodeon,and CartoonNetwork.While this built a skilledw o r k f o r c e ,i t a l s o d e l a y e d t h edevelopment of local content. A turningpoint came with the creation of ChhotaBheemby Green Gold Animation in2008.It was one of the first Indiana n i m a te ds e r ie s to g a i n m a s s i venationwidepopularity and generate ascalablemerchandising and licensingmodel. It marked the rise of homegrownIP and changed industry perceptions. EVOLUTION OF THE ANIMATION& COMIC INDUSTRY IN INDIA TheIndian animation and comicindustry has evolved from a niche, under-recognized sector into a growing pillar ofthecountry’s creative economy.Itsjourneyhas been marked by steadyp r o g r e s s ,e a r l y d e p e n d e n c e o ninternationalinfluences,and,morerecently, a significant rise in indigenouscontent creation. Brief history and milestones F r o mf o r e i g n i n fl u e n c e t o t heindigenous movement The foundation of India’s comic culturewas laid in the 1960s and 70s, with thelaunch of iconic brands like Amar ChitraKatha (1967) and Indrajal Comics. Thesepublicationspopularized mythological Initially,much of India’s content washeavilyinfluenced by Western andJapaneseanimation,both in style andnarrative. However, in the past decade,D creators have increasingly drawn fromIndian folklore, mythology, and everydaylife to tell stories that resonate locallywhile also appealing to global audiences.Characters like ‘Motu Patlu’, ‘Shiva’, andNetflix’s ‘Mighty Little Bheem’ reflect thisshift,with the latter achieving globalsuccess as a non-verbal show watched inover 190 countries. production pipelines, smaller studios andindividualcreators can now producehigh-quality content at lower costs. Thesurge of OTT platforms, YouTube, andInstagramhas also enabled direct-to-au d ie n c ed i s t r i bu t io n ,b y p a s s i n gtraditional broadcast bottlenecks. Webcomics and digital-first content arealsothriving,with platforms likeWebtoonIndia,Pratilipi Comics,andartist-ledInstagram pages becomingpopularstorytelling channels.Thesedevelopments are expanding the reach ofindigenous stories to newer, younger, andmore diverse audiences. Key studios and publishing houses Several key players shape India’s creativelandscape: This movement is also visible in comics,w h e r ep u b l i s h e r s h a v e b e g u nreinterpretingtraditional tales with amoderncinematic flair.Graphic India,fori