The much-awaited Kolkata Comic Con debuted with a bang on Saturday at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, drawing in pop culture enthusiasts from all over the city. From stunning cosplays to packed gaming arenas and a dedicated Crunchyroll booth for anime lovers, the first-ever Kolkata edition of the event ticked most boxes.
Powered by Crunchyroll, the pop culture event that celebrates several fandoms, will continue to delight fans till Sunday.
Book launches, anime merchandise and more
The first day of Comic Con in Kolkata marked several book launches by renowned Indian comic artists, including Harsho Mohan Chattoraj and Mohammad Ali Vakil of Sufi Comics. A special session by New York Times bestselling author John Layman also kept fans glued to their seats. Besides the new releases, what grabbed the attention of fans was the massive collection of anime and comic merchandise up for grabs.
Harsho Mohan Chattoraj at a special session with Alpha Comics Soumyajit Dey
Anime fans were spoiled for choice with a huge collection of cool T-shirts, posters and wall hangings by Otaku Kulture. For those who hold Bengali pop culture close to their hearts, Pandora’s Reel showcased collectibles featuring iconic characters like Batul the Great and Professor Shonku. If graphic tees grab your attention, Bonker’s Corner and Venecci had plenty of stunning designs to choose from. Trio by Vaibhavi Studios also impressed with their range of innovative anime-themed T-shirts, bookmarks and fridge magnets.
Once attendees wrapped up their T-shirt and poster hunts, they explored collectible figurines and bobbleheads of their favourite characters like Zoro, Luffy, Goku, and Eren Yeager at Offo Stores, Ruvido Caso and Smiley Angle. Delhi-based Aswhole Ideas, whose motto is simple — to make people laugh — presented a quirky collection of fridge magnets. Meanwhile, Chitra Chaya had a striking display of LED posters featuring Marvel and anime characters, alongside card posters of famous cricketers.
An electrifying gaming experience
Gaming enthusiasts enjoyed themselves at the NODWIN Gaming Arena, which brought an immersive gaming experience to the city. The arena featured exclusive showcases from major brands like Lenovo, PlayStation and Logitech. Attendees dove into the thrilling Chandrayaan VR experience, competed in community tournaments, tested their skills on high-speed racing simulators and enjoyed a family-friendly board game zone. Those with a love for seafaring adventures got a chance to explore the Ocean Quest VR: Secrets of the Sea experience.
Crunchyroll booth: A haven for anime lovers
For anime enthusiasts, the Crunchyroll booth was an absolute delight. Fans got a chance to take pictures with a One Piece-themed Luffy backdrop and step into the Solo Leveling dome to experience the world of anime like never before.
Souvik Basu, who is a product owner in a software company based in Bangalore, shared his excitement about Comic Con taking place in Kolkata for the first time. “My workplace is in Bangalore. So, every year I see that Bangalore is hosting Comic Con. Same for New Delhi. But I always wanted it to happen in Kolkata. So, it's good to see all the geeks, otakus and everyone here. It makes me really happy.” Souvik, who cultivated a love for anime after watching Death Note, explained how anime inspires us with the motivations of the characters, particularly from series like Naruto, Solo Leveling and One Punch Man.
Souvik Basu Soumyajit Dey
A celebration of art, music and comedy
Kolkata Comic Con was not just about comics and gaming, it was also a celebration of live performances. Kunfu—featuring Kunal and Fuchi from the Kolkata Beatbox Community—teamed up with graffiti artist Mooz to set the stage on fire with electrifying performances. The crowd was left spellbound as Kunfu delivered dynamic beatbox renditions, including Nirvana’s Something in the Way, while Mooz brought his art to life in the background, creating a graffiti of One Piece's Luffy in real-time.
Cosplayers from across the country brought their favourite characters to life. Popular cosplays included Chainsaw Man’s Denji and Makima, MCU’s Spider-Man, Naruto’s Obito and Valorant characters Reyna and Neon, adding to the vibrant atmosphere of the two-day convention. The cherry on top was the World Cosplay Summit where talented cosplay teams delivered dynamic performances, recreating iconic moments from Tekken 8 and Naruto. Crimson Fangs captivated the audience with their electrifying showcase, securing their spot as Saturday’s qualifier.
Cosplayers Baisakhi Das and Priyanka Basumatary brought their favourite characters Reyna and Rem to life Soumyajit Dey
Capping off the event with a dose of laughter were stand-up comedians Sapan Verma and Rohan Joshi, who delivered a side-splitting performance, engaging the audience with their witty humour and entertaining discussions on unpopular opinions about pop culture.
(L-R) Sapan Verma, Rohan Joshi Soumyajit Dey
On Sunday, the excitement will continue with a highly-anticipated book launch by Harsho Mohan Chattoraj and a special session with Archies writer Bill Golliher. Day 2 will also feature a beatboxing performance by Desible, followed by a nostalgic music showcase by Geek Fruit. Wrapping up the weekend with a bang, stand-up comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath will take the stage with his signature wit and humour, leading up to the grand finale where Kolkata’s cosplayers will battle it out to represent the city at the Indian Championship of Cosplay 2025.
