Anime Movies Released in India: Full List (2010-2025)
List of Anime Movies Released in Indian Theatres from 2010 to Present

The journey of anime movies in Indian theatres has been challenging. During the 2000s, anime had a very niche audience in India. While TV channels like Animax, Cartoon Network, and Hungama TV aired Japanese animation, the fanbase was largely confined to television.

Between 2011 and 2013, a few Doraemon and Shinchan films were released in cinemas, but these were exceptions. Anime remained a niche subculture primarily followed by small online and offline communities. This blog post explores the history of anime movies in Indian theatres, from those rare early releases to the increasingly common and exciting cinematic events we see today.

History of Anime Movies in India

90s to Mid-2000s: The Early Days

Even though there is a presence of anime on Indian television from as early as the 90s on Doordarshan (Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland). The popularity of anime in India was quite obscure till the mid-2000s.

The release of Pokémon on Cartoon Network India in 2003 and the launch of anime-centric channel Animax gave rise to the formation of the earliest anime communities in the country in the early 2000s. This was followed by the entry of popular anime like Doraemon and Shinchan in India through Hungama TV (India’s first private-owned animation channel), which instantly became popular among young and older audiences.

Doraemon and Shin-chan Films: First Theatrically Released Anime Movies in Indian Theatres (2011-2013)

The popularity of Doraemon and Shinchan on television made Disney UTV release Shinchan: Bungle in the Jungle (Crayon Shin-chan: Jungle That Invites Storm) on 1st April 2011 in Indian theatres.

This made it the first anime film ever to be commercially released in Indian theatres, which was followed by the release of Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops-Winged Angels (Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops – The New Age) on 6th October 2011 and Doraemon the Movie Nobita Aur Jadooi Tapu (Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles – Animal Adventure) on 24th May 2013.

However, these efforts were mostly considered experimental because there were no further releases of Doraemon and Shinchan films after this. The main factor was lower box office collections and the target audience being mostly young children (14 or below) who aren’t considered the ideal theatre-going group in the country.

Dragon Ball Super Broly and Weathering With You (2019-2020)

After the increase of cheaper and faster Internet services in the country anime fan groups and online sub-culture communities started growing rapidly in India. This led to the rise in the popularity and awareness of anime among Indian audiences visible through social media and online sub-culture communities.

YouTube and Social-Media fandoms gave rise to the popularity of Dragon Ball and Naruto which was finally met with the release of Dragon Ball Super: Broly on 29th March 2019 making it the first mainstream shounen anime movie to ever release on the big screen in India.

This was soon followed by a social-media-driven movement called “India Wants Anime” in 2019 which led to the release of Weathering with You on 11th October 2019 with the help of Vkaao, a theatre-on-demand platform backed by BookMyShow.

Anime Movies Released in Indian Theatres (2011-2020)

Here’s a list of all anime movies released in Indian theatres from 2011 to 2020. A handful of releases show the limited popularity of anime in India pre-2020s.

S.no.	Movie Poster	Anime Movie	Release Date (INDIA)	Release Date (JAPAN)	Distributed By (IN)
01		Crayon Shin-chan: Jungle That Invites Storm	Apr 01, 2011	Apr 22, 2000	Disney UTV
	Alt. Title:	Shinchan: Bungle in the Jungle
02		Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops – The New Age	Oct 06, 2011	Mar 05, 2011	Disney UTV
	Alt. Title:	Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops-Winged Angels
03		Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles – Animal Adventure	May 24, 2013	Mar 03, 2012	Disney UTV
	Alt. Title:	Doraemon the Movie Nobita Aur Jadooi Tapu
04		Dragon Ball Super: Broly	Mar 29, 2019	Nov 14, 2018	PVR Cinemas
05		Weathering with You	Oct 11, 2019	Jul 19, 2019	PVR Pictures, Vkaao
06		Lupin III: The First	Mar 13, 2020	Dec 06, 2019	PVR Pictures, Vkaao

Anime Movies Released in Indian Theatres (2021-Present)

The following are the anime movies released in Indian theatres post-2020s Anime Wave.

Anime Movies Released in India in 2021

2021 marked a turning point for anime films in India, with increased theatrical releases and the entry of Singapore-based anime distributor Odex into the Indian market. Although MediaLink Group distributed the first two My Hero Academia films, Odex handled the third, signaling a shift.

The success of My Hero Academia movies this year played a key role in paving the way for the series’ telecast on Cartoon Network India (see: “My Hero Academia on CN India“), effectively re-introducing popular shonen anime to Indian television after a period of absence.

The year began with My Hero Academia: Two Heroes and Heroes Rising, distributed by PVR Pictures. However, the standout release was Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, which became the most successful anime film of the year in India, mirroring its global success.

Fate/Grand Order Final Singularity Grand Temple of Time: Solomon and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission followed later in the year. The growing number of anime film releases, driven by distributors like PVR Pictures and Odex, highlighted the increasing popularity and commercial viability of anime in India.

Anime Movies Released in India in 2022

2022 further solidified the growing popularity of anime films in India, with several major releases attracting significant audience attention. PVR Pictures and Odex continued to be key distributors, bringing titles like Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive – Aria of a Starless Night and Free! The Final Stroke Part 2 to Indian cinemas.

However, the year’s standout success was Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie, which became one of the highest-grossing anime films in India, earning ₹5.4 Crore in its opening weekend. This demonstrated the strong commercial appeal of the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise to Indian viewers.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero also made a notable impact, becoming the first anime film to be released in India with both English and Hindi dubs, alongside the standard Japanese with English subtitles. Despite this wider release, it grossed ₹2.5 crore in its first five days.

One Piece Film: Red marked a significant milestone as the first One Piece film to receive a theatrical release in India. The film achieved impressive results, grossing ₹3.15 Crores¹ (US$382,339) in its first ten days, surpassing the total box office earnings of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero despite a more limited distribution. One Piece Film: Red was also released in a Hindi dub, indicating a growing trend of catering to Hindi-speaking audiences.

The success of films like Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and One Piece Film: Red highlighted the increasing mainstream acceptance of anime in India and the growing demand for dubbed versions to cater to a wider audience.

The success of One Piece Film: Red, in particular, paved the way for the introduction of One Piece on Cartoon Network India (see: One Piece East Blue on CN India and One Piece Land of Wano). Similarly, Jujutsu Kaisen‘s success led to the dubbing of the show on Crunchyroll in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, and later a second dub on Sony Yay (see: Jujutsu Kaisen on Sony Yay).

Anime Movies Released in India in 2023

2023 saw a diverse range of anime films hit Indian theaters, catering to various fan preferences and demonstrating the expanding market. PVR Pictures and Odex continued their collaboration, distributing titles like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Swordsmith Village- and Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night.

Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume was a major highlight of the year. Following a fan screening on April 9th, the film received a general release on April 21st, 2023. Suzume achieved significant success, grossing over ₹10 crore and becoming the highest-grossing anime film in India. The film’s popularity led to a re-release on February 9th, 2024, and it was also released in a Hindi dub.

2023 also marked the theatrical debut of the Detective Conan franchise in India, with the release of Detective Conan: The Story of Ai Haibara and Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine. PVR Inox Pictures and Odex distributed both films.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Scarlet Bond, distributed by Muse India, also contributed to the year’s anime offerings. Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out (PVR Inox Pictures, Odex) grossed ₹4.13 lakhs². This was a notable achievement given the film’s niche appeal, requiring viewers to have seen the preceding anime series and film.

The First Slam Dunk, distributed by PVR Inox Pictures and Odex, also found its way to Indian screens. Psycho-Pass: Providence, distributed by Sony Pictures India and Crunchyroll, further showcased the diversity of anime genres finding an audience in India.

Anime Movies Released in India in 2024

2024 continued the trend of increasing anime film releases in India, showcasing a mix of established franchises and standalone titles. The year began with Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning, followed by a re-release of Suzume by PVR Inox Pictures and Comix Wave. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training (Sony Pictures India, Crunchyroll) grossed ₹5.19 crore in its first week³.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning film, The Boy and the Heron (Warner Bros. India, Encore Films), also found an audience in India, grossing ₹3.05 crores⁴.

RELATED: 7 Best Oscar Nominated Anime Movies of All-Time

The popular Spy × Family franchise expanded into film with Spy × Family Code: White (PVR Inox Pictures), which was also made available for free on Muse India’s YouTube channel for a limited time, starting December 2, 2024.

Following the success of previous years’ releases, 2024 saw the release of Detective Conan vs. Kid the Phantom Thief and Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram (PVR Inox Pictures, Odex).

Blue Giant (PVR Inox Pictures), a standalone film, earned ₹5.5 lakhs (~$6,600) despite a limited release in Tier-1 cities⁵. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (PVR Inox Pictures, Medialink) grossed ₹5.04 crores.

Solo Leveling – ReAwakening (Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures India) was also released in a Hindi dub, continuing the trend of catering to a wider audience.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (Warner Bros. India), an American-produced anime film, was the weakest release of the year and was released in English dub.

The release slate for 2024 demonstrates the growing diversity and market penetration of anime films in India, with both franchise films and standalone works finding their way to Indian screens.

Anime Movies Released in India in 2025

2025 began with the release of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom in January, followed by the 4K Remastered version of Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama.

This release of Ramayana (4K Remaster) made it the first national theatrical debut of the film in India. Previously, the film had only been shown at fan screenings and film festivals. After a long postponement from its initially slated date of October 18, 2024, the film was finally released on January 24, 2025, with new Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubbing.

My Hero Academia: You’re Next (Medialink, PVR Inox Pictures) was released in late January. Warner Bros. India and Encore Films released Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning in February. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures India released Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon in April.

The release of Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Our Dinosaur Diary marked the return of the Shin-chan franchise in India after a long gap of 14 years.

Upcoming Anime Movies in Indian Theatres

References / Bibliography

1. kenxyro. (Oct 17, 2022). One Piece Film Red Box Office Collection in India. Instagram. Accessed Apr 28, 2025. ↩︎
2. Sayyed, Rayan. (Oct 23, 2023). Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out Box Office Collection in India Revealed. IGN India. Retrieved April 28, 2025. ↩︎
3. Sayyed, Rayan. (Feb 28, 2024). Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training Box Office Collection in India Revealed. IGN India. Retrieved April 28, 2025. ↩︎
4. Sayyed, Rayan. (May 24, 2024). The Boy and the Heron’s Box Office Collection in India Revealed. IGN India. Retrieved April 28, 2025 ↩︎
5. Sayyed, Rayan. (Jun 3, 2024). Blue Giant Indian Box Office Collection Revealed. IGN India. Retrieved April 28, 2025 ↩︎