Pop Culture Hiroshima 2024 draws anime fans to Nagpur

Nagpur buzzed with activity on September 8 as Pop Culture Hiroshima 2024 brought together anime enthusiasts and cosplayers. The event, hosted by Nagpur Anime Club (NAC), saw participants vying for a spot to represent India at the international event in Hiroshima.

The competition was part of Coscon, a feature of Japan Month organised by the Japanese Embassy in India. Anime Times and WaConne AniFest collaborated on the event.

Donald Khumlo, known as Zacky D. in the cosplay world, attended as a special guest. Zacky, a cosplayer from Meghalaya, won the World Cosplay Summit 2023 and previously competed in Pop Culture Hiroshima.

"As a small-town boy from Shillong, Meghalaya, I never imagined that a simple hobby could open such incredible doors," Zacky told India Today NE. He added, "Progress, no matter how small, is still progress."

The event featured popular content creator Mayo Japan, known for her Bollywood-inspired Instagram reels. Voice actors from the anime world also made appearances, including Adnan Shakeel (Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass) and Lohit Sharma (Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen).

Zacky spoke about balancing his professional life with his passion for cosplay. "When event season arrives, 'Zacky D.' comes alive, and I fully embrace the world of pop culture that I love dearly," he said.

Pop Culture Hiroshima 2024 in Nagpur highlighted the growing popularity of anime and Japanese pop culture in India, providing a platform for fans to showcase their enthusiasm and creativity.