



Nagraj vs Naruto: Indian comics level up as Gen Z turns to anime
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI , MUMBAI : Indian comic heroes like Chacha Chaudhary, Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv, Doga, Suppandi and Shikari Shambu are levelling up to face anime legends such as Naruto, Tanjiro, Goku, Saitama, Light Yagami, and Luffy. Millennials’ childhood favourite characters from Diamond Comics, Raj Comics, Amar Chitra Katha, and Tinkle, among others, may soon be seen taking selfies, using artificial intelligence (AI), and discussing mental health to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who have gravitated towards Japanese anime and manga.
The new playbook is to embrace modernity without losing the nostalgic essence of the 1980s and ’90s, appealing to millions of original fans who are now willing to pay a premium. "Millennials who once bought books for ₹10 are now spending up to ₹1,000 on special editions, and an average of ₹200-300 on the latest releases," said Faisal Mohammad, founder of Garbage Bin Studios. “We shouldn’t see manga as a threat.
We can’t compete with its massive global reach. Instead, we should understand why it works so well and learn from its success in India to improve our own storytelling," said the comic illustrator and creator, who is collaborating with Prans, the publisher of the Indian comic book series Chacha Chaudhary, to adapt the eponymous character. “We aim to keep our intellectual properties (IPs) evergreen by staying true to their original flavour while modernizing the packaging of content," said Saraansh Pran, head of studio at Prans and grandson of legendary cartoonist Pran, behind iconic characters like Chacha Chaudhary, Saboo, Billoo, and Pinki.
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