A Milestone in the City of Joy
On February 22 and 23, 2025, history was made—not just one, but several. The legendary Comic Con finally decided to embrace some Joy in its life, choosing to land in none other than the City of Joy, Kolkata. Yes, for the first time ever, Kolkata Comic Con arrived in style at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, near Science City, and let’s just say… Kolkata welcomed it with open arms, full wallets (for merch), and empty stomachs (because the food stalls were lit).
This was not just another Comic Con. Oh no, my dear fellow fans. This was a game-changer, an epoch-making event, because this time, Anime Society received a special invitation directly from Crunchyroll to attend as a Media Partner Exhibitor. That’s right, Crunchyroll personally called Anime Society—and as anime fans, we know what a direct invite from Crunchyroll means. We basically unlocked an S-Rank Quest in real life.
From Anime Society, our very own Admin Arian from Kolkata had the privilege, honor, and sheer dumb luck to attend and cover the madness, awesomeness, and absolute chaos that unfolded over two days. With his Ryougi Shiki t-shirt and a Kaneki Ken mask (a combination that left many confused but also strangely impressed), Admin Arian braved the event in full introvert mode, taking in every glorious detail.
The Atmosphere: A Dream Come True for Every Fan
The moment you walked into the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, you knew something special was happening. The massive convention hall was a temple of geekdom, decorated with everything imaginable—from towering cutouts of superheroes and anime characters to immersive booths and banners that screamed, “Yes, you have finally made it home, my fellow weebs and geeks.”
Merchandise? Oh boy. It was every fan’s paradise. From figurines to posters, keychains to katanas (yes, real katanas. No, we didn’t buy one, Admin is poor.), the sheer volume of official, high-quality merch was enough to make a grown adult cry (and go broke). With 34 epic stalls, featuring brands like Alpha Comics, Starmark Publishers, Amar Chitra Katha, The Jungle Heroes, Penguin Random House, Holy Cow Entertainment, Induverse Endwars, Planet Superheroes, and Fatcat Collectibles, fans were treated to an absolute feast of collectibles, books, and graphic novels.
And for those who live for that exclusive VIP feeling, special Superfan Boxes were up for grabs, featuring gems like a Marvel Dr. Doom Bust, a Deadpool & Wolverine T-shirt, and some insanely cool keychains.
The Legendary Crunchyroll Booth: A Shy Admin’s Dilemma
Of course, Crunchyroll, the MVP of the anime world, had one of the most happening booths at Comic Con. Their signature 360° Solo Leveling Camera Photobooth was an absolute fan-favorite, letting attendees strike their most dramatic anime poses in epic slow-motion glory. Unfortunately… our dear introvert Admin Arian didn’t take a single picture. Why? Because, well, introvert things.
But fear not! Crunchyroll still treated him like royalty—gifting him a Crunchyroll goodie bag filled with surprises. While we’ll never know what would’ve happened if he actually used the photobooth (perhaps he would’ve ascended to anime protagonist status?), at least we know he secured the loot.
Panels, Performances, and Surprises at the Main Stage
1. An Indian Animation in the Making – “Trio”
One of the biggest surprises came from a Kolkata-based animation studio working on an anime-style project called “Trio.” The story revolves around three girls, and while the art style was promising, Admin Arian felt that some fine-tuning in animation smoothness would truly take it to the next level. A bold step for Indian animation? Absolutely. Room for improvement? Definitely.
2. Crunchyroll’s Hilarious Fan Quiz & Games
Crunchyroll host Sid brought an electric energy to the crowd with an anime trivia quiz and some hilarious on-stage games. But here’s the thing… the quiz questions were SO EASY, Admin Arian refused to answer any. Why? Because, and he quoted: “I was hoping for something Fate series-level difficulty, but I got One Piece Luffy’s brother-level questions.”
Instead, he watched as other fans happily answered and won Crunchyroll goodies, while he silently judged their low-level difficulty like an anime villain watching weaklings fight
Epic Comic Legends and Mind-Blowing Insights
1. The Legendary Bill Golliher
Bill Golliher, a major writer from the legendary Archie Comics, graced the stage and shared behind-the-scenes insights on storytelling, comics, and writing. Let’s just say, if you were a comic book fan, this was like attending a TED Talk, but way cooler.
2. Amar Chitra Katha: Indian Comic Greatness
One of India’s most iconic comic publishers, Amar Chitra Katha, held an engaging segment on Indian temples and followed it up with an amazing quiz on Day 2, where fans walked away with awesome freebies for answering correctly.
Laughing Until You Cry: The Stand-Up Comedy Showdown
1. Rohan Joshi – Day 1 Laughter Riot
2. Biswa Kalyan Rath – Day 2 Absolute Mayhem
Stand-up comedy is great. But stand-up comedy at Comic Con? That’s a different level of madness.
Day 1 featured Rohan Joshi, who killed it with geeky humor, making everyone roll with laughter. But Day 2? Day 2 was Biswa Kalyan Rath.
And that, my friends, was pure comedy carnage. Our Admin Arian laughed so hard, he nearly DIED. (No, seriously, he started coughing, his stomach hurt, and at one point, he just gave up on life and lay down laughing. Biswa was that funny.)
Concerts That Rocked the House
A trio of singers, “Geek Fruit,” took the stage and proceeded to blow the crowd away. Unlike typical concerts, these legends performed songs from cartoons, video games, and movies! They requested for no pictures so unfortunately, Admin couldn’t take one.
From the Powerpuff Girls theme song to Mortal Kombat, everything was pure nostalgia. Then, things got real:
“Enemy” (Arcane – Imagine Dragons) – Audience sang along.
“What I’ve Done” (Transformers – Linkin Park) – Goosebumps.
“Sunflower” (Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse) – Vibes maxed out.
Finale: “BYE BYE BYE” (Deadpool & Wolverine – NSYNC) – Absolute perfection.
Admin Arian? Screamed along like a true fan.
The Grand Finale: Cosplay Extravaganza – A Feast for the Eyes
And then, it was time for the most awaited moment—the Cosplay Competitions! If Comic Con is a kingdom, then cosplayers are its ruling nobility, turning the event into a real-life multiverse where Spider-Man walks alongside Kenshin Himura, and Darth Vader casually sips coffee next to Nezuko Kamado.
At Kolkata Comic Con 2025, we were treated to three epic cosplay tournaments:
1. World Cosplay Summit India Prelims – The stakes were high, as the winner would earn the honor of representing India on the grand international stage.
2. India Cosplay Championship – A national-level showdown where the best cosplayers from all over the country clashed in a battle of craftsmanship and performance.
3. Kolkata Cosplay Contest – A celebration of the city’s finest cosplayers, proving that Kolkata has its own league of legends.
The sheer dedication and passion of the participants were beyond mind-blowing. Some spent months—if not an entire year—perfecting their costumes, crafting armor, hand-stitching outfits, and even adding electronic effects to bring their characters to life. The attention to detail was astonishing—every thread, prop, and stance carefully designed to recreate the spirit of their chosen character.
From across movies, games, comics, anime, TV shows, and novels, every fandom was represented. We saw an awe-inspiring Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, his legendary Masamune sword gleaming under the stage lights, and a spot-on Geralt of Rivia, complete with battle-worn Witcher armor and a steely glare. The anime side did not disappoint either—with Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen smirking with his blindfold on, and a painfully accurate Shinobu Kocho from Demon Slayer, whose butterfly-inspired costume was flawless.
But the true show-stoppers were the insanely creative fusion cosplays.
One cosplayer fused cultures by dressing up as Spider-Man… but in a traditional Bengali groom’s “Topor” (wedding hat)! Imagine Spidey swinging across buildings, only to land straight at a Bengali wedding altar—talk about a multiversal crossover!
Then came a Dhoti-clad Iron Man, proving that Tony Stark would have made a fantastic Indian billionaire.
The absolute peak of creative madness? A Spider-Man wielding a Death Note, with a Pikachu soft toy, Luffy’s Straw Hat on head, a Harry Potter scarf, carrying a Guitar, and introducing himself as Sakata Gintoki from Gintama. At this point, we had reached the ultimate fusion of all fandoms—a singularity of geek culture, and honestly, it was a masterpiece.
The winners of the competitions were truly deserving, walking away with glorious trophies, prizes, and roaring cheers from the crowd. But beyond the winners, every cosplayer who poured their heart and soul into their craft was a champion.
This was not just a contest; this was a festival of creativity, fandom, and sheer passion.
And With That, the Curtains Close… Until Next Year!
As the second day came to an end, the lights dimmed, the booths packed up, and the cosplayers took off their masks (or, in some cases, carefully stored their swords away), it was time to say goodbye. Kolkata Comic Con 2025 had officially concluded.
And what an incredible journey it was!
From anime quizzes to concerts, stand-up comedy to legendary comic artists, from insane merchandise stalls to the breathtaking cosplay competitions—every moment was unforgettable. It wasn’t just an event; it was an experience, a dream world where every geek, otaku, comic fan, and pop culture lover felt at home.
For Admin Arian, this wasn’t just a Comic Con—it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As someone who had grown up loving anime, comics, and all things pop culture, getting to attend the first-ever Kolkata Comic Con as a Media Partner Exhibitor was something beyond imagination.
Although our beloved introvert admin didn’t take a single photo of himself (classic move!), the memories he took away were priceless. From conversations with Crunchyroll representatives to laughing until his stomach hurt at Biswa Kalyan Rath’s comedy, from fangirling over Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done” at the concert to getting lost in a dreamworld of official anime merchandise, every second was legendary.
And speaking of Crunchyroll—a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to them for making this happen. Being invited as an official Media Partner Exhibitor was an unbelievable honor for Anime Society, and we’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity.
But this is just the beginning.
Next stop? Mumbai Comic Con in April! Admin Chinmay will be heading there, ready to experience the Mumbai edition of this geeky madness.
And as for Kolkata Comic Con?
This is only the first. And believe us, we’ll be back.
So until next year…
