As anime enthusiasts, we’ve always been fascinated by the power of animation to tell stories that are bold, imaginative, and emotionally charged. So when we heard about the WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga) competition being hosted at Karnavati University, Ahmedabad, we knew we had to be part of it.
Organized under the broader WAVES initiative by MEAI (Media & Entertainment Association of India), WAM! is a platform that celebrates and nurtures talent in anime, manga, and webtoon creation across India. Supported by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, it aims to put Indian creators on the global map.
We participated in the Students Anime Category, a space that challenged our skills and pushed our creativity. Our team consisted of Vinay Bharadwaj, Heema, Anshuman Sharma, and myself — a passionate group who shared love for anime.
The competition brief was as thrilling as it was demanding — we were provided with a script for an action scene from a fantasy genre story, and asked to animate 10 seconds of it within 6 hours. It might sound short, but anyone who’s worked in animation knows how much detail, timing, and storytelling can be packed into ten seconds.
From storyboarding and rough sketching to refining movement and expressions, every frame mattered. It was a crash course in speed, efficiency, and creative thinking — all under the ticking clock of a live competition.
After the animation round, the event transitioned into a colorful cosplay competition, where students and fans brought their favorite anime characters to life. It was electric — a celebration of not just technical skill, but fandom, creativity, and the cultural energy of the anime community in India.
Participating in WAM! gave us a taste of what it’s like to be part of India’s growing animation and storytelling industry. We learned:
It was also inspiring to see how many young creators are stepping into this space — proof that India has something truly special brewing in the world of visual storytelling.
This was just the beginning. The WAM! experience sparked ideas, connections, and a whole new level of excitement for what’s possible in anime creation. As students and fans, we’re more motivated than ever to build on this journey — with more animations, collaborations, and maybe someday, stories of our own making it onto global screens.
Author Ritesh Behra, Semester VI, Communication Design