Kochi Comic Con concluded its inaugural edition at the AICC Angamaly in Ernakulam with a footfall of more than 20,000 visitors over two days, marking the first time the pop-culture festival has been hosted in Kerala.
The event, presented by Maruti Suzuki Arena and powered by Crunchyroll, attracted comic enthusiasts, anime fans, gamers and cosplayers from across the state.
Organised by NODWIN Gaming through its platform Comic Con India, the two-day event featured panel discussions, artist alleys, gaming arenas and live stage performances. Many fans from Kerala had previously travelled to other cities to attend Comic Con editions.
International comic creator Dan Parent was among the key guests, drawing large audiences for sessions on storytelling and character creation. Publishers including Amar Chitra Katha, Balarama Comics and Alpha Book Publishers participated alongside independent creators such as Abhijeet Kini.
Shefali Johnson said Kerala’s long-standing artistic traditions and strong reading culture were reflected in the enthusiasm of attendees and cosplayers.
Akshat Rathee said the response from fans indicated strong potential for the event to grow in Kochi in the coming years.
Cosplay competitions were among the major highlights. Characters from international franchises such as Monkey D. Luffy, Tanjiro Kamado and Doctor Strange shared the stage with regional favourites like Minnal Murali and Mayavi.
The Kochi qualifier of the Indian Championship of Cosplay was won by Indrakshi Haldar, who portrayed Neverend, True Destiny King from Neverend and received a ₹50,000 cash prize.
The event also featured gaming and entertainment zones, including the NODWIN Gaming Arena, live music performances by MHR & Joker and appearances by actor Sreenath Bhasi, along with comedy performances by artists such as Rohan Joshi.
Organisers said the inaugural edition demonstrated Kerala’s growing pop-culture community and established Kochi as a new destination on India’s Comic Con circuit.