Mumbai Comic Con 2026 kicked off on a high note at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC, on Saturday, drawing massive crowds of anime lovers, gamers, comic-book readers and cosplay enthusiasts from across the city. Long queues formed outside the venue from early morning as fans arrived dressed as some of pop culture’s most popular characters.
Cosplay remained one of the biggest highlights on day one, with attendees dressed as Deadpool, Spider-Man, Naruto Uzumaki, Gojo Satoru, Luffy, Tanjiro Kamado, Batman and Harley Quinn, among others. Elaborate anime and gaming-inspired looks dominated the convention floor, with fans stopping cosplayers for photos and videos throughout the day. A cosplay inspired by Godfrey from Elden Ring also emerged as one of the most talked-about looks at the event.
The convention saw packed crowds across gaming zones, anime booths, creator panels and merchandise stalls. The event also featured well-known artists speaking about gaming and voice-over art, including a Solo Leveling session with Japanese voice actor Taito Ban, producer Atsushi Kaneko and Hindi voice actor Rajesh Shukla. Fans gathered in large numbers for the interaction and subsequent meet-and-greet session.
A major crowd-puller was the unveiling of the comic Vvan: Force of the Forest, a folklore-inspired thriller by actors Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia, and producers Ektaa R Kapoor and Arunabh Kumar. The film adaptation is set to release in August.
Japanese singer Hiroshi Kitadani also delivered a live performance featuring popular anime tracks, including the iconic One Piece opening theme We Are!, with fans singing along during the set.
International comic creators Ramón K. Pérez, known for The Amazing Spider-Man and Hawkeye, and SWAT Kats creators Yvon Tremblay and Christian Tremblay interacted with fans through panel discussions and meet-and-greet sessions during the day.
Apart from celebrity sessions and live performances, the event was a treat for fans who got to enjoy live gaming arenas, fan experience zones, live graffiti art, comedy acts and independent creator stalls, keeping attendees engaged through the day.
Anime culture clearly dominated several sections of the venue, but superhero franchises, gaming communities and comic-book fans also turned up in large numbers, making day one a success.
Most spotted characters
Fans at Mumbai Comic Con 2026 turned up dressed as a wide mix of anime, superhero, gaming and fantasy characters. Based on event coverage, social media clips and fan posts from day one, some of the most spotted cosplay characters included:
Deadpool, Spider-Man, Naruto Uzumaki, Gojo Satoru, Monkey D. Luffy, Sung Jinwoo, President Loki, Godfrey, Batman, Darth Vader, Tanjiro Kamado, Levi Ackerman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Miles Morales and Stormtrooper, to name a few.
A lot of attendees were also seen doing group cosplays inspired by anime universes like Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece and Elden Ring.