Rashmika Mandanna has just returned from Tokyo, where she presented at the 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. For the pan-India star, who made history in 2024 as the first Indian presenter at the ceremony, this year’s event was different. She wasn’t alone on stage—she was joined by pop icon The Weeknd. And for her, the experience was nothing short of a full-circle moment with the medium that shaped her childhood.
“Back to Japan. To celebrate the incredible people behind anime,” she had posted on Instagram before the May 23 ceremony, a trip she described as a “dream destination since childhood.”
‘Naruto was my first love’
Rashmika’s love affair with anime began when she was just 12 years old. As a day boarder in school with few friends in her neighborhood, she would often retreat to her room after classes and watch television. It was on the channel Animax that she first encountered ‘Naruto’.
“That was it. That was my introduction,” she recalls. “I watched the first season on TV, and then it suddenly went off air. But I had to know what happened next. So I found a website online and binged over 600 episodes.”
She has since watched over 40 anime series, sometimes marathonning 25 to 30 episodes in a single sitting.
‘Anime taught me emotion’
For an actor who has played everything from a tribal warrior in ‘Mysaa’ to the girl next door in ‘Animal’, Rashmika credits her emotional range to the anime she consumed as a teenager.
“I think anime taught me more about emotion than many of the films I’ve been in,” she admits. “The stakes in anime are so pure. A character wants to protect their village, their friend, their honour. There’s no cynicism. That kind of raw emotion—I try to bring that into my performances.”
Presenting with The Weeknd and a record-breaking night
The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards was a milestone event, with over 73 million votes cast by fans worldwide. India ranked among the top five countries in terms of participation. The Weeknd presented the top honour—Anime of the Year—which went to ‘My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON’.
Rashmika, introduced by the organisers as “India’s sweetheart,” presented alongside an international roster including K-pop star BamBam, Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, and actor Winston Duke.
“Being there, seeing how anime brings the world together—it was surreal,” she says.
The anime mindset
Rashmika argues that anime is finally being taken seriously as a storytelling medium.
“People used to think anime was just for kids or just about fighting. But the best anime—’Naruto’, ‘Attack on Titan’, ‘Death Note’—they deal with philosophy, grief, ambition. They ask big questions.”
She also feels a personal connection to the characters. “I see a bit of Naruto in myself. The underdog who just keeps working hard, refusing to give up, no matter how many times people count you out.”
What’s next for the ‘Anime Ambassador’
On the work front, Rashmika is filming ‘Mysaa’, a women-led pan-India action thriller where she plays a fierce tribal warrior trained by international stunt expert Andy Long. She is also set to appear in ‘Cocktail 2’ alongside Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, and the much-anticipated ‘Ranabaali’ with her husband, Vijay Deverakonda.
As for the Crunchyroll stage, she’s already looking forward to next year.
“As long as they invite me, I will keep going back. Anime deserves a global stage. And I’m just happy to be part of the celebration.”
