Rashmika Mandanna interview: On the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026, growing up with Naruto and learning emotion through anime
Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna discusses her experience presenting at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo. She reflects on her personal history with anime fandom in India and the growth of the community.
Why it matters
It illustrates the global cultural impact of Japanese animation and the evolving landscape of international entertainment fandom.
Two years ago, Rashmika Mandanna became the first Indian actor invited to present at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards , an annual awards show organised by the anime streaming giant to honour the very best in Japanese animation released during the previous year. The ceremony returned for its tenth anniversary celebration this year with presenters including The Weeknd , Winston Duke, Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, and Thai K-pop stars BamBam and TEN. Last weekend, Rashmika joined that assorted roster of high-profile weebs, returning to present once more at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo.
The article is a standard entertainment interview focusing on pop culture and personal nostalgia.
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