Global Media, Local Markets: How Anime and Manga Influence Consumer Behavior in Chennai's Emerging Youth Segment

The first significant quantitative, detailed exploration of the impact of anime or manga on the shopping behavior of young people in Chennai (India) has been completed. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) with a sample of 412 participants to demonstrate that anime and manga consumption intensity is a significant and positive predictor of brand attitudes, purchase intent, and lifestyle orientation among youth in Chennai. Cultural proximity, intensity of parasocial relationship, and fan community engagement (fandom) were identified as significant partial mediators. At the same time, gender and income were both important moderating variables in the relationships between consumption and intent to purchase. These results have very important theoretical implications because they integrate and enhance three conceptual frameworks of theory using a new empirical context, with practical implications for platform operators, brand managers, local retailers, and policymakers who must navigate the challenges posed by the complex interplay between global media and local consumer markets worldwide. With the continued (and rapid) growth of the anime market in India, Chennai's youth represent a commercially important and culturally vibrant sub-market in the global anime economy. To better understand how anime influences consumer behavior across life stages, future studies should adopt a longitudinal approach. They may also be able to use qualitative research techniques to provide insight into how consumers determine the meaning of anime consumption. Researchers could take their studies outside Japan to conduct comparative analyses across cities and nations. In addition, researchers should investigate how financial behaviors are influenced by anime, as illustrated by the rapid growth of anime-associated NFT markets and consumer spending in video games, both of which will provide insight into the emerging anime economy.

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