Reimagining Dussehra through AI-Generated Anime: Examining Global Perceptions of Indian Culture
Abstract
To examine how generative AI reimagines Dussehra through anime-style visuals and to assess how these representations influence global perceptions of Indian culture.
The study uses a qualitative analysis of secondary data from AI-art platforms, digital archives, and audience discussions. It interprets visual patterns, circulation dynamics, and viewer responses through the proposed AI–Culture–Perception Framework.
AI-generated anime increases the global visibility of Dussehra by translating mythic symbols into accessible visual forms. However, the outputs may simplify cultural nuances or introduce aesthetic distortions due to algorithmic bias and stylistic blending. Audience reactions show a mix of appreciation, curiosity, and concern about authenticity.
The study offers one of the first analyses of festival representation through AI-generated anime and introduces a conceptual model explaining how cultural meaning is reshaped through AI mediation and platform circulation.
The research relies solely on secondary data; future studies should include empirical audience surveys for deeper insight.
References
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[2] Berti, D. (2020). Political patronage and ritual competitions at the Dussehra festival in northern India. In Religious Traditions and Ritual Practices in South Asia (pp. 161-180). Routledge. DOI:https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367818005-9
[3] Bhosle, M. (2024). Influence of anime on character design: A study of Indian animation students. Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education, 23(2), 145–159. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/adch_00090_1
[4] Bode, I. (2024). Cross-cultural narratives of weaponised artificial intelligence. Media, Culture & Society, 46(3), 502–520. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241303151
[5] Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE. Available at: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/thematic-analysis/book248481 SAGE Publications+1
[6] Bridging Critical Cultural Communication & Media Effects. (2019). Bridging critical cultural communication and media effects through the CME framework. Journal of Communication, 70(3). DOI: 10.1093/joc/jqz019
[7] Caramiaux, B., Crawford, K., Liao, Q. V., Ramos, G., Williams, J. & al. (2025). Generative AI and creative work: Narratives, values, and impacts. Social Media + Society. DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/2502.03940
[8] Chen, Z. (2025). Festivals and digitalisation: A critique of the literature. Tourism Review, 6(1), 2. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-05-2024-0022
[9] Dey, N. C. (2024). Social inequalities in cultural and media representation: An in-depth analysis. Global Journal of Social Scientific Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4999366
[10] Erickson, K. (2024). AI and work in the creative industries: digital continuity or disruption? International Journal of Cultural Policy, 30(4), 567-585. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17510694.2024.2421135
[11] Ghosh, S., Venkit, P. N., Gautam, S., Wilson, S., & Caliskan, A. (2024, October). Do generative AI models output harm while representing non-Western cultures: Evidence from a community-centered approach. In Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society (Vol. 7, pp. 476-489). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1609/aies.v7i1.31651
[12] Guo, M., Zhang, X., Zhuang, Y., Chen, J., Wang, P. & Gao, Z. (2023). Exploring the intersection of complex aesthetics and generative AI for promoting cultural creativity in rural China after the post-pandemic era. Journal of Cultural Creativity, 8(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/2309.02136
[13] Gürel, E. (2025). AI-driven experiences in cultural and creative industries. International Journal of Cultural Policy. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2025.2542822
[14] Hemment, D., Vidmar, M., Panas, D., Murray-Rust, D., Belle, V., Aylett, R. & al. (2023). Agency and legibility for artists through experiential AI. Proceedings of the ACM Creativity & Cognition Conference. DOI:https://doi.org/10.48550/2306.02327
[15] Hemraj, S. (2025). AI and the future of creative development: Redefining digital creativity. AI and Ethics, 5(1), 73–88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-025-00765-x
[16] Iervolino, S., Amendola, G., & Sabato, M. (2025). Curating AI-driven art: Actors, institutional strategies and the new art ecosystem. International Journal of Arts Management, 27(2). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2025.2562854
[17] Liang, Z. (2025). Japanese anime: A global cultural symbol: Decoding the pop culture cipher and semiotic significance. Frontiers in Humanities & Social Sciences, 5(6), 91-97. DOI: https://doi.org(10.54691/qtemsv41)
[18] Lopes, J. M., Melo-Cardoso, I. & Camilleri, M. (2025). Festivals in the age of AI: Smarter crowds, happier fans. Tourism & Hospitality, 6(1), 35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6010035
[19] Media India. (2024, October). Dussehra across different parts of India. Media India. Retrieved from https://mediaindia.eu/tourism/dussehra-across-different-parts-of-india/
[20] Pitakaso, R. (2025). AI-driven cultural urbanism: A data-integrated model for heritage cities. Journal of Urban Cultural Studies, 12(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jucs.2025.0007399
[21] PwC. (2024). Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024-2028: Generative AI and the future of creativity. - Webpage link: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2024/pwc-global-entertainment-and-media-outlook-2024-28.html PwC+1
[22] Qadri, R., Diaz, M., Wang, D., & Madaio, M. (2025). The case for" thick evaluations" of cultural representation in ai. arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.19075. DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/2503.19075
[23] Sailesh, B. (2024). The AI frontier: Envisioning the future landscape of artificial intelligence in events and festivals. Events & Tourism Review, 7(1), 57-67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18060/28469
[24] Silverman, D. (2023). Interpreting qualitative data (6th ed.). SAGE. Link: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/interpreting-qualitative-data/book284014
[25] Stark, L. (2024). Animation and artificial intelligence. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 43(4). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1145/3630106.3658995
[26] UNESCO. (2023). AI and cultural diversity: Challenges and opportunities for creative industries. Available via German UNESCO Commission: https://www.unesco.de/assets/dokumente/Deutsche_UNESCO-Kommission/02_Publikationen/DUK_Broschuere_KI_und_Kultur_EN_web_02.pdf Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission
[27] Viera, C. A. (2023). Case study as a qualitative research methodology. Performance Improvement Journal, 62(4), 125–129. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56811/PFI-23-0005
[28] Visanich, V. (2024). AI and audience development: From footfall to forecasting culture. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 30(2), 120-135. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/27018466251370644
[29] Zhao, Z., & Zhang, L. (2023). Design of artificial intelligence cultural creative industry based on machine learning. Soft Computing, 27(19), 11759–11776. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-023-08693-w
Published
2025-11-29
How to Cite
KUMAR, Uday G.; SAILESH, Bhaskar.
Reimagining Dussehra through AI-Generated Anime: Examining Global Perceptions of Indian Culture.
Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, [S.l.], v. 16, n. 4, p. 445-455, nov. 2025.
ISSN 2068-7729.
Available at: <https://www.journals.aserspublishing.eu/jemt/article/view/9205>. Date accessed: 02 dec. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v16.4(80).08.
Section
Article
Copyright© 2025 The Author(s). Published by ASERS Publishing 2025. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of CC-BY 4.0 license.