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.As one of the most outspoken celebrity otakus from India, Rashmika’s return to Tokyo seems to centre on the nostalgia of fandom coming full circle. “Once upon a time, I opened up a random channel after a rough day and got hooked on to something like an anime — that was my very first introduction,” she says, remembering the years she spent watching anime on cable TV in India. “Getting the chance to meet the creators and witnessing the reason for the anime community to be what it is today was definitely something I never thought would be possible. I’m really grateful that it’s happening. It’s something very surreal and special, and I just feel like I’ve done something right”.