Gkids and N LITE have announced “Mfinda”, the first Afro-anime feature film, co-produced with N LITE Japan, legendary Japanese creatives Masao Maruyama and Gisaburō Sugii, and developed in collaboration with Studio M2 and D’ART Shtajio.
Created by Patience Lekien and Christiano Terry, Mfinda tells the story of a 12-year-old Congolese girl who is transported into a sacred forest filled with spirits, gods, and ancestral forces. With the help of another young girl from a different time, she embarks on a journey to find the magical Nkisi, sacred vessels said to hold ancestral spirits and empowering energies.
“Mfinda” Key Visual:
The film is co-directed by Japanese animation veteran Gisaburō Sugii and Arthell Isom, founder of D’ART Shtajio (Star Wars: Visions Vol. 2). The screenplay is co-written by Donald H. Hewitt (Spirited Away English adaptation), Lekien, Terry, and Japanese screenwriter Mika Abe (Forest of Piano). Mfinda blends Japanese anime artistry with African storytelling, offering a unique cross-cultural narrative.
“Mfinda” also marks the beginning of a new collaboration between JuVee Productions, the company founded by Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and Melanie Clark, and N LITE to produce a slate of Afro-anime films centered on Black and Afro-Indigenous stories. Together, the studios aim to spotlight inclusive, culturally rich narratives within global animation.
Producer Masao Maruyama, founder of both Madhouse and MAPPA, expressed his support for the project, calling it a story that celebrates “the positive power of spirits and community that will resonate in Japan and around the world.”
“Mfinda” characters photos:
Gkids, known for distributing Studio Ghibli films in North America and for acclaimed works like Wolfwalkers and The Breadwinner, joins as producer. Founder Eric Beckman serves as executive producer. Mfinda is the third title Gkids has executive produced, continuing its legacy of supporting artistically bold and culturally significant animation.
Source: Press release
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