N LITE Partners with Kodansha for 'Afro-Anime' Film MFINDA's Manga Adaptation

Entertainment news website Variety reported on Tuesday that multimedia company N LITE is partnering with Kodansha to co-develop the serialized manga adaptation of its MFINDA "AFRIME" or "afro-anime." The series will debut in Kodansha's Biblio Sirius Magazine in 2026. The Biblio Sirius serialization is the beginning of the series' global rollout.

The series serves as a prequel to the film following dual protagonists Nasambi and Odi through origin stories. N LITE and Kodansha will co-supervise the creative team.

N LITE previously announced that it would release the first volume of MFINDA: The Manga adaptation in 2025. The manga will have three volumes, and will be written by Christiano Terry, founder of N LITE, with art direction from MFINDA creator Patience Lekien, and illustrated by visual artist Tom Lintern. The manga will be produced in collaboration with a Japanese manga planning and inking team from D'Art Shtajio and Sakura Phoenix K.K. The manga will be available in Japan and the U.S.

N LITE describes the story of MFINDA:

MFINDA tells the story of a young girl, Odi, who is transported into the past where she joins another young girl, Nasambi. They must venture into the MFINDA and confront evil spirits to reclaim the Nkisi if she has any hope of returning home.

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions is partnering with N LITE for the MFINDA film. Davis, Tennon, JuVee's head of film Melanie Clark, Genco, Inc.'s Tarō Maki, and GKIDS's Eric Beckman are executive producers.

MAPPA's Masao Maruyama (In This Corner of the World, Tokyo Godfathers producer, Summer Wars planner) is producing MFINDA. Gisaburō Sugii (Touch, Jack to Mame no Ki, Night on the Galactic Railroad, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie) is directing. Arthell Isom (D'Art Shtajio) is co-directing. 

U.S. animation producer and distributor GKIDS is a coproduction partner.

Christiano Malik Terry, founder of N LITE, also leads N LITE Japan with Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior) and Shigeru Igari (former CEO of Atlus). N LITE is producing MFINDA in Japan. Donald H. Hewitt (Spirited Away's English screenplay), Mika Abe (Forest of Piano), and MFINDA creator Patience Lekien are writing the screenplay. The production credits Lekien and Terry with the story. 

N LITE aims to bring black and indigenous stories in partnership with global creators. AFRIME, or afro-anime, is its hand-drawn 2D animation. The company plans to produce AFRIME films and television series. N LITE Japan is working on upcoming projects based on anime and manga IP. The studio is also producing the Chiure: Child of the Sea film.

Source: Variety (Naman Ramachandran)