*Jaden and Willow Smith are stepping deeper into the world of anime through a collaboration with N LITE, a U.S. and Tokyo-based Black-owned studio. The superstar siblings will serve as executive producers and voice actors in separate films from the company’s expanding slate.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jaden is attached to “Mfinda,” an epic fantasy rooted in Congolese folklore, currently in pre-production. The project is described as the first anime feature developed by a joint Black and Japanese team of producers and animators. According to N LITE founder and CEO Christiano Terry, Jaden will portray Kozo, “an ancient spirit warrior who protects humans and spirits of the forest during a time of great conflict in the Kingdom of Kongo.”
Reflecting on his involvement, Jaden said, “When I met Christiano, saw the artwork for Mfinda and learned more about the story, I was blown away. A lot of people have asked when I’d get back into anime, I knew immediately this was it. I’m honored to work with N LITE and the legendary producer Masao Maruyama to bring this film to life.” Jaden previously voiced the lead in Netflix’s 2017 anime series “Neo Yokio.”
Willow, meanwhile, will executive produce and voice a character in “Webe: Spirit Detective,” a horror-thriller inspired by Gullah Geechee folklore. Created by Terry and co-written with Southern Gothic author Eden Royce, the story follows a paranormal investigator unraveling a string of murders tied to a vengeful Boo Hag spirit. Willow shared, “To me, Webe is more than an anime, it is a story about reconnecting with mystical ancestry and the power in discovering your roots and your tribe.”
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“We are honored to collaborate with Jaden and Willow,” Terry said. “They are pillars of this generation and talented storytellers at the zeitgeist of culture, art, fashion, music and cinema.”
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