#africanfuturism
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10 Books to Look Forward to in 2024
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan, an adult East Asian fantasy featuring kelpies, kappas, sea witches, a water dragon princess, and a half-siren captain of the border guard. The city of Tiankawai is half-submerged and the humans are looking down on the fathomfolk from their skyscrapers. Available on February 8th from Hachette and February 27th from Orbit
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Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova, a Balkan folklore crossover fantasy with shadow magic, witches, monstrous exes, Berlin wall-inspiration, and dragons. When Kosara's shadow, the source of her magic, is traded to give her safe passage across the Wall, she is struck with a fatal illness that impacts all shadow-less witches. She has little choice but to go back over the Wall and confront her ex, the Tsar of Monsters, to get her magic back. Availabe on June 25th from Tor and McMillan
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Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase is an adult Botswanan cyberpunk Africanfuturism Queer thriller with horror elements from a Queer Motswanan author. Nelah has everything she could want except a child. On a rendezvous with her lover, they hit a young woman and Nelah will do anything to hide their actions or else she'll lose her chance at being a mother and, perhaps, her chance at having a body. Available from Kensington Books on January 23rd
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Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo, a YA mystery debut focusing on young women and their trauma. When Jo-Lynn's former best friend goes missing, Jo seeks out the truth while trying to find herself again. Available from Bloomsbury on April 30th
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The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim, a feminist psychological horror featuring cannibalism and a young woman slowly turning into a murderer. When Ji-won's mother starts dating George, a white man with an Asian fetish, Ji-won because obsessed with his blue eyes and hungers for them. Available on June 25th from Kensington
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Road to Ruin by Hana Lee, an adult Queer fantasy love letter to Mad Max: Fury Road. Jin-lu, a magebike courier, carries love letters from her prince to a princess across the wastelands...and she's in love with both of them. Available from Simon and Schuster on May 14th
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A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft is a Sapphic voyage to discover the origin of magic, until the leader of the expedition is murdered. With Germanic folklore and lush prose, it looks to be another hit from Allison Saft. Available from Penguin Random House September 17th
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Teller of Small Fortunes is an immigrant cozy fantasy adult debut. We're a bit too early for a cover or pre-order link on this one, so here is the PM deal. Please keep it in mind as we get closer to the publish date in November!
Kacen Callender's first YA fantasy features polyamorous characters of color, trans representation, and a quest to find the Book of Source, an alchemic text said to give its reader great power. Available on February 6th from MacMillan
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Not in the Plan by Dana Hawkins, a Sapphic contemporary romance. Mack, an author struggling to write her sophomore novel, meets Charlie, a nearly bankrupt coffee shop owner and sparks fly as Mack uses parts of Charlie's story for her book. Available January 31st only in digital and audiobook
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#ya fantasy#young adult fantasy#adult fantasy#cozy fantasy#romance#sapphic romance#young adult mystery#cyberpunk#africanfuturism#horror#sapphic fantasy
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My Dad the Bounty Hunter Season 2 Spoiler-Filled Review
My Dad the Bounty Hunter is a coming-of-age animated sci-fi adventure series by Everett Downing Jr. and Patrick Harpin. It is a continuation from the first season, which came out in February. It comes at a time when Black-centered animations are blossoming. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist.
Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-eighth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on September 4, 2023.
The second season of My Dad the Bounty Hunter picks up where the last one left off. Sean (voiced by JeCobi Swain) tells a story about his space adventures in class. Lisa (voiced by Priah Ferguson) acts like know-at-all to her science teacher. She declares that their dying planet and slow technology growth will ensure that outer space exploration is impossible. Their mother, Tess (voiced by Yvonne Orji) comes to school, learning that the school administrators see Sean as a genius, but they see Lisa as a problem student. She talks to her husband, Terry (voiced by Laz Alonso), who is working at a shoe store, telling him they shouldn't keep secrets. Everything goes awry when a bounty hunter captures him, which she, Sean, and Lisa see, traumatizing them.
And that is only the first episode. This season throws you right into the action with new characters like Blobby (voiced by Patrick Harpin), a scammer extraterrestrial who was once captured by Terry in his bounty hunter persona of "Sabo." Later, Tess puts herself, and her kids, in danger. She travels in Glorlox's stolen ship to a nearby prison. She hopes that Terry is imprisoned there, while there's an active bounty on her head. There are typical sci-fi elements like space warping and laser battles. Scenes in the space restaurant Bucky Quantos and A.I. like KRS (voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown) enhance this. The quick action and exciting plot make the series even more engaging. It draws you into the animation, by Dwarf Animation Studio, which has a smooth 3-D style.
The Conglomerate, officially known as Endless Horizons Conglomerate, are still the villains. With the death of The Fixer in the first season, Pam (voiced by Chelsea Peretti) is the organization's new CEO. However, there is a twist. The Conglomerate is not holding Terry in their prison. Pam claims to investors that the Conglomerate is trying to become "socially conscious." She boasts about reported rehabilitation of criminals to make them "productive" corporate slaves. She further champions the new food options at the ever-popular Bucky Quantos restaurant. The Conglomerate's changes ensure the restaurant is no longer a "glorious palace of meat and grease and cholesterol," as one character puts it. Instead, Pam declares that Conglomerate will connect people, and the universe, with warp gates. She is assisted by robot enforcers, such as Beta (voiced by Mara Junot), who calls Pam "the Creator."
This series reminds me of Okja. The 2017 film mixes the science-fantasy and action-adventure genres. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, also known for Parasite and Snowpiercer, the Mirando Corporation are the villains. The corporation has a similar goal to the Conglomerate. They plan to raise genetically modified super pigs to sell meat to the masses. However, when they kidnap one pig, Okja, its owner, Mija, a young South Korean girl, tries to get it back. She is helped by an animal liberation group to rescue Okja. The group plans to reveal the corporation's misdeeds to the world. Obviously, My Dad the Bounty Hunter is different from Okja, which focuses on the horrors of the food industry. Both have a strongly anti-corporate message even as they are on the streaming platform of Netflix, a conglomerate of its own.
Coming back to My Dad the Bounty Hunter, the second season shares similarities with space operas in the Star Wars franchise, like the third episode. In that episode, the fissures between the family members come to the surface. For one, Sean and Lisa can't enter the casino because they are kids. Only adults are allowed in. Secondly, Tess admits she grew up in constant danger when she was younger but doesn't want to talk about it, making Lisa suspicious. Thirdly, Sean begins to bond with Blobby, and Blobby with Lisa. She gives him tips on playing galactic poker. The episode hints at what is to come. The Widowmaker (voiced by Ralph Ineson) reveals that the Doloraam High Council kidnapped Terry. This terrifies Tess, confusing Sean and Lisa as to her reaction. She is implied to be non-human.
The third episode was the first time I had laughed during the season. The mother of Philip, a cat-faced creature, embarrasses him. She forces him to apologize for insulting Tess. It is moments like that which make me like the series even better. However, at other points, dramatic elements are more emphasized than the comedic ones.
The fourth episode continues directly from the third. The Afrofuturist themes come to the fore. This season is more Afrofuturist than the first season. The Doloraami royalty are revealed: Emperor Odoman (voiced by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Empress Gurira (voiced by Janet Hubert). Odoman towers above Terry, on the coliseum floor, and conducts the trial against him. Terry gets a sleazy public defender named Ja Boluu. Boluu's voice actor, Godfrey, previously voiced Kofi in Steven Universe. Kofi is a stern, and somewhat authoritarian patriarch, of the Pizza family in Beach City, and owner of the family business. While Boluu is different from Kofi, there are other comparisons between Steven Universe and this series.
In both series, the protagonist is on trial. In Steven Universe, Steven is on trial for his mother's crimes (killing a Diamond). He is accused of being his mother because of the pink diamond in his belly. (Blue) Zircon defends him. She finds a flaw in the Diamonds' case. She accuses them of being complicit. As a result, Yellow Diamond poofs her. The trial in My Dad the Bounty Hunter is quite different. Emperor Odoman charges Terry with spacecraft theft, assaulting a royal guard, and abducting Sa Janeera, princess of Doloraam. Also, his public defender has wronged many people.
As it turns out, Tess is Sa Janeera. Terry acts surprised, but likely knew already. Unlike Steven in Steven Universe, who barely escapes the all-powerful Diamonds, Terry goes through tribulations of fire to annul his guilty sentence. The pompous B'Caala (voiced by Keith David), a Prince-like cat man who desires political power, tries to make a deal. He suggests that Terry narc on Tess. He refuses. Terry loves and cares about her. This refusal shows his loyalty to her.
Viewers who watch this series may see similarities to Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which have Afrofuturist themes. However, Africanfuturist animations like Kizazi Moto, or futuristic elements in Supa Team 4 are more apt. Black Panther has been criticized for embodying police habits and tendencies. Some have said it sanitizes "cop behavior and brand it as heroism." In contrast, the main characters in My Dad the Bounty Hunter, like Tess and Terry, are on the run from bounty hunters. They are the furthest thing from cops. This series doesn't have copaganda, even though the Kingdom has a retributive justice system.
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One of the major themes in My Dad the Bounty Hunter is the importance and value of family. Those ties are tested in this season. Lisa is annoyed that Tess is keeping secrets from her. She ignores Sean's warning about not knowing the full story. This comes to a head in the fifth episode. Adja (voiced by Thando Thabethe) claims Tess made the "wrong" choice in leaving Doloraam. Although this is hurtful, it is nothing compared to Beta kidnapping Lisa and Sean. Tess loses it. She is paralyzed, unsure of her next steps. The credits further emphasize this by not having a music track. This encourages audience members to sympathize with Tess.
These themes mesh with Sean and Lisa's connections to their Doloraami roots. Tess also unlocks her long-forgotten Doloraami powers, allowing her to defeat Beta. Interlinking to one's ancestral identity is not unique to this series. For instance, the Kizazi Moto episode/films "Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer" and "Hatima" emphasize similar themes, as does the lackluster episode/film "First Totem Problems." Similarly, Carmen Sandiego, in the series of the same name, investigates her Argentinian roots in an important sub-theme of that series. In addition, Amphibia and The Ghost and Molly McGee incorporate Thai culture into the storylines, with the protagonists examining their parentage and ancestry.
Like other nations in Black speculative fiction, Doloraam has independence to make its own decisions. Pam detests this. It puts her plan to seize the planet's crystals, known as Kalatite, in jeopardy. Like in the Kizazi Moto episode/film "Herderboy," with herding of cattle to gain crystals, to power their society, the Kalatite crystals are the foundation of their society. They are sacred and have been in hands of the Doloraami people for generations. It makes sense that the Conglomerate would work with B'Caala in hopes that the royal council will agree to the Conglomerate's terms. Even though the council is unaware of B'Caala's treachery, they are rightly skeptical of the Conglomerate. They worry whether they will be kings or if the Conglomerate will have control instead.
The Conglomerate doesn't put all their eggs in one basket. Pam develops a plan which aims to achieve the Conglomerate's goals. There is a huge demonstration of the "good" that can come from warp portals. This does not convince the royal council. As a result, Pam later grumbles that she is tired of being nice. This implies that she will soon show her "true" nature. Her expression changes after learning that Sean, Lisa, and Tess are royalty. She believes that returning them to Doloraam will cause the royal council to vote in favor of the Conglomerate. This is a major miscalculation.
Odoman and Gurira are glad to see Tess, and meet Lisa and Sean. Terry is freed, after Tess confronts her parents about his kidnapping. B'Caala is tossed aside like a used dishrag. Pam says that because she brought back Tess, she doesn't need him. To make matters worse, his tribe no longer recognizes his sovereignty, after he beats up Terry in a fight. His removal from the royal bloodline dashes his attempt to seize political power. B'Caala is further crest-fallen by Tess's marriage to Terry.
Pam cares little about B'Caala. She only wants the deal with the royal council so she can exploit the citizenry, like any imperialist. She does not want to get involved in leadership squabbles. The royal council gives Pam a container with gold bars for her trouble. At the same time, they reject the Conglomerate's proposal. Gurira says that they cannot, "in good conscience," accept it. She argues that the Kalatite crystals are part of the Kingdom, as are the people and their family. The Conglomerate's real plan manifests itself at the end of seventh episode. Their full-scale invasion almost resembles tactics of the Galactic Empire in the Star Wars franchise. The latter wants order and stability, while cracking down on any who disobeys.
The season's last two episodes involve the struggle against the Conglomerate. It is revealed that Doloraam is not defenseless. A shield protecting the city is activated, as are cannons to fire at invaders. An arsenal of weapons is also revealed. During this fight, Lisa connects with the Kalatite. She fights alongside Adja in the city, calming Tess's worries. Blobby and Sean work together to shut down the portal which is providing the Conglomerate with additional forces for their assault. In a scene akin to an Imperial cruiser falling toward Ryloth, in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Homecoming," the portal's closure slices a Conglomerate ship in half. The end is near. Despite this, Pam desperately attempts to finish the plan, at any cost.
The final episode of My Dad the Bounty Hunter wraps up everything, almost too nicely. The robots accelerate their extraction of Kalatite crystals. Pam has not learned the lesson that Elena (in Elena of Avalor) and Lunella Lafeyette in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur made abundantly clear: speeding up the timeline only leads to disaster. Glorlox and his crew gives a helping hand, as does B'Caala. He informs Tess about Pam's location. In a conversation with her, he reveals that he wanted to rule the planet, not see it destroyed. Following this is a great hand-to-hand combat scene between Pam and Tess. She pulls out Pam's neural link, implying that the ship she was piloting the ship remotely, like the robots. Of course, this isn't the end.
Tess fights Pam in a battle in a creepy swamp. The true form of Pam is revealed to be a huge alligator-like monster. Tess barely wins the battle. She is heavily injured, and Terry, Sean, and Lisa save her just in time. The fast-forward that follows is typical of many animations, either films or series. Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts had one in the final episode as did Nimona in the end of that film.
The fruits of their victory are apparent. Tess (wearing boots made from Pam's skin) hangs out with her family, her mother (voiced by Leslie Uggams), her friend Adja, and other compatriots on Earth. Everyone bonds. Lisa agrees to show Adja (who has a crush on Glorlox) around Earth. Blobby works with Sean to turn his story into a movie. There is a good, but untrue, quip from Blobby about how "all the good books" get turned into movies.
The series ends on a slice-of-life note. All of them play football together. However, a cliffhanger post-credits scene, which shows a warp gate activating, and a ship passing through, hints at a possible continuation. However, a lack of continuation for My Dad the Bounty Hunter would not leave fans hankering for more, as they do with High Guardian Spice, which has which raises more questions than answers. While the central conflict in the final episodes ended too quickly, the second season finale is perfect. I'm afraid that having another season would ruin that ending for fans and others alike.
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In my season one review, I noted that the series impressed me. I described the animation and voice actors as top notch, praised the music selection, and noted that many voice actors were well-known. I also compared the series to episodes of Dogs in Space, Cleopatra in Space, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and contrasted it with more mature themes in Helluva Boss and Invincible. Those insights still ring true. New characters like Blobby bring more humor to the series. Joshua Mosley's score for the series, often including rap or hip-hop music, can make you excited to watch more.
The voice actors of My Dad the Bounty Hunter are a diverse bunch. JeCobi Swain has been in the entertainment industry since at least 2016. He has voiced characters in Eureka! and Firebuds. In contrast, Priah Ferguson, well-known for her role in the 1980s nostalgia trip known as Stranger Things, voiced Bailey in the subpar animated series, Hamster & Gretel. Yvonne Orji has range as evidenced by the fact that she also voices Gigi in Velma.
Laz Alonso has worked in the entertainment industry since early 2000s. His voice role in this series is one of his first voice roles, apart from some characters in Robot Chicken. Patrick Harpin, who is also this show's creator and a storyboard artist, provided his voice to characters in two Hotel Transylvania films. Yvette Nicole Brown has been very prolific in her voice acting. Brown voiced characters in Strange Planet, The Ghost and Molly McGee, Dogs in Space, Fairfax, and many others.
Voice actors Chelsea Peretti, Mara Junot, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Janet Hubert, Keith David, Thando Thabethe, Leslie Uggams, and Ralph Ineson are just as talented as those previously listed. This series also features Venice May Wong (also called Venice Wong) as Halvey, a friend of Sean and Lisa. Apart from her role in this series, Peretti recently voiced Queenie in Adventure Time: Fiona and Cake. Junot voiced Shoola in Arcane. Akinnuoye-Agbaje is known for providing his voice for Bilal in the film Bilal: A New Breed of Hero. David has voiced characters in Firebuds, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Final Space, DuckTales, and Young Justice. In contrast, this series is one of the first voice roles for Hubert, Thabethe, Uggams, Ineson, and Wong.
The show's cast is stellar, making the characters more relatable. The series is geared toward a Black audience and designed for families. This can draw people in, even those who prefer 2-D animation over 3-D animation. Those who watch it may connect with the messages, social commentary, or other aspects. They may also enjoy the show writing of Harpin, Downing, Justin Gordon-Montgomery, Shakira Pressley, Ryan Harer, or Tomi Adeyemi.
Gordon-Montgomery previously directed episodes of DC Super Hero Girls and storyboarded High Guardian Spice and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure episodes. Pressley wrote for Craig of the Creek. Harer was a script coordinator for Centaurworld and Middle School Moguls. Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer best known for her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy of young adult fantasy novels, which have Afrofuturist themes. All these people comprised the majority-Black writers room for the series.
Overall, the series is fun to watch. It is almost as fun as some Cleopatra of Space episode. In my season one review I said that series was unique and shined. I described it as "not my favorite series ever." In contrast, I enjoyed the second season even more. There are many more series to compare it to now than there was in February. My predictions that the series will explore more about family dynamics and conflicts proved correct, as did the portrayal of a "loving Black family."
However, Lisa did not have a boyfriend or a girlfriend in this season. In fact, neither Lisa nor Sean had romantic connections to anyone else. I think this is purposeful. In fact, Sean cares more about the fate of Beta, and the control she has over her body, than any person, apart from his family and friends. Sadly, the dearth of fan fiction for this series on AO3 or Fanfiction.net makes views of fans on this subject unknown.
As I say with every show that drops on the same day, I would have preferred 1-2 episodes of My Dad the Bounty Hunter air every week. The same "binge" model has been followed for Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Supa Team 4, Carmen Sandiego, and latest season of Disenchantment. Hopefully, future series will follow the lead of anime and release only one to two episodes per week.
I liked the emphasis on storytelling, as shown through Sean wanting to tell his own tall tales, and trying to be true to himself. The latter has a parallel in Blobby reuniting with his other half in the sixth episode. It echoes how Steven Universe reunited with Pink Steven in the Steven Universe series finale, "Change Your Mind". Watching this season was worth it. I was glad I did so because this season is more Afrofuturist than the first season, as it addresses concerns and themes of the African diaspora through its speculative fiction and technoculture.
I'm glad I remembered that My Dad the Bounty Hunter even had a second season because I only was reminded when reading social media posts from fans about it. Unfortunately, mainstream reviewers seem to have ignored the second season's release. Despite the fact there are reviews out there, an online search indicated that major sites like The A.V. Club, IGN, Los Angeles Times, CBR, and The Hollywood Reporter have not penned reviews for the show's second season. I'm not sure the exact reason, apart from unconscious racism, but it does this show a disservice in many ways.
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At present, the series is on hiatus. Its fate has not been determined. Fans on social media have praised the series as awesome, fun, sweet, beautiful, incredible, and enjoyed the attention to detail. Netflix also deserves criticism for not marketing the series, leaving that job to the fans and creators (and crew). It is a clear insult. On the other hand, the release of this series shows that original stories matter.
My Dad the Bounty Hunter comes out at a time that negotiations to end the strikes of writers and actors are ongoing, with no agreement in sight. Wildbrain's workers have said they are moving to form a union and the animation industry is under strain, with work drying up and studios cutting back on employment. Dwarf Animation Studios is not mentioned on a recently-circulated spreadsheet noting conditions within animation studios. Some reviews on Glassdoor were positive, describing it as having a good company culture. Others noted it can be disorganized or were more critical.
It is not known if Netflix will renew the series for another season. This series comes at an apt time, since many other Black animations are being released nowadays. It is worth checking out, despite Netflix's lack of promotion and mainstream reviewers completely ignoring the second season's release.
My Dad the Bounty Hunter can be streamed on Netflix.
© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.
#my dad the bounty hunter#afrofuturism#black animation#black people#sci fi#animation#reviews#high guardian spice#moon girl and devil dinosaur#elena of avalor#reviewers#kizazi moto: generation fire#supa team 4#africanfuturism#star wars#anti corporations#anti capitalism#Youtube
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𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙍𝙔 𝙏𝘼𝙇𝙀: 𝙈𝙖𝙝𝙬𝙚́ (Planet)
This dead planet is subject to mysterious temporal and spatial anomalies. The people of Mahwé attempted a grand sound magic experiment. It failed, destroying the planet, weakening the Mahwé-Zezépfeni empire and leading to a war for independence. Mahwéan survivors on the planet’s moon, Pinaa, abstained from the war and remained isolated, protected by their AI.
𝘿𝙄𝘿 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙆𝙉𝙊𝙒: Mahwé is a dead planet after a failed attempt at a grand sound magic experiment.
📖👀🔥🚀🪐
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Writes Okorafor: “Afrofuturism: Wakanda builds its first outpost in Oakland, CA, USA. Africanfuturism: Wakanda builds its first outpost in a neighboring African country.” (via Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, and the Language of Black Speculative Literature | Los Angeles Review of Books)
#Afrofuturism#Africanfuturism#scifi#future#imagination#fiction#speculative fiction#Black speculative fiction#white Western gaze#Nnedi Okorafor#Hope Wabuke#Black Speculative Literature#Africanjujuism#science fiction
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Space Soba #afrofuturism #africanfuturism #artistsoninstagram #artoftheday #africa #panafrican #sciencefiction #digitalillustration #instaart https://www.instagram.com/p/CnkN6vOqpcD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
#afrofuturism#africanfuturism#artistsoninstagram#artoftheday#africa#panafrican#sciencefiction#digitalillustration#instaart
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I think this is one of my favorite weekend reads in a while!!! I adore Afrofuturism and African futurism, and all forms of speculative fiction, so when I heard about this one, I had to read it! It has vibes of Lois Lowry's The Giver, Natasha Bowen's Skin of the Sea, Nnedi Okorafor's work, Octavia Butler's Kindred, and more! Yetu is the Historian of her people, merpeople born from enslaved African women thrown overboard while pregnant. She is the keeper of the memories of their traumatic ancestral past. Similarly to The Giver, her role is to protect the people from pain - but the task is overwhelming, and slowly killing her. Every year, her people hold a ceremony where she gives the people back the memories for a few days, temporarily easing her burden, but then she must mire herself again - and this time, she wants to escape. Yetu's journey, her attempts to reconcile her own identity with the painful memories that threaten to consume her, her love for a "two-legs" woman, her healing, and her final decision make for the kind of story that won't let you go til you've turned the last page - and then you wish for more. If you like speculative fiction, this is your next read! #speculativefiction #africanfuturism #Afrofuturism #mermaid #blackmermaid #bookstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariansfollowlibrarians #readersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CjLzoFWvce6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
#speculativefiction#africanfuturism#afrofuturism#mermaid#blackmermaid#bookstagram#librariansofinstagram#librariansfollowlibrarians#readersofinstagram
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Did yall see the news? Nnedi Okorafor announced SHE WHO KNOWS, an upcoming prequel to Who Fears Death?!? Have you read Who Fears Death and Book of Phoenix? If not, we are in stock! Link in bio: @sistahscifi | www.sistahscifi.com | https://sistahscifi.com/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage&q=Who+fears+death. Better yet, check it out from your local #library! Reposted @nnediokorafor 💥DAW Books has acquired North American rights and audio to three adult africanjujuist novellas by award-winning superstar Nnedi Okorafor: She Who Knows and two sequels. “I’ve wanted to write this story for over a decade,” Okorafor shared in an exclusive statement to io9. “It’s been dwelling in my head like a living storm. If you thought Onyesonwu from Who Fears Death was intense, wait until you truly meet her mother. Phew!” #nnediokorafor #nnedi #nnedimmankemdiliokorafor #nnedimma #SheWhoKnowsTrilogy #WhoFearsDeath #TheBookOfPhoenix #africanjujuism #africanfuturism #trilogy #novellas #sciencefiction #literature #africanliterature #sistahscifi @dawbooks (at Sistah Scifi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpnMvoGrkQO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
#library#nnediokorafor#nnedi#nnedimmankemdiliokorafor#nnedimma#shewhoknowstrilogy#whofearsdeath#thebookofphoenix#africanjujuism#africanfuturism#trilogy#novellas#sciencefiction#literature#africanliterature#sistahscifi
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Summer Online Course: Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism!
I don’t think I’ve ever put up the syllabus for my asynchronous online course on Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism, which was filmed and designed before COVID and is just really well put-together (if I do say so myself). In the first half we study US Afrofuturist texts like Get Out, “Dirty Computer,” Bloodchild and Other Stories, and Black Panther (film and comics); in the second half we study…
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The Library of the Dead
The Library of the Dead is another book I read for my African folklore project. This book is filled with African folklore. In fact, the folklore is central to the story. If you interested, you can read about that aspect here.
I picked this book up sometime ago based on the title and it’s sat on my bookshelf. Focusing on African authors and folklore in speculative fiction gave me the excuse to…
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#kisitheelectrongirl and #redhunter are going to be the biggest comic stories of this year. It is #africanfuturism at its finest. Despite this we at Kolanut Productions feel like our main character as we have to deal with #hollywoodgatekeepers #streaminggatekeepers even #blerd #gatekeepers. They won’t let us be. So we building the #neoafricancomicuniverse. Go to webtoon and subscribe. Visit our Patreon and support. #webtoon #manga #anime #webcomic #manhwa #comics #webtoons #webcomics #manhua #linewebtoon #webtooncanvas #artistsoninstagram #comicart #creatingcomics #characterdesign #NCU #blacksuperheroes #kolanutproductions #africanfuturism #blackgirlmagic #afroanime #africancomics (at Ontario, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoA68jASTjR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Review: Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
Looking for magical realism, dark intensity, grief, and death?
Tune your jelli-telli to Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor!
Looking for magical realism, dark intensity, grief, and death?
Tune your jelli-telli to Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor!
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Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire Spoiler-Filled Review
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, known as Kizazi Moto for short, is an Africanfuturist animated film anthology series. It is the second animated series produced by a South African animation studio, Triggerfish. It follows Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes, which premiered on Disney+ earlier this year. Peter Ramsey is the executive producer. Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston join him as supervising producers. Shofela Coker, Raymond Malinga, and Ahmed Teilab developed the series. As a warning, this review will discuss death, blood, suicide, and other related themes. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Kizazi Moto, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist.
Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-third article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on August 6, 2023.
Unlike some other series, Kizazi Moto is a bit hard to describe. While each of the ten short films within this series clearly has an African perspective, told by one or more directors, the themes of each episode can be vastly different. The music, animation style, writing, and everything else can also differ. Sometimes, it feels like the sinew holding the series together is not as strong as it could be. Even so, each film stands on its own, with many providing a possible starting point for future animated series.
In order to understand where the series stands, it is important to have some background about the genre. This series is outwardly Africanfuturist. In the reporting, before the series released, some media outlets incorrectly described it as "Afrofuturist." These two genres are not the same. Afrofuturism, which is well-known as a genre, explores intersection of science and technology with the African diaspora, addressing concerns and themes of that diaspora. The term was coined in 1993 by White male cultural critic Mark Dery. This has led some to use broader terms like "Black science fiction" and "Black speculative fiction" or embrace the term "Africanfuturism".
Africanfuturism centers on fusion of African mythology, history, culture, technology, and point of view, within Africa itself. Nigerian-American writer Nnedi Okorafor coined the term in 2019. She described it as a sci-fi sub-category deeply rooted in "African culture, history, mythology and point-of-view" which does not center or privilege Western countries, while retaining optimistic future visions. It is also, in her description, written and centered on people who are of African descent, and rooted in Africa. As such, it can also include the African diaspora.
While there has been more Africanfuturist literature, and comics, in recent years, there are very few films. One such film put in the genre (by some) is Black Panther. Others have included Pumzi and Ratnik, along with Okorafor's Binti and Who Fears Death, which are getting live-action series adaptations. Even so, there are no currently ongoing Africanfuturist series. As such, Kizazi Moto may prove vital to the possibility of future series in the genre. It will only join the ranks of series in development, like Iwájú, created by a Pan-African British company, Kugali Media, in collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios.
As such, Kizazi Moto differs from My Dad the Bounty Hunter, the upcoming Dantai (produced by Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowr). The still-in-production Iyanu: Child of Wonder (releasing in 2024) may include some Afrofuturist, or Africanfuturist, elements. More common examples of Afrofuturism include music of R&B/pop/funk/hip hop/soul musician Janelle Monáe and R&B/soul/hip hop musician Erykah Badu.
The first episode/film of this series, "Herderboy," features artful, colorful, and amazing animation. It is coupled with impactful voice acting and fitting music. The story of a wanna-be hero, Ndahura (voiced by Koona Blair Matthias "Wonders"), is typical. Some characters are speaking Yoruba (voiced by people in Benin, Nigeria, and Togo). The beast, a Nyamiyonga (voiced by Jon Olson), feeds off negative energy. Both are unique. It is unlike any other series I've seen. There aren't any simple naming conventions, like the original world of the Diamonds in Steven Universe called "Homeworld," rather than something more creative. The herding of cattle to gain crystals, known as chwezinite, to power their society shows the sci-fi nature of the episode. What really caps off this episode are the amazing action sequences and compelling characters.
The episode/film is directed, and written, by Raymond Malinga. Mpho Osei-Tutu does other writing. I was unfamiliar with any of the voice actors, either Florence Kasumba (voiced Ndahura's sister, Captain Katono), Idringi Patrick "Salvado" (voice of somewhat technology adverse Dushiime), or Omara Daniel (voiced of robot Isingoma).
The second episode/film of Kizazi Moto, "Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer," is unlike the first. It focuses on racing. The episode/film is set in a futuristic city where some speak Zulu. The racing scenes are fluid. They fit with characters jumping across the screen, garnering the viewer's attention. Unlike the first episode/film, this episode/film focuses on the importance of family, culture (being Zulu), and ancestry. The themes of displacement, gentrification, and togetherness are key. The neighborhood where Manzo (voiced by Nasty C) and his mother Manomi (voiced by Carol Ofori) live, is almost demolished by Ogun (voiced by Hakeem Kae-Kazim). He is an intergalactic racing overlord. Manzo only saves it when he takes on his mother's garb as Mkhuzi and becomes all-parts Zulu.
The episode/film had nice upbeat rock music and well-done animation. It has none of the same directors and writers as the first one. Malcolm Wope directed and created it. Simangaliso "Panda" Sibaya was a fellow director. Leslie Pulsfier wrote the episode. Apart from the aforementioned voice actors, I was unfamiliar with Sandi Dlangalala, who voices racer Cosmizi. In some ways, this episode reminded me of Birdie Wing, but that anime is more wild with golf-obsessed Mafia, even more than The Phantom Menace, which has a well-known pod racing scene, or similar scenes in Star Wars Resistance.
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When it comes to writers, each episode/film had distinct individuals. The animation and writing weren't done in the United States. As such, their studios aren't mentioned on a recently-circulated spreadsheet noting conditions within animation studios. However, their labor and economic conditions are worth noting. The entertainment industry remains highly profitable. Disney, brought in over $55 billion to the company's Media and Entertainment Distribution division in 2022 alone. They can clearly pay writers, and actors, what they deserve, and fulfill their demands in the recent strikes. It should be no issue for them at all.
The third episode/film of Kizazi Moto, "Moremi," took a quite different tact than the others, making it stand out. In part, this was because it had moderate violence. It artfully combined mystical magical, and sci-fi themes all in one. Like the first episode/film, the Yoruba language is spoken. In some ways, this episode reminded me of the episode in the far-too-short animeseque Yasuke in which the samurai, Yasuke, travels upstream with Saki. A fundamental difference between that series, focused on the Black experience, is that this episode has character development, depth, and no tonal shifts.
This episode/film focuses on the frailty of the human condition, family togetherness, and the value of one's soul. The protagonist Luo (voiced by Tolowanimi Olaoye), who must recharge himself every day to keep his heart functioning, learns a story from Moremi, the woman who saves him from soul-eating monsters. Moremi (voiced by Kehinde Bankole) tells him that in the past, the land of Ife was filled with the aforementioned monsters from another realm. She adds that woman built a machine which closed the inter-dimensional gateway between worlds. Of course, even though this woman made an oath to the Gods, she vowed to save her child by any means necessary, even if the monsters returned.
This Kizazi Moto episode/film has a touching ending, with Luo merging his life force with the child, Olu. As a result, the monsters depart, and Moremi, the woman from the story, finally can reunite with her child. I can't even think of a series in which a character gives up their soul to save another person. Rapunzel in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure nor Steven Universe in the series of the same name has done anything like Luo. The only equivalent I can think of is what happens in the original Tokyo Mew Mew manga and the early 2000s anime. Masaya Aoyama uses the Mew Aqua inside of him to not only sacrifices his own life, but that of villainous Deep Blue. This does not happen in the reboot series, which has more of a "happy ending" than in the original series (or manga).
I wasn't familiar with the episode's director, Shofela Coker, co-writer, Vanessa Kanu, or co-director, Andrew McNally. Coker even voices a character (Malimbe) in this episode/film. Coker is known for his animation and video game work and for feature films like Liyana. Kanu is a new screenwriter. He is a staff writer on Supa Team 4, reportedly the "first original African animated series" on Netflix. McNally is co-creator of Isaura, a South African animated film in development. It focuses on climate change and environmental conservation, and centers on Mozambique. The same company that made that film, Studio Lucan, also did the work on this episode. The episode/film, it is inspired by the real mythological story of Yoruba hero Queen Moremi/Moremi Ajasoro of Ife.
The fourth episode/film of Kizazi Moto, "Surf Sangoma", goes in another direction. It's about surfing and finding yourself. It begins in a dark place. The grandmother of the protagonist, Njabulo, is pulled under water by squids. This mortifies her grandson, who tries in vain to save her, but fails. Then, there is a flash forward to the present, where Njabulo is a surfing coach, and he talks to his friend, Mnqobi. In an almost ominous tone, an announcement declares that surfing beyond the wall, which protects the city, is illegal and deadly. Even the high water is said to have caused civil unrest. In a scene, which reminds me of the bike chases in the often-forgotten Tron: Uprising, Mnqobi and Njabulo race one another and find a spot which gets them "over the wall".
This is where the episode becomes horror-like. Locals talk to Njabulo (voiced by Mandisa Nduna) and Mnqobi (Omiga Mncube), declaring that they either have to surf or leave. Although Njabulo refuses to take part, with his grandmother's voice telling him to avoid the water, Mnqobi obliges. All of them have squids, from the water, attached to their heads. This is even worse than the brain slug in Futurama. It's more like the insidious brain worms in two episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. To make matters worse, Mnqobi joins the local surfers and they beat up Njabulo, stealing his board, the last thing he has left of his grandmother.
With an undoubted lesson that people should confront their fears, the voice of Njabulo's grandmother tells him to return to the water. Although the local surfers taunt him, he continues onward. His grandmother saves him from the ravenous squid. She is now part of the ocean. One of the best animated sequences in the episode follows. Njabulo is chased by other surfers, with the music and pace fitting the action. In the end, he is able to rescue his friend.
Perhaps to indicate the world's cruelty, the surfer with malintent, Mlindos (voiced by Carlos Fonseca Mokgata), is brutally killed/subsumed by the squid. Although Njabulu and Mnqobi survive, a final scene, which shows a squid, in the water near the former city, roaring, implies a possible continuation. It also indicates that the city may be under direct threat.
This Kizazi Moto episode/film has to be one of my favorites. Not only do some of the characters talk in Zulu, but the animation is smooth, colorful, and unique, having its own flair. On the other hand, it is a bit like a horror film. It is, perhaps, the scariest of the lot, and it took some time to come around to it since I'm not a big fan of the horror genre, with some exceptions. I wasn't aware of any of the directors (Catherine Green, Nthato Mokgata, and Graham Gallagher), nor the creators (Nthato Mokgata and Terence Neale) or the writers (Nthato Mokgata, Catherine Green, and Phumlani Pikoli).
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Similarly, I hadn't heard of Sabelo Gumede (who voices Mlindos' associate, Nsimbi), Tyson Ngubeni (who voices Mlindos' associate, Joko), or Krofaa Sani Sekyiamah (who voices a little surfer girl/Njabulo's student at beginning of the episode). Mokgata is part of a South African visual art duo and musician otherwise known as Spoek Mathambo. He has a distinctly and "socially-engaged" Africanfuturist perspective. Neale is known for music videos.
The other six episodes/films continue the show's "unique African perspective" and play to a big audience. This series may be a breakthrough for the animation industry in Africa. Disney has under-promoted this series, without question. This leaves it up to the individual creators to do the promotion on their own. Triggerfish, the animation studio primarily behind the series, was praised on Glassdoor. Comments described it as extremely organized, having a great company culture, inspirational, great upward mobility, and high-quality animation. The same comments criticized it for a messy production pipeline, low job retention, and low pay.
I was intrigued when I saw the title of "First Totem Problems," the fifth episode/film of Kizazi Moto. The colorful animated scenery and cheerful music pulled me in, as were the struggles of the protagonist. Sheba (voiced by Rene Setlhako) cannot get on a train because it doesn't identify her as an adult. Later, she attends a ceremony to get a totem, so she can become an adult. By accident, she ends up in a dimension where her ancestors are living, akin to the spirit world in Elena of Avalor.
She is determined to get a totem. She enters the totem printing room with that goal. Her ancestors tell her that a totem is connected to your community and can't be manufactured. This doesn't faze her. She makes her own totem and is verified as an adult; despite the damage her actions may have caused within the spirit world.
Honestly, this episode/film was the least favorite one. The message appears to be that someone's determination and smugness will help you achieve your goals. Not sure that is a good lesson. The episode could have done something similar to Hilda, where her arrogance causes her trouble and issues with others. I hadn't heard of the episode's writer/director, Tshepo Moche, nor Maame Boateng and Khadidiatou Diouf, who provided additional writing. The same went for the voice actors, like Tumi Morake, Lillian Dube, Rampepe Mohohlo, and Sne Dladla who voiced Momzo, Mimi, Malume, and Wewe respectfully.
My disappointment from the fifth episode/film of Kizazi Moto faded away when I watched "Mukudzei". This episode/film not only criticizes online culture and obsession with likes as hollow, but it has the lesson that togetherness and cooperation are more important than individuality. Muku (voiced by Pious Nyenyewa) realizes this firsthand, while he is spray painting the ruins. He is transported, due to a timeline glitch, to a future parallel universe, Muchadenga. In this universe, Great Zimbabwe was never colonized. A fellow scavenger named Rumbie (voiced by Genesis "Gigi Lamayne" Manney) saves him. Rumbie tells him this society has all sorts of technology and the most sophisticated justice system in the multiverse. A monster bird chases them and there is an intense, and well-animated, chase through a tunnel.
The biggest twist is not that Muku realizes he messed up or that Rumbie is also from the past, and saw her brother die in the ruins. It is the fact that the bird is trying to help them get back to the past! The bird even assists them in keeping open the portal so they can return to the present, where Rumbie meets her mother (voiced by Fungai Muzoroza), once again. Muku realizes that being #1 as a social media influencer doesn't matter. Rather, talking to his dad is more important. Preserving one's culture and history is another important theme.
Like the other episodes/films, I hadn't heard of the directors (Tafadzwa Hove and Pious Nyenyewa). While Hove was the writer, Nyenyewa also was the episode's creator and voice of Muku, one of the protagonists, as noted earlier. Hove describes himself as a "filmmaker". Nyenyewa is a Zimbabwean who leads the studio, Alula Animation. Manney is a South African rapper known as Gigi Lamayne. This series is the voice acting debut of her and Muzoroza.
The seventh episode/film of Kizazi Moto, "Hatima," was one of the strongest. And I'm not only saying that because I enjoy reading stories about merpeople like Mermaid Huntress (formerly named Ice Massacre), Mora in Disenchantment, Coral in High Guardian Spice, or Lettuce in Tokyo Mew Mew New (who can sometimes be a mermaid). The fact that this took place in an underwater society makes me think of the underwater battles in Star Wars: Clone Wars, the secret society of Atlantis in the 2000s Disney films (Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Atlantis: Milo's Return), the Gungan society in Star Wars, or the oft-appearing Atlanteans in Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice, and other properties.
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"Hatima" has common themes like a father's death at the hands of an enemy. Being deemed unworthy to be a warrior, with someone holding you back from your potential is not a new concept. I liked that Mati (voiced by Nkosinathi Mazwai) is headstrong. He won't listen to the reasoning of his brother, Sana (voiced by Tshepo Howza Mosese). Sana doesn't understand Mati's anger, or wants to use a "weapon of war", the Hatima. In fact, he declares that the Hatima are only used by the "air-breathers" (i.e., the humans) and that they don't use them. The backstory begins almost innocently. Nhela (voiced by Mo Mjamba) works in her makeshift lab. Her sister, Alani (voiced by Tumela Candice Modiselle) helps her. She learns that sodium chloride causes the Hatima cells to grow instead of destroying them.
It predictably goes south. Their actions incur the disappointment of King of their society, and their father (voiced by Herald Khumalo). He takes away the Hatima. After Nhela mocks his decrees, Alani refuses to work with her. In a possible allusion to chronic illness, Nhela, who is near death, and coughing up blood, submerges herself in the Hatima. She has changed. But no one will accept her, even after her pleas that this substance can cure all sickness.
The worst betrayal is that Alani says they can "fix" and return her to normal, which is ludicrous. Does she want her sister to almost die, again? Unsurprisingly, she leaves the society, feeling shunned by everyone. This connects to Mati and the battle underwater. This whole story is in a memory orb, which reveals this backstory. It causes him to embrace his "enemy," Ntsako (voiced by Lebo Mochudi), and realize they are all related. In some ways, this resolution makes me think of the sirenas in Elena of Avalor, likely referring to the mythologic creature in Filipino culture, which is like a mermaid.
I was familiar with themes of acceptance, the "other," ancestry, and family. Even so, I hadn't come across a series where characters speak Afrikaans, a West Germanic language which evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony used by German, French, Dutch settlers, and those they enslaved. Due to this history, it makes sense that the "oppressors" are speaking this language. I can easily sympathize with what Mati and Nhela are going through, on some level.
This episode/video has extreme potential become a full animated series. Whether Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane, who were the directors, with Maluleke as creator and Mogajane as writer, want to pursue a longer series, I'm not sure. Tatenda Mbudzi was also on the crew, helping with dialogue. I hadn't heard of Sekoati Tsubane (who voices Mati's father) or Kgomotso Kekana (who voices Young Mati), who are voice actors in this series. Maluleke is a digital artist, while Mogajane is director and writer.
The last three episodes/films of Kizazi Moto are unique, but also connect to others. The eighth episode "Stardust", is all about discrimination, realizing who you want to be, and your "destiny" mixed with magic, amazing 3-D animation, and well-fitting music. The protagonist, Nawara (voiced by May Elghety), wants to escape her hard life, and sees the Oracle as the answer. Despite the Oracle's guard saying that her "kind" isn't allowed, the Oracle (voiced by Laith Nakli) gives her a scroll. He says that it has what she deserves. When she learns there is nothing inside the scroll, she is enraged. She declares she will "take" her destiny by herself.
Not everyone likes the Oracle. He is the enemy of the Pallids. They want a magical star from him, even destroying his droid protector. Later, Nawara escapes with some scrolls. Even so, she feels bad after the Oracle is captured. She becomes friends with Riphi, the oxen-like beast who is the Oracle's animal companion. She goes on a typical hero's journey to the observatory. In a powerful scene, the Pallid boss (voiced by Mo Ismail) tells Nawara that she shouldn't waste her pride and ambition because people like her don't get to choose their destiny. Of course, she can't accept this. She fights alongside the Oracle and the Pallids are defeated. Comically, they are thrown out of the observatory.
The end of this episode/film implies that Nawara may stay with the Oracle, as she says that she wants to be "nothing, but this". The camaraderie between Nawara and the Oracle is one of the best parts of the episode/film. The same can be said for the voice acting by Elghety, Nakli, Ismail, Amir Hedayah, Rami El Ashram, and Nayra El Sheikh. The latter three voice the droid announcer, a Pallid man, and Pallid woman. Ahmed Teilab wrote and directed this episode/film. Kenyas screenwriter Voline Ogutu does additional writing. Their talents make "Stardust" that much more impactful.
The ninth episode/film of Kizazi Moto, "You Give Me Heart" shares some similarities with the previously mentioned episode/film, "Mukudzei". However, this episode/film, more than any of the others, criticizes the absurdity of online value. The protagonist, Sundiata "Sundi" (voiced by Sechaba Ramphele), has only two followers. This differs from Phefo and Moepi, voiced by Mhlangabezi Richard Mashiya and Lesego Vorster. He joins a show in which contestants are from a version of Earth called Oro Kotoko. Winners enter the land of the Gods, called Hodimo, and become the new God of creativity. In order to do so, they must convince Maadi, goddess of plenty, to favor them. If the judges are displeased, then a contestant can be rejected.
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Luckily for Sundi, he ascends. The announcer, Tsbinki (Mukovhe Monyai), has it out for him, because Sundi embarrassed him by turning him into a clay hummingbird during the contest. Maadi is willing to help him. While he is happy for her help, he never gets close to the follower count he needs to truly ascend: one million followers. He admits to her that it is hard to get people to like you. When he sees the true form of Maadi (voiced by Pearl Thusi), he films her, and causes him to reach his goal.
This is at a cost. He embarrasses her. It results in her losing so many followers that her goddess status disappears. In the final part of the episode, he strikes back. Everything falls apart, with the help of Maadi, with each of the gods losing their forms, and the system overloads. Maadi and Sundi hold hands and tell the program, Jojoba (voiced by Simba Mudereri) to "delete" it all. They appear to die happy while this horrifying place disappears from existence.
"You Give Me Heart" was one of my favorite Kizazi Moto episodes/films. I thought the imagery of the Gods working in cubicles is apt. I've always thought that if a higher power was even possible (which it isn't), there would be a massive bureaucracy to manage everything. This is almost never depicted in fiction. I liked Tsbinki's character, to an extent, as she is very energetic and emphatic. Some of the designs reminded me of Gem fusions like Sunstone, Sugilite, and Sunstone in Steven Universe. The director/creator, Lesego Vorster, and writer, Nonzi Bogatsu, were both new names to me.
The final film/episode of Kizazi Moto, "Enkai", shares themes with "Hatima". The mother Goddess, Shiro, has fun with her child, Enkai. Both speak Swahili together. Despite this warmth, she insists that Enkai isn't ready to create new life, and is not ready to come with her to Earth. Understandably, Enkai worries about her mother. She is excited when she makes her first being. Curiously, she travels to Earth and walks through a slum in Kirinyaga Mega City. People there are rapping that the Euro-Kenya Corporation is exploiting a mountain. Her mom, who is trying to put out fires made by the corporation's robots, saves her, just in time.
Shiro's belief that the corporation won't destroy the sacred mountain is proven wrong. The corporate greed, of the humans, almost kills her. Not all hope is lost. Enkai (voiced by Stycie Waweru) creates a whole new world, using items from Earth over years and years, called Thayari. She tells her mom that humans can only save themselves now. She adds that isn't her mom's responsibility anymore, and heals her mother (voiced by Sheila Munyiva). In the final sequence of this episode/film, they both dance in this new world happily.
While the Earth is "left to die", Shiro did as much as she could. She almost died trying to protect Earth. This episode/film has the implication that humans have no one to look up to but themselves. In some ways, this is an atheist theme. This contrasts with many of the other episodes/films, which have almost religious, or religious themes. I wasn't familiar with the voice actresses for Enkai or Shiro, nor those for Awa (Kate Harbor) or Makanga (Varees Marko Lukyamuzzi). The director/writer, Ng'engo Mukii, was also new. She is a film director and Tufts University professor.
I have further thoughts on Kizazi Moto before I end this review. The series was promoted badly. I only remembered it all thanks to some savvy users on social media. As such, the promotional campaign could have been better. Secondly, having all ten episodes/films drop one day is a recipe for having them disappear altogether, with people forgetting about them. The release of the episodes/films should have been spaced out along 10 weeks, or five weeks at minimum.
This series is unlike any other series I've seen, in part because it is an anthology. Each episode/film doesn't necessarily connect to the previous one. Even so, they all show the brilliance of African animation industry, whether through the writing, animation, or dialogue. Although I haven't seen any of the episodes of Star Wars: Visions yet, it has a similar feel, in terms of each episode standing alone and not necessarily connecting to those before it. At the same time, this series differs from other well-known sci-fi anthology series like Black Mirror, The Twilight Zone, The Ray Bradbury Theater, and Love, Death & Robots.
African stories are front and center in Kizazi Moto, just as Mexican stories are at the center of Victor and Valentino and Villainous. The fact that Ramsey, known for his co-direction of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, gives this series credibility. Unfortunately, many originally incorrectly labeled this as "Afrofuturist," despite the distinction as I noted earlier in this review, with some exceptions. With the premiere of Supa Team 4 late last month, My Dad the Bounty Hunter season 2 this month, and premieres for Iyanu: Child of Wonder, and Dantai, hopefully in 2024 or 2025, Black science fiction is moving to a broader audience.
Recently, Disney announced that The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder would be getting a third season. At the same convention, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was also revealed that The Sunnyridge 3, StuGo, Dragon Striker, and The Doomies will be going into production, along with a second season of Kiff, and future premiere of Primos sometime this year. All of this shows that Disney appears to recognize the value of diverse storytelling.
On the other hand, Disney continues to resist demands of striking writers and actors. Recently, newly-anointed Disney CEO, Bob Iger, denigrated striking writers and actors as "very disruptive". The former are asking for a ratified labor contract, a fair residual formula for streaming services, stronger regulation of self-tape auditions, preventing artificial intelligence from replacing actors, while the latter want to limit use of artificial intelligence in the writing process, size of writers' rooms, job security, and increased pay.
Due to Iger's statement, there's no guarantee Disney would pay them fairly or accept their demands at the present. However, it seems unlikely that the twin strikes by actors and writers will last long-term because, hopefully, the studio heads likely want to make a deal, even though some want to let things drag on until union members start "losing their apartments and...their houses." Furthermore, it is not known how this will impact Disney's push for diverse storytelling.
Kizazi Moto, along with various aforementioned series which are in production, those renewed, or those airing (Kiff, Hamster & Gretel, Moon Girl, and Hailey's On It!) is part of Disney's present course of action. Disney also has series in development such as Iwaju, Cookies & Milk, Tiana, or Moana: The Series. Clearly, the executives want to bring in, promote, and produce non-White stories. This was already clear with the Thai focus in Amphibia and various Black and Afro-Latina characters in The Owl House. It is even more evident with recent announcements.
I'm not sure where Kizazi Moto will go from here, but each has the potential to be expanded into their own series, or something more. I hope that they don't suffer the fate of the little-known web series, Recorded by Arizal, by Filipino creator Yssa Badiola. That series was ignored by Rooster Teeth, and not greenlit into a full series, despite the amazing potential of the four-episode prelude.
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire can be watched on Disney+.
© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.
#kizazi moto: generation fire#wga strike#sag aftra strike#triggerfish#afrofuturism#africanfuturism#kizazi moto#animation#steven universe#iwaju#birdie wing#supa team 4#tokyo mew mew#tokyo mew mew new#rapunzel tangled#star wars: the clone wars#sw tcw#merpeople#hilda#elena of avalor#recorded by arizal#yssa badiola#african animation#athiesm
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𝘽𝙇𝘼𝙕𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍’𝙎 𝙒𝙍𝘼𝙏𝙃: 𝙅𝙪𝙖𝙝-𝙖̄𝙟𝙪 (Planet)
The Sauúti universe is a five-planet system orbiting a binary star: the two suns are called Zuúv’ah and Juah-āju. Juah-āju is the larger of the two stars. Orbited by the planets Órino-Rin and Ekwukwe.
𝘿𝙄𝘿 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙆𝙉𝙊𝙒: A juzu, the Sauúti “year”, is the time it takes Juah-āju and Zuúv’ah to complete one orbit around their common centre of mass. A standard ‘day’ is called a bés.
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Africanfuturism as Climate Change Mitigation
Effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies can not be fully effective without considering the ethical aspects. Environmental ethics is a discipline in philosophy and a branch of ethics that studies the moral relationship of human beings to the environment and non-human contents, along with the role that ethics has in those relations. It is a key aspect of environmental studies because it establishes the relationships between humans and the Earth and the obligations that humans have concerning the natural environment. Much of the research associated with the development of environmental history and environmental philosophy has focused on the European worldview and Western attitudes towards nature. European colonialism and imperialism are inseparable from the history of global environmental change because the decline of civilizations is directly linked to climate change and environmental degradation. European colonizers have defined “legitimate” knowledge as Western knowledge and have delegitimized other ways of knowing as inferior, primitive, and superstitious. The delegitimization of indigenous knowledge by European colonial powers has had a significantly negative impact on the continent of Africa. Some environmental experts believe that Africans are environmentally unfriendly, don't have any solutions to environmental issues, and can’t make any meaningful contributions to the world’s environmental problems. However, I argue that a majority of the environmental concerns in Africa did not exist prior to European colonialism because the traditional African worldview views nature as holistic and encourages harmonious relationships between humans and the environment. The African worldview and African philosophy are essential to be used as frameworks for global climate change mitigation. Throughout my time in Professor Due’s Afrofuturism course, I have engaged with Africanfuturism and I believe that it could be used as a powerful tool to fight against climate change in Africa and across the world. In fact, the traditional African worldview is represented throughout specific works in Africanfuturism such as Wanuri Kahiu’s Pumzi, Kibwe Tavares’ Jonah, and Nnedi Okorafor’s “Spider the Artist”. In the plot of Pumzi, the world has succumbed to climate change and is being negatively impacted by extreme drought and decay. The story touches on climate change adaptation because there is an elaborate structure that has been devised to ensure that water is found in other ways. For example, a character named Asha drains her sweaty shirt in a bathroom in order to convert it to clean drinking water. The major themes from Pumzi relevant to climate change are conservation/resources, drought/decay, rebellion, self-sacrifice, and Kenya/Africa’s technological future. In the short fantasy film Jonah, one of the main characters dreams of putting his country on the map with something exciting. After photographing a gigantic fish leaping out of the sea, he attracts tourists from all over the world who end up trashing to country. Jonah is particularly interesting because it confirms the notion that most of Africa’s climate change issues are the result of outsiders. This can also be interpreted from Nnedi Okorafor’s “Spider the Artist”, which focuses attention on the extraction of Nigeria’s oil by Western powers. Ultimately, Africanfuturism can be used to remind people about the consequences of climate change and as a tool for mitigation/adaptation.
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Short Story of the Day #5: “Hello, Moto” by Nnedi Okorafor
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