N LITE Introduces Kozo, Guardian of MFINDA

Multimedia company N LITE unveiled the character Kozo for its upcoming afro-anime film MFINDA, set to be released in 2025. The reveal was made on Friday, shedding light on the character's intriguing abilities and backstory.

Mfinda Kozo Image courtesy of N LITE
© 2025 N LITE

Who is Kozo?

Kozo serves as the protector of MFINDA, a bridge between the human world and the spirit realm. His character draws inspiration from the Kingdom of Kongo during the 15th-16th centuries. Key features of Kozo include:

Ability to wield divine fire
Transformation into a wild dog
Travel abilities through the MFINDA

Mfinda Kozo dog Image courtesy of N LITE
© 2025 N LITE

Artistic Contributions

Earlier, N LITE showcased key artwork titled Odi Lost in the MFINDA, created by Shigeru Fujita, with background art by Kazuyuki Hashimoto.

Odi Lost in the Mfinda Image courtesy of N LITE
© 2025 N LITE

The Story of MFINDA

N LITE describes the storyline as follows:

MFINDA tells the story of a young girl, Odi, who is transported into the past. There, she teams up with another girl, Nasambi, to face evil spirits and reclaim the Nkisi, which is vital for her return home.

Production Team

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon from JuVee Productions are collaborating with N LITE on this project. Key figures involved include:

Producers: Masao Maruyama and Gisaburō Sugii
Co-Director: Arthell Isom

Partnership and Future Plans

The American animation distributor GKIDS is also co-producing the film. N LITE is working closely with a talented Japanese team to bring MFINDA to life, aiming to highlight black and indigenous narratives through global collaboration.

In an exciting development, N LITE plans to release the first volume of MFINDA: The Manga in 2025, with three volumes expected. The manga, penned by Christiano Malik Terry, will feature art direction by project creator Patience Lekien and illustrations by Tom Lintern.

As part of its mission, N LITE focuses on producing hand-drawn 2D animation, earmarking plans for both films and television series under the AFRIME label, which refers to afro-anime.