Television Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (Disney Plus) - an Afrofuturist animated anthology series from the co-director of Into the Spider-verse and creators from six African nations

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Afrofuturism is pretty freakin' dope so I'm VERY much looking forward to this!

 

Afrofuturist animated series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire coming to Disney Plus

WWW.POLYGON.COM

---

Inspired by Black Panther, this anthology brings together the talent of over six African nations to imagine the future

 

Quote

 

The second season of Star Wars: Visions, which premieres this Thursday, eschews the anime-exclusive format of last season to make a showcase work from around the world by renowned studios like Aardman (Wallace & Gromit) and Cartoon Saloon (Wolfwalkers). Should this approach happen to whet your appetite for even more great world animation, not to worry: A new animated series of afrofuturist-inspired shorts will premiere on Disney Plus later this summer.

 

Produced by Peter Ramsey, co-director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire is an animated anthology dedicated to imagining the future from an African perspective. The first teaser trailer for the series quietly dropped on Youtube earlier this week, offering an impressive first glimpse at this stunning new collection of sci-fi fantasy animation.

 

 

[SimpleG]

I really wish streaming services and the film industry would start taking a good hard look at Afrofuturism.  There is such good content that I feel is getting overlooked that would make some fantastic series or films.

Binti 

The Galaxy Game

Everfair 

Brown Girl In The Ring 

All of these are legit some of the best sci fi.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

On 5/3/2023 at 3:18 PM, SimpleG said:

I really wish streaming services and the film industry would start taking a good hard look at Afrofuturism.  There is such good content that I feel is getting overlooked that would make some fantastic series or films.

Binti 

The Galaxy Game

Everfair 

Brown Girl In The Ring 

All of these are legit some of the best sci fi.

 

 

One of the aspects about Afrofuturism that I find very appealing and which sets it apart from other forms of science fiction is that it genuinely does appear to be somewhat more "optimistic" about the future comparatively speaking.  From what I gather, this outlook represents a consciously deliberate effort by creators to imagine a better future for the peoples of Africa rather than allowing that vision to be solely dictated by the traumas and horrors of the past.  A few essays which explore this notion:

 

Why We Should Embrace The Optimism Of Afrofuturism

GRAZIADAILY.CO.UK

---

The Afrofuturist movement imagines an optimistic future for Black people. Tina Charisma explains why looking backwards is no longer enough. Read more on Grazia.

 

Afrofuturism Is An Optimistic And Prosperous Way Forward For The Black Community | PushBlack Finance

WWW.PUSHBLACKFINANCE.COM

---

We view Wakanda as fiction. But imaginings of what a Black liberated society could look like are dramatically fueling change.

 

Afrofuturism – envisaging the Africa that we want - New African Magazine

NEWAFRICANMAGAZINE.COM

---

Where do Africa and the diaspora sit on the key issues that are confronting us? Onyekachi Wambu contemplates the perspectives of Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism.

 

How afrofuturism gives Black people the confidence to survive doubt and anti-Blackness

THECONVERSATION.COM

---

Afrofuturism allows Black people to not only imagine their distant futures but also how to survive the anti-Black present.

 

I'm sure you'll be interested in these as well @skillzdadirecta!

[Keyser_Soze]

Don't forget Neptune Frost

 

 

[SimpleG]

1 hour ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

 

One of the aspects about Afrofuturism that I find very appealing and which sets it apart from other forms of science fiction is that it genuinely does appear to be somewhat more "optimistic" about the future comparatively speaking.  From what I gather, this outlook represents a consciously deliberate effort by creators to imagine a better future for the peoples of Africa rather than allowing that vision to be solely dictated by the traumas and horrors of the past.  A few essays which explore this notion:

 

Why We Should Embrace The Optimism Of Afrofuturism

GRAZIADAILY.CO.UK

---

The Afrofuturist movement imagines an optimistic future for Black people. Tina Charisma explains why looking backwards is no longer enough. Read more on Grazia.

 

Afrofuturism Is An Optimistic And Prosperous Way Forward For The Black Community | PushBlack Finance

WWW.PUSHBLACKFINANCE.COM

---

We view Wakanda as fiction. But imaginings of what a Black liberated society could look like are dramatically fueling change.

 

Afrofuturism – envisaging the Africa that we want - New African Magazine

NEWAFRICANMAGAZINE.COM

---

Where do Africa and the diaspora sit on the key issues that are confronting us? Onyekachi Wambu contemplates the perspectives of Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism.

 

How afrofuturism gives Black people the confidence to survive doubt and anti-Blackness

THECONVERSATION.COM

---

Afrofuturism allows Black people to not only imagine their distant futures but also how to survive the anti-Black present.

 

I'm sure you'll be interested in these as well @skillzdadirecta!

Agreed.

Heres a good article about how it pulls itself from the "Western Gaze" of always leading to violence.

Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, and the Language of Black Speculative Literature

LAREVIEWOFBOOKS.ORG

---

Hope Wabuke considers the future of Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism....

 

[SimpleG]

40 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

Don't forget Neptune Frost

 

 

Everyone in the film industry should be watching this and taking notes. A shoestring budget that fucking oozes atmosphere that hundred million dollar sci fi films only dream of.

[skillzdadirecta]

2 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

 

One of the aspects about Afrofuturism that I find very appealing and which sets it apart from other forms of science fiction is that it genuinely does appear to be somewhat more "optimistic" about the future comparatively speaking.  From what I gather, this outlook represents a consciously deliberate effort by creators to imagine a better future for the peoples of Africa rather than allowing that vision to be solely dictated by the traumas and horrors of the past.  A few essays which explore this notion:

 

Why We Should Embrace The Optimism Of Afrofuturism

GRAZIADAILY.CO.UK

---

The Afrofuturist movement imagines an optimistic future for Black people. Tina Charisma explains why looking backwards is no longer enough. Read more on Grazia.

 

Afrofuturism Is An Optimistic And Prosperous Way Forward For The Black Community | PushBlack Finance

WWW.PUSHBLACKFINANCE.COM

---

We view Wakanda as fiction. But imaginings of what a Black liberated society could look like are dramatically fueling change.

 

Afrofuturism – envisaging the Africa that we want - New African Magazine

NEWAFRICANMAGAZINE.COM

---

Where do Africa and the diaspora sit on the key issues that are confronting us? Onyekachi Wambu contemplates the perspectives of Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism.

 

How afrofuturism gives Black people the confidence to survive doubt and anti-Blackness

THECONVERSATION.COM

---

Afrofuturism allows Black people to not only imagine their distant futures but also how to survive the anti-Black present.

 

I'm sure you'll be interested in these as well @skillzdadirecta!

Oh yeah... I'm working on a project now exploring Afro Futurism in fashion. One of my partners is kind of an expert on it.

[Greatoneshere]

I wasn't aware all ten episodes (seems the show did well, a season 2 could happen, no official announcement yet though) dropped this past July! I thought the release date was further out. I just finished binging Big Mouth season 7, this will be the next thing I binge and I'll be reporting back. Looks really cool, I think others should take a look.

 

@SimpleG

@Keyser_Soze

@skillzdadirecta

@Commissar SFLUFAN

[Greatoneshere]

Watched through this this past week and it was pretty good! It skews younger than I thought it would - if Love, Death & Robots is for adults and the The Boys Presents: Diabolical is for male older teens and young 20 somethings then Star Wars: Visions and What If are for older teens and Kizazi Moto is for younger teens. The animation varies from episode to episode and almost every episode is a looker. The varying animation styles combined with afro futurism certainly give this a distinct look and identity. Some episodes are more enjoyable than others which is typically the case with anthology short film compilations like these but all were worth watching. I hope more people check this out to support these kinds of more unique projects we don't get to see enough of outside of stuff like Black Panther.

 

The one downside of the show is almost every episode revolves around the same sort of theme of a young teen, 14-15 years old, not being ready for something and either learning they are or aren't ready through an elder or family member or close friend. The sci fi is always there but sometimes inelegantly integrated into the story (the multiple parallel universe short comes to mind, which I otherwise thought was fun). News online seemed to indicate the first season did well when it dropped on Disney+ last July that this could get a season 2. If they expand the kinds of stories they are willing to tell and use more animation studios with more interpretive takes on afro futurism and I'm there. I think everyone should give this a look, even if it's not perfect there's a lot to like and every episode is only 12 minutes so it's easy to get through all 10 episodes quickly. It's somewhat surprising the amount of anthology short film compilation shows we have now: Love Death & Robots, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Star Wars: Visions, What If? and now Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. I've enjoyed each in their own way and all five are fairly distinctive from each other. People should check all of them out.