Jaden and Willow Smith Produce Anime Films Inspired by African Folklore

As of October 7th, 2025, siblings Jaden and Willow Smith have announced their foray into the anime industry. The two have partnered with N LITE, a Black-owned media company and anime studio based in the U.S. and Tokyo, to produce and voice roles in upcoming films.

Jaden Smith has signed on to executive produce and voice the character of Kozo, an ancient spirit warrior, in the epic fantasy film "Mfinda." The movie, which is currently in pre-production, is inspired by Congolese folklore and is being touted as the first anime film created by a Black and Japanese team of producers and animators. Jaden expressed his excitement about the project, stating that he was "blown away" by the artwork and story when he met with N LITE's founder and CEO, Christiano Terry.

Meanwhile, Willow Smith has joined the cast of another N LITE film, the horror/thriller "WEBE: Spirit Detective." Willow will serve as an executive producer and voice talent on the anime, which is inspired by Gullah Geechee folklore. She described the film as "more than an anime" and a story about "reconnecting with mystical ancestry and the power in discovering your roots and your tribe."

Both Jaden and Willow are no strangers to the anime world. Jaden previously voiced the main character in the Netflix series "Neo Yokio" in 2017, while Willow recently joined the cast of the anime-inspired film "Slime."