Movie streaming service Netflix announced its first original African animated series, “Mama K’s Team 4”, a series originally created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema.
To produce “Mama K’s Team 4”, Netflix partnered with Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios and British children’s entertainment company CAKE.
Mama K’s Team 4 tells the story of four, teen girls living in the neo-futuristic African city of Lusaka, Zambia who are recruited by a retired secret agent still committed to saving the world.
The animated series was designed by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope, drawing visual inspiration from retro-’90s R&B and hip hop girl groups.
Mama K’s Team 4 is the brainchild of Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema‚ one of eight winners in the Story Lab initiative‚ a 2015 programme sponsored by Triggerfish in partnership with the Walt Disney Company and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Malenga speaking on the project said
“In creating a superhero show set in Lusaka, I hope to introduce the world to four strong African girls who save the day in their own fun and crazy way. Most importantly, I want to illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero,”
Melissa Cobb, vice president of original animation at Netflix added
“In addition to giving African writers a global platform on which to be heard, we are excited to present this powerful and entertaining new animated series that brings Malenga’s incredible and unique vision to life on Netflix. Mama K’s Team 4 has the potential to give a whole new generation of African children the opportunity to see themselves on-screen in the powerful, aspirational characters they look up to.”
Images of Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema
