Project Info

We were so delighted to take part in two productions “Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer” and “Hatima” as part of the “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” anthology produced by Triggerfish Animation and Disney+.

For each short, we handled everything after the development stages of the projects, including storyboards, designs, animation, backgrounds and compositing. All while working closely with the team at Triggerfish.

Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer

''Manzo is a half-human, half-alien teenager who dreams of becoming a superstar racer like his mother, the legendary masked racer Mkhuzi. Always struggling to reconcile his Zulu heritage with his alien blood, Manzo is outraged when aliens threaten to destroy his Soweto neighbourhood and his injured mother challenges her old nemesis Ogun, an alien overlord, to a re-match he knows she won’t survive. Manzo takes the mask for himself and joins the epic race with everything he loves at stake.''

This episode, created and directed by Malcolm Wope and Simangaliso ‘Panda’ Sibaya was a big undertaking for us, while also being a natural stylistic fit for the studio. With animation inspired by the likes of Redline and Studio Trigger, the team (Led by director Cora McKenna) pulled off something really special in the making of this project.

Hatima

''Two nations are locked in an endless war, as an underwater tribe battles a kingdom on land. Mati, a young water-tribe warrior, and Nhela, the princess of the land kingdom, are drawn into the conflict in pursuit of their deepest desires. Mati wants to join the fighting to avenge his father, while Nhela struggles to change the way her people see Hatima, the mysterious element that is the cause of all the bloodshed. Their stories collide and challenge the deepest beliefs of both their peoples.''

This episode, created and directed by Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane, felt like the opposite end of the spectrum to the previously mentioned 'Mkhuzi'. From the high-octane action of Soweto, to the serene and dark depths of the ocean. Requiring a different approach, Hatima's team (Led by director Cliona Noonan) were able to put together something really fresh for the Studio Meala.

Generation Fire

Featuring stories from creators hailing from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” takes viewers on an Afro-futurist sci-fi ride. The action-packed animated anthology draws on the continent’s rich and diverse histories and cultures to present 10 sci-fi and fantasy stories featuring new worlds of advanced technology, aliens, spirits, and monsters.