‘Into the Spiderverse’ Director Peter Ramsey Boards Pair of Anime Projects With N Lite Media and ‘Afro Samurai’ Producer Gonzo K.K. (EXCLUSIVE)

As a dedicated anime enthusiast with a deep appreciation for diverse and inclusive storytelling, I am beyond thrilled about this groundbreaking partnership between N Lite, Gonzo K.K., and Peter Ramsey. Growing up as a child of immigrants, I often felt a void in representation within the anime community. The fact that this collaboration is bringing two Black-led projects to life, with Viola Davis and Peter Ramsey at the helm, is nothing short of revolutionary.


Animation studio N Lite has announced a fresh collaboration with Emmy-winning Japanese anime studio Gonzo K.K. (“Afro Samurai”) and Academy Award-winning director Peter Ramsey from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” This partnership will result in the creation of two animated projects: a feature film titled “Ripper,” which falls under the noir thriller genre, and an exciting sci-fi adventure series named “Hotaru.

Ramsey has been tapped for both executive producing and co-writing the script for “Ripper,” a unique blend of live-action and anime, scheduled in post-WWII Japan as its backdrop. At this stage, the production is underway, with the plot revolving around two detectives on the trail of a ruthless serial killer who claimed the lives of the women cherished by each investigator. The vision for this project comes from Samantha Inoue Harte, N LITE’s Head of Production, alongside co-writers Paul Alvarado-Dykstra and Rafael Antonio Ruiz.

Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon’s production company, JuVee Productions, is set to collaborate with N Lite and Gonzo K.K. Davis for the production of a project. Melanie Clark, Julius Tennon, and Shinichiro Ishikawa (CEO of Gonzo) will serve as executive producers. Inoue Harte and Christiano Terry (CEO of N Lite) will also produce this project.

Regarding the project, Ramsey expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m thrilled to team up with N Lite on a venture that is deeply meaningful. The unique intersection of Black and Japanese experiences during WWII in Japan hasn’t been portrayed on screen before, and it’s a historically and culturally significant moment. Moreover, the anime genre is currently thriving, and as an ardent fan, I can’t wait to innovate and produce something entirely novel.

The “Into the Spider-Verse” director and the producer of “Hair Love” will also serve as executive producers for “Hotaru,” a swashbuckling sci-fi/fantasy series that follows the tale of two enchanted warriors, bound together by their love and sorrow, as described in the project’s overview.

The series was developed by N Lite’s Inoue Harte, Alvarado-Dykstra, and Terry. Terry serves as the producer, while Ramsey takes on an executive producer role, joining forces with Inoue Harte, Alvarado-Dykstra in this capacity.

As stated by Terry, “Establishing cultural connections and valuable relationships with fellow members and leaders in the anime community is crucial for our studio’s vision and development. It’s an honor that Gonzo and Ishikawa have decided to team up with us. The influence of Afro Samurai and numerous other classic titles from Gonzo has been a significant source of inspiration for our current projects. We can’t wait to engage fans worldwide with our afro-anime productions, and we are incredibly excited about collaborating with the talented Peter Ramsey.

NLite is a media corporation owned by individuals of African descent, which produces and distributes content for various mediums such as movies, television shows, merchandise, books, and consumer products. This company also runs Studio N Lite in Tokyo.

Based in Tokyo, Gonzo K.K. is recognized for creating captivating and up-to-date anime series such as “Full Metal Panic!”, “Hellsing”, “Last Exile” among others. This innovative studio was the pioneer in Japan to produce an anime series with a Black protagonist, namely “Afro Samurai”. Samuel L. Jackson lent his voice to this character. The franchise’s TV feature “Afro Samurai: Resurrection” received an Emmy award.

Gonzo K.K.’s CEO, Shinichiro Ishikawa, expressed great pride in collaborating with N Lite and Peter Ramsey on these groundbreaking original projects. These initiatives were designed as inclusive international co-productions for a wide range of global viewers, and N Lite fits perfectly due to our shared vision and values. We are privileged to work with such distinguished creative partners who share our dedication to innovative storytelling.

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2024-10-31 16:17