Everything You Need to Know About ‘Supa Team 4,’ Netflix’s First African Animated Original

News of Netflix’s first African animated original first broke in 2019.

Originally titled Mama K’s Team 4, the project is the brainchild of Malenga Mulendema, one of the eight winners in a pan-African talent search by Triggerfish and The Walt Disney Company in 2015.

She was inspired by the lack of representation and diversity in the cartoons she grew up watching on TV.

“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,” Mulemdema told Animation Magazine in 2019.

Four years later, the sensational animated series is finally ready to air globally on the streaming platform.

Designed by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope, the show follows four teen girls living in the futuristic version of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

When they are recruited by a retired secret agent to help save the world, they have to balance their secret identities and fighting supervillains with homework and the everyday dramas of teen life.

Speaking on the highly awaited series, Melissa Cobb, vice president of original animation at Netflix, said, “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.”

The animated series is produced in South Africa by the award-winning Triggerfish Animation Studios and British family entertainment production company CAKE.

“After animating four multi-award-winning BBC Christmas specials set in England, including the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, Triggerfish is delighted to bring an African capital city to life on Netflix,” Vanessa Ann Sinden, Triggerfish’s development producer, said.

It was written by several writers including Nigeria’s Omotunde Akiode, whose impressive catalogue includes Tinsel, Dear Mother, Spider, Ajoche, MTV Shuga Naija, Lasgidi Cops, Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes, and Jungle Book.

Finally! Been waiting a long time for this. I'm so proud to have written on this show with some amazing writers. It was a magical time for me, working with the Head Writer who was also Head Writer on Power Puff Girls that I grew up watching! It was unreal! https://t.co/5ebHuU1kiC

— Omotunde Akiode (@tuneh) May 17, 2023