The making of African Anime

The Making of an African Anime is a deep dive into the journey of building original African intellectual property in a space traditionally dominated by Western comics and Japanese anime. Led by Lesego Mailula, co-creator of Majesty, the session explores how African mythology, spirituality, monarchy, and modern culture can be fused with anime-inspired storytelling to create globally appealing worlds rooted in African identity. The panel will discuss the real process behind creating Majesty — from two creators with completely different influences (DC Comics and anime) learning to merge their styles, to building the world of Afrentia, developing characters like Naledi and Don, and turning a comic book into a long-term vision for animation and gaming. Fans will gain insight into world-building, character creation, independent publishing, marketing on a budget, and how to build an audience in South Africa before going global. The session will also explore the future of African animation and why African creators should take ownership of their stories. To keep the session interactive and fun, the audience will participate in live Q&A discussions, behind-the-scenes breakdowns, character design showcases, and giveaways including Majesty posters, comics, and exclusive merchandise.