N LITE, a media company and anime studio based in the U.S. and Tokyo, has tapped four industry veterans to join its board of directors, including former Disney Television Animation vp Jay Francis.
The move comes as the studio expands its business across feature films, TV, consumer products and publishing. N LITE and its Japanese subsidiary studio N LITE are working toward launching their flagship anime IP and feature film, the original fantasy epic MFINDA, with producing partners that include GKIDS, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, Joel Embiid’s Miniature Geant, and Jaden Smith. They also recently announced serialized manga adaptation of MFINDA with Japanese publisher Kodansha (Ghost in the Shell) that will be a prequel to the feature film, and a making-of documentary, MFINDA: Spirits of the Congo, that will be released in parallel to the feature film.
N LITE has also announced additional projects on its slate, including a film adaptation of the classic manga Jungle Emperor Leo in partnership with Tezuka Productions (the anime studio behind Astro Boy) for their 100th anniversary; an original Southern gothic horror anime, WEBE: Spirit Detective, with Willow Smith and Peter Ramsey executive producing; and the anime series IFE: Secret of the Star Child, which Ramsey is also attached to exec produce alongside veteran animation director Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast).
With a busy slate, N LITE founder and CEO Christiano Terry sought a group of board members who could support its growing business. Animation industry veteran Francis was tapped to join the board and help lead that charge. Francis, whose career spans more than two decades, also held leadership roles at The Disney Channel and Level 13.net, a first-of-its-kind online animation distribution network, and helped guide and champion such series as Phineas and Ferb, Big City Greens and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Francis, who also created the Disney TVA Writing Program, has recruited talented creative artists for The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy.
“It is a tremendous privilege to join N LITE’s board of directors at such an exciting time for the company,” Francis said. “Christiano and the entire N LITE team are doing groundbreaking work, and I am thrilled to contribute my experience to help support their mission and future vision.”
The company says one of its first tasks is continuing to establish strong relationships with streamers and studios in Hollywood. Due to heightened demand for anime among viewers, they say many studios seek to develop and produce original anime for global audiences. But the challenge is that international anime co-productions face difficulties due to differing production styles, creative tastes and cultural norms between Western and Japanese animation teams.
“We’ve spent the past four years establishing a presence in Tokyo and building trust with what we call the anime village and the producers and animators themselves,” Terry said. “While we’ve established relationships with large Japanese companies, it is important that we’re able to galvanize the passion of artists and animators in Japan who are excited to work on films like ours that have never been done before in Japan. Through our subsidiary Studio N LITE, we can develop and pre-produce with a certain level of collaboration that is not always present between Western and Japanese studios.”
N LITE says its collaborations with anime producer Masao Maruyama and hand-painted background studio Dehogallery (see image below) are a testament to their ability to bring together top Japanese talent striving for prestige level work in animation.
Additional board members selected for the company’s expansion into direct-to-consumer space include Ricky Joshi, co-founder of Saatva, one of America’s largest direct-to-consumer brands reaching more than $600 million in revenue. Joshi serves on multiple corporate boards and has expanded his work into film, serving as executive producer on The Beast and The Long Game.
“I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to connect people, challenge perspectives and inspire audiences,” Joshi said. “I’m particularly drawn to films that resonate on a personal level and stay with you long after you’ve watched them. I’m excited to join N LITE’s board and help support the next generation of distinctive voices and compelling stories.”
Meanwhile, Elizabeth “Beth” Nelson has been tapped as a board member to help in the consumer products and licensing space. N LITE says it begun to see interest in MFINDA, with companies and brands eager to license authentic anime from Japan that also resonates with a diverse audience group. This diverse group includes consumers of color in the U.S. and Europe, and consumers in Latin America and Africa.
Nelson is a global business development, licensing, consumer products and brand franchise executive with more than 20 years of experience driving commercial growth, developing strategic partnerships and building entertainment brands. She previously served as CEO of SD Toys, where she held full P&L responsibility, and throughout her career she has worked with major studios that include Disney, Marvel, Fox, Warner Bros. and Paramount.
“N LITE has an incredible opportunity to build entertainment franchises that resonate with audiences around the world,” Nelson said. “I’m excited to bring my experience in licensing, consumer products, and franchise development to the Board as we translate compelling storytelling into sustainable growth, strategic partnerships, and lasting connections with fans.”
Additionally, the studio plans to release products like manga, collectibles and behind-the-scenes content years before a film hits theaters or streaming in an effort to reach fans. Since Africa is also a large part of its storytelling, N LITE says, tapping into fandom culture among African anime and animation fans is key to its strategy. Many African distributors, producers and investment groups are taking note of this opportunity. New board member Carlos Dos Santos, the permanent representative of Mozambique to the United Nations, will help the company expand partnerships on the African continent.
Dos Santos also served as ambassador of Mozambique to the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and to the Holy See, and senior adviser to the president of the Republic of Mozambique, where he built relationships with several entities throughout the African continent. He also has helped N LITE build a foundation on the African continent with forthcoming partnerships and a feature anime film from N LITE set in Mozambique, which will be officially announced soon.
“I am honored and proud to join a project with a great purpose, which is to register in the best and most innovative way the history and stories about Africa and Africans, those in the continent and those in diaspora,” Dos Santos said. “This is the best way creative industries can contribute to the good of humanity.”
As part of Wednesday’s announcement, N LITE said it is set to release the serialized MFINDA manga with Kodansha early next year along with a line of consumer products. A release date and distribution partners for the film are forthcoming.