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hoopearringsunlikemine · 8 months

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Supa team 4:

I have never felt more seen by any show.

I would like everyone to know something about me, and my physical form out side of tumblr (yes I do have one actually). I am African-America, and I shaved my hair. I also struggle with the feeling like I’m not black enough, one of those reasons being because of the fact that I don’t have enough hair to lock or braid. ‘Why am I telling you all this?’ You may ask, because with all this, a single show managed somehow help me and my struggle. When I tell that this show in eight episodes talking about teen girls becoming superheroes made me feel more seen than any (black,lgbtqia+, neurodivergent) focused show I’v seen so far I am telling you the TRUTH. For me it’s a 10/10 and I will recommend to anyone.

Characters.

I’ll be honest with you. I see no flaws with the characters. In fact dare I say, this show has some of the best made characters i’v ever seen. With like actual depth, since the character are not only used for representation; writers can focus on the characters themselves. Which is rare to find, especially with black characters.

Marjory

Right now my favorite character is Marjory. For multiple reasons but the main one being that she has no hair. Her hair is actually similar to mine, the only difference being I use designs (so people can differentiate me from others boys). The other being, she’s so rude(/affectionate). She always has something to say and often comments on the four main girls and of the girls don’t really like but never comment on her hair because it’s normal. We don’t see much of her character through out the first season but I’m (REALLY!!!!) hoping that we get to see her more and have the writers add more depth to her character.

The main 4/ The Supa 4/ Momma K’s team 4

I love them all so much. They are all such amazing characters. The Supa 4 consists of Komana, Monde, Temwe, Zee, and Mama K. These writers KNOW what they’re doing, this is a middle school; this is the experience. Each of the characters feel like an extension of myself and it hits hard.

First up we have Zee. Zee is the tall, skinny, athletic girl which I love because her body type is basically mine. I can understand her when her episode comes up and she becomes over confident, in a way it shows that in the future she might be insecure, because people who get overconfident that quickly are often insecure. Zee plays for the schools football/Soccer team and is very good at. She also seems to love it as well because that is her weapon when they power up!

Next we have Temwe! Temwe our short queen, she is represented as an empty hole who is willing to eat anything. Apart of her character is that she has some anger issues and is a bit of a troublemaker. In middle school I felt/feel like I always was doing something wrong even in primary school it was always me doing the wrong thing. I do headcannon that she has ADHD sense in one of her episodes she had to studying to prevent getting kicked off the team. I also believe that she maybe a favorite of the principal, despite how hard he is on her.

even in the last episode he states how he sees himself in her.

Monde is nextttt! Monde is the plus size queen. This is once again a thing with the character designs, she is chubby not slimed down, not sexualized(she is in middle school btw.) she is just chubby, and this one character probably impacted so many people. She struggles with feeling left out in the friend group because of her being new to the school which is quite relatable. I also love her relationship with her sister, she lives with her sister meaning she is growing up with a strong woman! She is also the most involved with my favorite character: Marjory.

Last but not least Komana. Komana is the second shortest, and the smartest of the team. She brings her A game when it comes to her smarts and does lack in the creativity department. She also is the only character (so. far/excluding Monde sister) with a ‘love interest’ which I love. She struggles with her self worth, thinking that everything she does has to be great and if it isn’t then she failed. She spent an entire episode feeling like she wasn’t good enough showing so much of her character!

How does this make me feel?

I feel so very seen by these characters. In a way I feel like I’m being talked to threw these characters and I feel heard. Zee being similar to my body type is just like clarification, that the writers see me and others like me. Temwe is not only a character that I feel like the watchers can put themselves into but can match a person too. It has been far too long where (kid) shows have been to afraid to represent any sort of body type that’s similar to Monde’s, but not this show. Komana is the one showing not everything will be easy for you and that feels good to see.

#Supa team 4 #Thank you Malenga Mulendema #Essay #blm #black shows #African #african culture #african american #girl power #black girl magic #girls can do it

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historyhermann · 4 months

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No. 6 on my list of top animated series for 2023: "Supa Team 4"

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I only heard about Malenga Mulendema's Supa Team 4 on a whim, on social media. I'm glad I did because Netflix continues to inadequate promote this series. Although I don't always like computer-generated animations, this superhero action-comedy series remains one of my favorites for 2023. This series, produced by Trigger Fish Animation Studios, shares some characteristics with other teenage superhero series and classic 2000s series from the 2000s. The story is wholy Zambian and centers on four girls with different (and sometimes clashing) personalities: Temwe Chiti, Komana Mwinga, Zikomo "Zee" Phiri, and Monde Wamunyima. They are brought together by a former secret agent named Mama K.

Similar to other entries on this list, Temwe, Komana, Zee, and Monde feel obligated to keep their real identities secret. They have one of the coolest superhero transformations, with upbeat music and a distinctive flair. It is only rivaled by Sailor Moon, series within the Pretty Cure franchise, and magical girl works. Themes like environmental protection, family, work-life balance, value of art, and obsession with popularity are key. They face off against a villain who tries to steal the city's electric power, while masquerading as a "Black empowerment" capitalist. The second season premieres on December 21 and will continue centering African stories.

excerpted from "Burkely's Top Ten Animated TV Shows of 2023"

#supa team 4 #netflix #pretty cure #magical girls #magical transformation #sailor moon #triggerfish #black animation #african animation

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postsofbabel · 5 months

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#posts of babel #screenreader unfriendly

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nousdoux · 8 months

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Mama K's Team 4

[Plain text reading "Mama K's Team 4". END PT.]

[Transcription: The official trailer for the series Supa Team 4. It features various clips from the show. First clip: the girls transformed and fighting bad guys. 2. Monde's sister says to Monde: "Monde? You're a superhero? I'm telling Bo Ma and Bo Ndate. A building explodes. 3. The school principal says to Temwe: "Temwe Chiti!" with an angry face. 4. Komana being surprised while drawing. 5. Monde hides Temwe behind her, while the majorette captain yells "Get over here now!". 6. Temwe says to the other girls while walking towards Mama K's stand: "So I guess I'm not the only one with detention." 7. Mama K says to the girls: "You four have been offered an opportunity." Temwe: "For free labor." Mama K: "I have been observing you for weeks." They enter the secret lair. Mama K :"You are the super squad I need to help save Lusaka." 8. The girls get their super hero suits and suit up. Mama K says their superhero names : "K-Bongo. Za-Mpezi. M-Kozo. T-Mlilo. Together, you possess the…" Temwe intterupts and says "Aw. I wanted to be T-Licious." 9. Various clips of people screaming while supervillains attack. Hocus Pocus says : "We will strike Lusaka !" A masked supervillain says "I want those girls out of the way." Storm Drain says while rising up : "I will not be defeated." Various supervillains laugh maniacally. 10. Alley Gator in the market place roars, then M-Kozo says "Man-croco. I can’t ! I can’t" Alley Gator attacks. 11. The news reporter says "Another disaster is battering Lusaka." as clips of disasters appear. 12. Komana says sadly : "This is not how I’ll save the world." Then Komana is sitting next to her father who is laying on the ground and she cries "Ta !" 13. Monde crying in her majorette outfit. 14. Monde gets out of the principal office while he says to her "Stay away from those friends of yours." 15. Komana saying "But I can’t do it all." She leaves Mama K’s secret lair. Monde reassures her "Ha. Do you think you were going alone ?" Zee says "We’re a team. Always". Komana smiles. 16. Mama K says "It’s GoGo time" and the girls transform. The intro theme song plays louder. 17. Hocus Pocus yells "Prepare to be annihilated !" 18. K-Bongo says "We can’t fall apart already." 19. Various clips of the girls falling. Then clips of fights. 20. Temwe says "This is going to be the battle of the ages." 21. More clips of them fighting. 21. The series logo, with the girls transformed and Mama K holding her goat Chomps. 22. Komana’s father says to her with a smile : "Don’t try to do everything, eh. You can’t be a superhero." Komana looks guilty. End transcription.]

↪ Available on: Netflix ↪ Status: Ongoing ↪ Seasons released: 1 season, 8 episodes ↪ Running time: 27 minutes ↪ Summary: Four teen girls living in the neo-futuristic Zambian city of Lusaka, in Africa, are recruited by a retired secret agent still committed to saving the world. In their journey from school girls tackling homework to undercover superheroes fending off supervillains, they're transformed from a motley crew of friends into Supa Team 4.

#kids #kids show #show-character-black #show-character-zambian #show-character-african #show-creator of color #show-language-english #show-netflix

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everysshkey · 2 years

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ffschweden · 7 years

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Inför omgång 16

Michaela Johnsson har slutat i LB07

Damallsvenskan är tillbaka efter nästan två veckor uppehåll. Och det är även jag efter lite mer än en veckas relativ tystnad. Jag var på tjänsteresor utomlands och missade även de första landskamperna i VM-kvalet som jag sammanfattar senare.

I dag ska jag besöka Stockholms Stadion och se

Djurgården – LB 07 23/9, kl 1500 (Stockholms stadion)

Efter en blandad…

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#Claudia Neto #Elisabet Gunnarsdottir #Linda Sällström #Michaela Johnsson #Pauline Hammarlund #Stefan Rehn #Sven Sjunesson #Tabitha Chawinga #Temwe Chawinga

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psychopathicwriting · 7 years

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*splutters and huffs* gskhejws;temws;l;s

"I wonder if she even knows who she's talking to?""I doubt it."

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uviraonline · 4 years

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Sud-Kivu: Plusieurs écoles dans la province éducationnelle Sud-Kivu 2 restent jusqu'à présent non payées

Sud-Kivu: Plusieurs écoles dans la province éducationnelle Sud-Kivu 2 restent jusqu’à présent non payées

Plusieurs écoles primaires mécanisées non budgétisées dans la province éducationnelle Sud-Kivu 2 restent jusqu’à présent non payées. Dans le territoire de Fizi certaines écoles répertoriées dont l’école primaire Alenge Buko, Bitobolo, Anwarite, Temwe, Mtongachimu, Magunga et Hodari, ont eu des numéros matricules depuis 2012, mais ces écoles restent non budgétisés jusqu’à nos jours. Les…

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historyhermann · 4 months

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Supa Team 4 Season 2 Spoiler-Filled Review

Supa Team 4 is a computer-generated superhero action-comedy series. Malenga Mulendema is the series creator and co-executive producer. Trigger Fish Animation Studios, known for the recent animated series Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes, and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, and various television specials and films. The first season was released in July 2023.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the sixty-second article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on January 14, 2024.

The second season picks up where the first one left off. The four protagonists (Temwe Chiti, Komana Mwinga, Zikomo "Zee" Phiri, and Monde Wamunyima) are trapped in an abandoned mine. They are confronted by Bad Magz (voiced by John McMillian) and fellow villain Prof. Greenthumbs (voiced by Abena Ayivor), with the former angry they keep ruining his plans. Mama K (voiced by Pamela Nomvete) can't get in touch with Team 4 and thinks the Principal Nkwashi (voiced by voiced by Abubakar Salim) is up to something, until he admits he only wants to help Temwe (voiced by Kimani Arthur). The heroes use makeshift weapons and detain Prof. Greenthumbs. Mama K helps them escape, but not before Bad Magz photographs the van. Later, his assistant Ms. Prudent confirms that Zambinite was there. He is intrigued by the ring on Mama K's hand. And that's only the first episode!

The kidnapping of the four protagonists impacts all of them. It may have heightened Temwe's jealously toward Zee (voiced by Nancy Sekhokoane). The latter results in them "switching places," so they can recognize each other's struggles. There is no doubt that the kidnapping deeply impacted Komana (voiced by Zowa Ngwira). Later, she is comforted by Monde (voiced by Namisa Mdlalose). More directly, photographic analysis causes Bad Magz to track down Chi (voiced by Chi Mhende), a blind man who is Mama K's comrade, and snatch a computer, blueprints, and disc, even as he lets Chi flee. Also, this episode shows Temwe and Zee sympathizing with each other's struggles. That's something you don't always see in TV series.

Bad Magz is one of the most devious villains. His public form, Lee Magadzee, is outwardly an African nationalist who wants to return power to "the people." Later, he flirts with Monde's sister, Likando (voiced by Chipo Chung), who holds him to his promise to end load shedding. Putting aside his somewhat developed hacking skills, he can be harsh toward his subordinates. For instance, Alley Gator (voiced by Yinka Awoni), finds the Zambinite for him. However, Alley Gator wants to be with Prof. Greenthumbs instead.

The actions of Team 4, in Supa Team 4, are reactive. They resembling the Pretty Cure in the franchise of the same name. Team 4 fight villains, save people from sinkholes (called by Ally Gator), and promise to support one another. They don't face the one behind everything. Bad Magz is not a villain equivalent of Bell in Power of Hope: PreCure Full Bloom, a mysterious guardian angel who traveled back in time to prevent a town from being destroyed by humanity. The consequences of his actions matter little to him. He agrees to freeze Zambinite because it is combustible. This mineral gives off a bad smell before energy is extracted. He ignores Pro. Greenthumbs before she points out the hazardous and toxic waste byproduct.

Bad Magz's harsh managerial techniques bleed over into his feelings for others. In the fifth episode, he plans to go on a date with Komana's sister, Likando, which the girls of Team 4 are happy for. But he stands her up! This makes her suspicious of him (she only knows him in his public persona of Lee), and his secrets, and mysteries. She even points out that secrets, like those of powerful people, always get out. This causes Komana to investigate and discover that Storm Drain (voiced by Ashley Zhangazha) is freezing the Zambinite.

Komana is the first one, of Team 4, to be openly suspicious of Bad Magz's public persona. Monde refuses to believe her. Likando's love of Lee causes her to assist him, throwing her logic out the window. This directly parallels Click. He is unhealthily obsessed with Temwe after the third episode. Clearly, the lesson is that obsession with other people can cause you to lose sight of what is important. Later in Supa Team 4, this all comes to a head, for Bad Magz, Komana, and Team 4.

Bad Magz sees everyone as toys to be manipulated. He says gaining control of the Mayor will be "automatic" with Likando's trust. In his public persona of Lee, he promotes "Magz Power" as the "solution" to the power cuts in Lusaka. He claims it will end load shedding and blackouts. He challenges his scholarship recipients to sign up, as many people as possible, for his Magz Power system, saying those who bring back the most signatures get an internship at his corporation. This too-good-to-be-true presentation makes Komana a willing pawn in his scheme. She is unaware that this power source has toxic waste as a byproduct (conveniently not mentioned by Lee). She sees the internship as a way to advance her own career.

The sixth episode is one of the best in Supa Team 4. There's a parallel between Komana's dad suffering from asthma and Lee turning on his "alternate energy source" which fills Lusaka with light. In one case, he is suffering from a chronic health condition. In the latter, Lee is hiding the truth behind an action which casts him as a "savior." Whether he is directly aware of it or not, he is responsible for Alley Gator dumping toxic waste, from Zambinite processing. Written by Gloria Huweiler, and directed by Valentina Ventimiglia, this episode is outwardly cynical of demagogues. While people in the crowd chant "power to the people," Bad Magz thinks of ways to gain more power for himself. Undoubtedly, he is worse than Huey Long.

The final two episodes raise the stakes. In the first of these episodes, Komana abandons Team 4 so she can work for Lee, distressing her teammates. The remaining heroes put together the pieces. Without a doubt, they are worried about the people of Lusaka. People are coughing, scratching themselves, have rashes, and inflammation in eyes. As a result, everyone is leaving because they are sick, in what looks to be a commentary on COVID-19. This is more direct than the "missing" episode of Cleopatra in Space, entitled "Quarantine".

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In episode seven, Komana wants to warn Lee about toxic waste from the Zambinite. She is shocked out of her role as a willing pawn. She learns that he lied about his past. As a result, she comes to the conclusion he is behind everything. This happens at the same time as Mama K. She sees Bad Magz in front of her before he kidnaps her. In a parallel development, the girls decide to bust into his corporation. Likando agrees to give the contract (which gives Lee full rights to the city's electric grid) to Lee personally.

In the final episode, the girls fight against Prof. Greenthumbs (and her monster). Mama K and Chi are in Lee's office. Mama K calls him a "monster" and "worse than a villain." The truth is finally revealed. His mother was in the Intelligence Agency of Zambia. His real name is Limbani. He claims that Mama K "made him" who is is today. Elsehwere, Monde reveals her hero identity for the first time to someone other than her fellow teammates: to her sister Likando. Both agree to talk about her hero identity later.

He is confronted by Team 4. They demand he turn off his power source, saying it is hurting city residents. Instead of listening to Team 4, he ignores them and continues his own agenda. He blames Mama K for causing the memory of his mother, Towela, to be erased. Following this, he places the device on Mama K's head, allowing him to access her memories. While they are horrified, Team 4 can do nothing. It is only when the memory showing Towela was mind-wiped by Chusi that he realizes his mistake. He uses the same device to restore his mom's memories. She recognizes Chi and Mama K and tearfully embraces Lee. Following this touching scene, Likando rightly punches Lee (for being a lying jerk). She has the police arrest him.

Of course, this is not the end. In a strange juxtaposition, Prof. Greenthumbs' ZambiMonster causes a cave-in, and captures Komana. I found it awkward to have this after an emotional moment which could bring you to tears. In any case, Lee shows that he is not fully a villain. To the chagrin of Prof. Greenthumbs, he saves Komana (he recognizes her voice) after Greenthumbs' monster explodes. He frames his next steps as an attempt to amend his past wrongs. He says he will do whatever he can to fix things. In a coded manner, he hopes that Komana's spirits aren't dampened. However, no one believes his declaration at face value.

In many ways, Lee's declaration is one of restorative justice. Traditional / retributive justice systems are clearly stated throughout this series. They are symbolized by police arresting villains and keeping them behind bars. Surely, there are laws that have been broken, villains who broke the laws, and methods for punishment of said lawbreakers. Lee is attempting to repair the harm caused. He knows who has been harmed and how he can repair or address those harms. In response to one of the key questions of restorative justice ("who should address or repair the harms?"), that person is clearly Lee.

Lee will likely face criminal punishment for what he did and may face his victims. He is on the road to understanding the impact of his actions on other people, taking responsibility for his actions, comprehending how he harmed people, and behaving with basic respect for others. It would allow him to become a better person. This would make Supa Team 4 one of the few series which depicts restorative justice principles, apart from Steven Universe.

The episode ends with her teammates showing their camaraderie for each other. They comfort Komana. Everyone supposedly has a "happily ever after." The villains are locked up. The corrupt mayor is arrested. Likando runs to become the next mayor of Lusaka on an anti-corruption agenda. Komana's device makes the city's energy clean, and green. It runs on Zambinite but does not produce toxic waste. The episode closes with all of them meet at headquarters where they welcome Komana back. Mama K boldly says everyone is worthy of redemption (not sure this is entirely true). Chi says that Lee is trying to right his wrongs.

I also liked that in this series, characters such as Marjory (voiced by Celine Tshika) appear to be on the road to villains. She blames everyone for ruining her party (including Team 4), and causing well-known performers, like Click, to depart. The fourth episode emphasizes this. She said she disliked Team 4, even though they saved her, and harshly commanded the majorette team. Everyone else on the team picked Monde as captain instead. This left Marjory, under a lot of pressure from Principal Nkwashi, behind.

Although Monde comes up with a new routine, she tells her fellow teammates that even though Marjory bullies them, it isn't right to bully her back. The episode ends with Monde and Marjory, having a heart-to-heart about working together as a team, and they use this to take down the hypnotizing rapper, Snap Back (voiced by Sne Dladla) and saving them all. Marjory later apologizes to Team 4.

There is the possibility of a third season. In a final scene of the episode, Chusi says he is back, after 20 years. He declares he wants Lusaka to burn. He fades away, into the smoke. It is a bit of a cliffhanger, akin to the scene with the Triumverate in High Guardian Spice, a series which should receive a second season. A second season may focus on fighting with Chusi and Lee's attempts to rebuild the city from the damage he caused. Perhaps it could resemble the aftermath-of-victory concept that is present in Steven Universe Future, where the protagonists have no villains to fight, but are trying to make the world (and universe) better.

Although I liked this series, my enthusiasm was severely dampened, as compared to season one. It came at a bad time. Other anime series such as I'm in Love with the Villainess (ended on December 19), Kizuna no Allele (ended on December 21), Spy x Family (ended December 23), Stardust Telepath (ended on December 25), and The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess (ended on December 30), were ending. This series seemed too compressed. It should have been longer.

I wish 1-2 episodes were released weekly rather than a huge episode dump on December 21. This method makes clear that Netflix cares little about the creators, fans, or anyone else who worked on Supa Team 4. Furthermore, the binge model itself is a detriment to creativity itself. It encourages crunch conditions to complete series. If two episodes had been released a week, Supa Team 4 could have finished by January 11. If one episode had released a week, it could have finished by February 8. That would have been preferable.

Supa Team 4 can be streamed on Netflix.

#supa team 4 #netflix #animation #covid 19 #cleopatra in space #reviews #pop culture #youtube #binge model #steven universe #high guardian spice #black animation #african animation #obsessive love #retributive justice #restorative justice #Youtube

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historyhermann · 8 months

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Supa Team 4 Spoiler-Filled Review

Supa Team 4 is a computer-generated superhero action-comedy series. Malenga Mulendema is the series creator and co-executive producer. Trigger Fish Animation Studios, known for the recent animated series Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, and various television specials and films.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-fifth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on August 21, 2023.

This series shows its Zambian roots from the get-go, beginning in Zambia's capital, Lusaka. A reporter, Geoffrey (voiced by Sne Dladla) talks about a mysterious tornado striking the city. Former secret agent Mama K (voiced by Pamela Nomvete) brings together all the protagonists. They include a gutsy and agile girl with hair parted into two box-like sections named Temwe Chiti (voiced by Kimani Arthur) who is a bit of a juvenile delinquent" and troublemaker; a smart, organized, and creative techy girl named Komana Mwinga (voiced by Zowa Ngwira); a brainy, industrious, athletic, and tall girl named Zikomo "Zee" Phiri (voiced by Nancy Sekhokoane); and a physically strong, calm, and wise girl with an afro tied at the top named Monde Wamunyima (voiced by Namisa Mdlalose). Each has their own superhero names. Temwe is T-Mlilo, Komana is K-Bongo, Zee is Za-Mpezi, and Monde is M-Kozo.

In some ways, Supa Team 4 is like other teen superhero series in recent years (DC Super Hero Girls, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Young Justice) and classic series from the 2000s (Static Shock and My Life as a Teenage Robot). It comes at a time there are is growing number of Black animated series, like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, Craig of the Creek, Central Park, Iwájú (upcoming), Iyanu: Child of Wonder (upcoming), and Karma's World. The latter series ended in September 2022. There are indie animated series focusing on Black stories such as Defenders of Alodia, Jumbie, Captain Zero, LimeLight, and Diver: The Animated Series. Most are in development or on hiatus like Diver.

The difference with this series is that its stories are completely Zambian and said to be "something special for Zambians." Even so, it is relatable to everyone, like Kizazi Moto, a series primarily produced by the same animation studio. In both cases, the shows bode well for the development of the African animation industry. Supa Team 4, like Kizazi Moto, emphasizes the importance of family, Monde is close to her sister Marjory (voiced by Celine Tshika), sports (through Zee), and political corruption. City residents call for Mayor Sikazwe (voiced by Sne Dladla) to resign, which the villain exploits. Temwe's love of eating food may be relatable.

Like any other superhero series, there is a need for them to keep their real identities secret, even from those that they know well. This is accomplished through their transformation into superheroes wearing specialized super suits ala magical girl style. Unlike any other transformations I've seen, each transformation has upbeat music and a distinctive flair, making it stand apart.

All four girls are chosen after being watched for weeks. It echoes Jerry's reasoning for bringing in Sam, Alex, and Clover in Totally Spies! or "choosing" the Mew Mews in Tokyo Mew Mew New. Different from that series, Mama K lets the girls choose whether to be superheroes. The girls in that series were experimented on without their consent and forced into the superhero role. In this series, the girls have gadgets to entrap and defeat villains. Temwe's ribbon wand reminds me of Mega Pearl's weapon in Steven Universe Future or Cure Parfait's rainbow ribbon in Pretty Cure.

There is one other similarity between Tokyo Mew Mew New and Supa Team 4: the importance of preserving the environment. Komana builds a carbon-capture machine in the first episode, allowing her to capture a tornado. She receives a scholarship from Lee Magedzee (voiced by John McMillian), owner of a local energy company, Magedzee Power Corporation (MPC). He is impressed by her portable invention. It purifies carbon dioxide into safe carbon-based fuels. He later praises her solar-powered "smart art" that can charge phones and other devices.

Having an A.I. like T.O.M.I. (voiced by Thabe Ntebe), otherwise known as Technical Operations Management Interface, is not unique. Other series have featured A.I. as well. This A.I. is not a be-all-end-all. It is only one of the tools they use against villains, such as Storm Drain, Locus Pocus, Snap Back, Alley-Gator, Trash Man, Otherwise, I liked the role of Mama K's goat, Chomps (voiced by Gary Martin) throughout the series. It is even revealed that he is a secret agent!

Through the series, there is a push-and-pull of responsibilities to family and school. Temwe manifests this by her often run-ins with the school principal, Nkwashi (voiced by Abubakar Salim), who has it out for her. She gets suspended when Nkwashi thinks her ribbon wand might hurt someone. She later learns how to use her "hangry power" during battles rather than provoking Nkwashi's ire during the school day.

The series encourages viewers to believe Nkwashi is the shadowy villain, Bad Magz (voiced by John McMillian). There are hints. He has files on every student at Kamiji Secondary School. In the final episode, Temwe thinks that Nkwashi vanished like smoke. She is convinced he is the villain, after he declares she can't volunteer with Mama K (cover for their secret activities) if she fails a chemistry test. The girls don't buy her hair-brained explanation.

The series opening, first shown when the second episode begins, makes each episode pop. While the series music is by Ben Onono. Sampa the great does the theme music, in collaboration with Mag 44. It has to be one of the best opening sequences that I've seen in some time, and I watch a lot of anime series.

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Following the first episode, Supa Team 4 turns to subjects like nanotech. The team reverse engineers some nanotech locusts for their own purposes. The obsession with popularity, homesickness (in the case of Monde and Marjory), garbage/rubbish collection, vlogging, value of art, education, and mind control are other topics. In the first half of the series, the villain is a shadowy figure not unlike the character of the same name in OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes!. But, this person is more malicious.

He wants everyone in the city to lose electric power. This leads to random power cuts (load shedding) to compensate for electric energy loss after the hydroelectric dam is damaged. This allows Lee Magedzee to step in, declaring his wind farm will be upgraded and generate more electricity. At the same time, the villain exploits anger against the mayor for his own benefit. All the while, people hanker for more solar power.

Mama K has her own secrets. Formerly, she headed a crime-fighting team at the Intelligence Agency for Zambia (IAZ) and had the code name of Mkango. She, a computer expert named Rhino/Chipembele/Uncle Chi and a confidante (and inventive genius) named Towela, worked to bring down Chusi.

Even worse, this villain steals top-secret information, uploading the information to his mind, and destroys the original documents. As a result, the government didn't have access to their own intelligence! This ends sadly. Chusi used their device, the Brainstorm, to wipe the memories of Towela. It gives her amnesia. He also blinds Chi. Mama K is alone. The four protagonists cheer her up, convincing her they can all take down Chusi, also known as Bad Magz, together.

The Supa Team 4 season one finale blows everything wide open. Chusi gets, thanks to Professor Greenthumbs, some of the tech that Team 4 is using. Principal Nkwashi says that his own goal is to help Temwe. He is worried that she will become like him. He was a feisty and spirited kid who lacked focus. The four team members follow a Baobab tree to an abandoned mine. Greenthumbs deactivates their super suits, takes away their weapons, and pulls them into an underground lair! The biggest reveal is not that Nkwashi isn't the villain, but that Chusi is Lee Magedze!

This unexpected twist shows how devious the writers and animators were, leading the audience to believe that the Principal was the villain. The fact that Lee Magedze is the villain means he has the duality of being a Black leader who is trying to increase people's power and trying to take it away. My prediction is that he will attempt to unseat the mayor. The citizens would elect him if he ran on a Black empowerment platform. Once in office, he will have even more power, as the villain and the mayor.

There are reports that Supa Team 4 will have at least 25 episodes. In fact, the Director of Production at Triggerfish Animation Studios, Mike Buckland, confirmed a second season, writing "hold your breath for Season 2, because it just gets better from here." Such a season will undoubtedly continue to center on African stories, without any White characters, and remain relatable to Black girls and Zambians. The series may lean more into romance as well, as Zee's friend, Chipo Hamoonga (voiced by Daniel "KStar" Lyapa), has a crush on her, and a boy has a crush on Temwe.

Furthermore, the series may influence more Africans to tell their stories through animation, as they may see themselves, and their experiences represented, even as some Zambians claimed the character accents weren't authentic. Supa Team 4 is indicative of how collaboration is important in Africa, as the animation industry deals with many challenges, that "anyone from anywhere can be a superhero," and the great storytelling traditions on the continent. At the same time, I'm glad that the series was renamed from the original title ordered in 2019, Mama K's Team 4, as the current title makes the less about Mama K and more about the team.

Significantly, the series is dubbed in isiZulu. Mama K voiced by Linda Sokhulu. Many of the same voice actors re-appear. This dub promotes accessibility to a new audience. It provides the opportunity for people within South Africa, and other areas where Zulu is spoken, to connect with the characters within the series.

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I find it funny that some complain about threats and violence in this series, since that is common in animation. Such complaints make the series appear more mature than the reality. It is more accurate to say Supa Team 4 is an all-ages series full of adventure, action, and humor, with a diverse cast. In addition, it defies oft-stereotypes of Africa. Others reported that the series draws visual inspiration from hip-hop girls groups and retro 1990s R&B groups. Malcolm Wope, an artist from Cameroon, does the visual design. The series has distinct characters, a real world but futuristic setting, while working through the girls' interpersonal issues.

Despite calls by Morrow for sharing the show, which she called a "project of passion," there is little chatter about the series on Reddit, and only one mature fanfiction written on July 30. There is more chatter on X/Twitter, with one account even as an unofficial fan page. Furthermore, on Tumblr, fans praised the show's animation, described the series as relatable, cute, have listed LGBTQ+ headcanons, drew fan art, and liked the magical girlesque transformations of the four protagonists. There may be chatter on other platforms, like Mastodon servers, but I am not personally aware of it.

Like they do with many series these days, Netflix did the fans of Supa Team 4 a disservice. All eight episodes dropped the same day on Netflix. While this makes it easy to binge the entire season, it creates a situation of catch-up among fans who run the risk of seeing spoilers on social media for episodes they haven't watched. This severly limits the possibility to discuss each episode without spoilers and can ruin pacing for a series. Netflix should have followed the model used for anime: dropping one episode each week. That would have allowed for more community to build around the show, than dropping it one day and moving on. It is irresponsible.

Although I wasn't familiar with series writers Ng'endo Mukii, Khadidiatou Diouf, Voline Ogutu, Maame Boateng, Omotunde Akiode, Tshepo Moche, or Gloria Huwiler, I knew of Vanessa Kanu. She directed the third episode/film of Kizazi Moto entitled "Moremi." It centered on the frailty of the human condition, family togetherness, and the value of one's soul.

Series director Dave Osburne, assistant director Tabitha O'Connell, production designer /art director Alessandro Chirico were names. I did not know series producer Ceri Barnes, head writer Amy Keating Rogers, and story editor Cindy Morrow either. Rogers worked on other girl-power series like The Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony: Friendship. In addition, Osburne has worked on his share of animated series since the mid-1990s, as did O'Connell. At the same time, Chirico worked on Black Mirror, a series based upon The Twilight Zone. Barnes has been producer since the late 1990s.

For many voice actors, this may be their first voice role. Arthur previously voiced Willow in Nella the Princess Knight. MacMillan provided his voice for video game characters, as did Martin. Salim voiced Zanror in The Legend of Vox Machina. Animators have worked on series such as Kazazi Moto, Star Wars: Visions, and The Amazing World of Gumball, and films (Seal Team and Storks).

I excited to see where the series goes from here. Maybe Mama K will practice Nichiren Buddhism like her voice actor. Perhaps Zee will have Cuban roots like her voice actress or some of the main cast of Supa Team 4 will be queer. Looking through the social media of the protagonists, I am seriously doubting the latter.

In Zambia, same-sex sexual activity, for men and women, is illegal, a legal measure inherited from British control, and reportedly many queer people are closeted. Unfortunately, there is a slim chance for change. The Zambian High Court upheld acquittal of a human rights activist, who called for the country to recognize rights of sex workers and LGBTQ+ people, in 2013. However, a public opinion poll, released in 2010, indicated widespread disapproval of "homosexual behaviour."

Even so, the series is primarily produced in South Africa. After the end of apartheid, it outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, it is the only African state to legalize same-sex marriage. In addition, there are legal protections for LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment and elsewhere. At the same time, the creators may want to avoid making the series controversial and won't have any queer relationships so the show can appeal to all Zambians.

Ultimately, I hope Supa Team 4 reaches new heights in season 2. Maybe it will pave the way for African animation in the Africanfuturist, superhero, comedy, adventure, action, and other genres.

Supa Team 4 can be streamed on Netflix.

#supa team 4 #netflix #black animation #african animation #zambian animation #south african animation #zambia #lusaka #triggerfish #indie animation #homophobia #zulu #load shedding #south africa #dubbing #reviews #pop culture #pop culture maniacs #repost

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