An innovative animated project rooted in Afrofuturism principles is gaining remarkable traction on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, achieving 90% of its financial target within just four days of launch. “The Kazi: Village Rescue,” created by a Bermudian artist of Jamaican descent, represents a significant cultural milestone by bringing authentic Caribbean narratives to global audiences through the medium of animation.
The project transcends conventional science fiction aesthetics by embracing Afrofuturism’s core tenets of cultural reclamation, heritage celebration, and Black protagonism. The narrative follows Andreas, a young Caribbean hero characterized by intelligence, emotional resilience, and courage as he confronts corruption and defends his mountainous village from mysterious threats. His journey embodies values highly prized across Caribbean communities—responsibility, bravery, compassion, and collective protection.
Creator Bassett explains the project’s fundamental motivation: “The Caribbean is full of powerful stories and powerful people. I wanted to create something that shows our young men they can be protectors, leaders, and heroes, not just in real life, but in the worlds of fantasy and imagination too.”
Drawing creative inspiration from anime, fantasy genres, and Afrofuturist storytelling traditions, the animation uniquely blends authentic island life elements with futuristic concepts. This synthesis demonstrates that exceptional animation and compelling universal storytelling can originate from small island nations.
The project represents a groundbreaking opportunity for Caribbean-born creativity to claim space in international animation, challenging geographical limitations and asserting that Caribbean youth deserve epic worlds, legendary quests, and cinematic representation. With three weeks remaining in its fundraising campaign, the creator continues seeking additional resources to realize this ambitious vision dedicated to Caribbean youth who “envision beyond horizons.”