News
N LITE Plans Remake of Tezuka's Jungle Emperor Leo Anime
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Tezuka's original manga ran in Gakudosha's Manga Shonen magazine from 1950 until 1954. The manga tells the story of a white lion raised by humans, named Leo. The official Osamu Tezuka website describes the story:
Right on the equator in Africa, there is a white lion by the name of Panja. He governs the jungle as the king of animals. One day he is shot by a hunter while his wife is captured alive to be sent to the zoo. On the ship heading to the zoo, she gives a birth to a boy and names him Leo, telling him "You must go back to Africa to become the emperor after your father." After letting him escape from the ship, she dies as the ship was sunk attacked by a storm. Leo arrives a port town in Arabian Peninsula, not in Africa, where he meets a boy by the name of Kenichi and is raised by him. A year later, Leo and Kenichi accompany an investigation team dispatched to Mt. Moon in Africa for the purpose of researching Moon Stone, a raw stone generating energy. Leo who sees the jungle for the first time shows disgust at wild animals killing each other. But he comes to regain his confidence and become the great emperor by establishing the Jungle Empire to protect weak animals.
The manga's first television anime adaptation aired from 1965 to 1966, and its latest adaptation titled Jungle Emperor Leo: Hon-o-ji — one of many original animated short films screened at Tezuka Osamu World's Tezuka Osamu Animation Theater in Kyoto — premiered in 2000. Tezuka produced these anime adaptations first at his Mushi Production studio, and later at his Tezuka Productions successor studio.
N LITE aims to bring black and indigenous stories in partnership with global creators. AFRIME, or afro-anime, is its hand-drawn 2D animation. The company plans to produce AFRIME films and television series. N LITE Japan is working on upcoming projects based on anime and manga IP. The studio is producing the MFINDA film, and is also producing the Chiure: Child of the Sea film.
Source: N LITE AX 2025 panel (Earl Gertwagen)
ANN's coverage of Anime Expo 2025 is sponsored by Yen Press and Ize Press!
