Crunchyroll Announces New Afro-Futuristic Anime-Inspired Series Produced by Idris and Sabrina Elba

Idris Elba, or Stacker Pentecost as we call him in this house, has been on something of a tear for like, the last 20 years. Seriously, think of all the bangers that man has made from The Wire up to now. That streak looks to continue as Elba, along with his wife Sabrina, announced on Tuesday that they are producing an anime-inspired series for Crunchyroll.

In a press release sent to The Root, the animated series, which carries the working title Dantai, is described as a sci-fi thriller with an Afro-futuristic flair. The story is set in a city where the development of a new biotechnology has resulted in widening inequality “between the haves and the have nots.” The series will follow “two rising stars from either side of this divide” and explore themes of equality within a corrupt world. Idris and Sabrina Elba will serve as executive producers on the series through their respective companies Green Door Pictures and Pink Towel Pictures.

“We’re really excited to be announcing this deal on our first anime,” The Elbas said in the release. “We’re both fans of the genre and see a huge opportunity to create something unique for a powerhouse like Crunchyroll. The story of ‘Dantai’ is our first collaboration as producers together and is one that is close to our hearts.”

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Idris and Sabrina to develop this anime-inspired sci-fi epic,” Sarah Victor, head of development at Crunchyroll, wrote in the release. “It is a privilege to work with such talented, creative partners and we look forward to bringing this exciting project to life.”

I’m excited for this project for a multitude of reasons. First, Afro-futurism is simply tight as hell and I’m happy to see it make the leap from the pages of books and comics into the world of anime. Second, Crunchyroll Originals have actually been pretty damn solid. I hear good things about Tower of God, and The God of High School is a really fun fighting anime that I’d recommend checking out.

There is no word on when Dantai will be released, but I, for one, cannot wait to see what they’re cooking up.