Blacknuss dot tv presents Afro-Asia: Kiku's Legacy doc & Yasuke Comic

Event Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024, 3–6 PM | Venue: Colvin House Mansion, 5940 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660 | Generous Donations are accepted

Chicago, IL – Blacknuss. Tv, the Chicago-based streaming platform founded by Floyd Webb, invites the public to an exclusive event to showcase its latest projects and ongoing . The event will occur on Sunday, December 1, 2024, from 3 to 6 PM at the historic Colvin House Mansion. This setting reflects Blacknuss.tv’s commitment to blending cultural heritage and modern storytelling.

Blacknuss.tv was founded to produce original content, curate archival and independent works, and showcase Afrofuturist films from the global Black diaspora. Accessible on web browsers, mobile devices, and Roku. Blacknuss.tv amplifies authentic Black voices, preserves cultural heritage, and supports emerging filmmakers, fostering understanding and empowerment through impactful storytelling. By providing a dedicated platform, Blacknuss.tv addresses the lack of support and distribution for Black filmmakers, particularly independent creators who challenge traditional narratives, encouraging the growth of a more inclusive media landscape.

Highlight of the Evening: At the event, Blacknuss.tv will present the trailer for Kiku’s Legacy, a documentary currently crowdfunding on GoFundMe. Kiku’s Legacy explores the untold history of mixed-race Japanese orphans from the American Occupation of Japan, focusing on the 1959 film Kiku and Isamu. This documentary delves into the personal journeys of the film's elderly stars, Takahashi Emi and George Okunoyama, both Afro-Japanese and lifelong residents of Japan. Their experiences reveal a broader narrative of identity and cultural blending unique to their generation.

Ark Miura, a 21-year-old Afro-Japanese filmmaker confronting the complexities of her mixed heritage, is at the heart of Kiku's Legacy. Feeling disconnected from Japanese and Black American cultures, Ark begins a personal quest to understand her roots, inspired by her discovery of Kiku and Isamu at her high school graduation. The documentary will also highlight the underrecognized work of Chicago Defender journalist Ethel Payne, whose coverage of Japanese war orphans helped facilitate adoptions in Chicago.

The film is an international co-production with Tokyo-based director () and Chicago-based producers and . Ark Miura serves as associate producer on the project.

Special Presentation: Yasuke - The African SamuraiThe event will also feature trailers and samples from , a digital comic series and feature film project. Yasuke: Way of the Butterfly follows Yasuke, a 16th-century African warrior who becomes a samurai in Japan. The series traces Yasuke’s origins in the Mutapa Empire, his experiences under Malik Ambar in India, and his ultimate transformation in Japan. The title references the butterfly’s symbolism of transformation in African cultures. Released in March 2024, with Volumes 1 and 2 available in South Africa and the U.S., the comic is a prelude to a planned live-action Yasuke series for Netflix, expected in spring 2026.

The Yasuke creative team includes director and producer Mandla Dube, screenwriter Fidel Namisi, artist Loyiso Mkezi, and historical researcher Floyd Webb.

Attendees will enjoy refreshments and a lively discussion following the presentation, with virtual Q&A sessions featuring the production teams in Japan and South Africa.

Yasuke - Way of the Butterfly Comic book reveal and Motion Comic Screening. Soon to be available on Amazon as a print and Kindle ebook.
Prepare for an epic journey with Yasuke: Way of the Butterfly Vols. 1 & 2, a thrilling new comic heading from South Africa in Dec, 2024! In several African cultures, butterflies symbolize powerful transformations and metamorphoses, so get ready to be swept away by this incredible tale.
Before Yasuke is shaped into a Japanese legend, his African narrative is a tale that must be told. He was a fierce BARWE TONGA WARRIOR KNIGHT, the equal to any Samurai.

Experience a riveting tale as Yasuke embarks on a captivating detour to India, serving in battle under the great African warlord and political strategist, Malik Ambar. Malik Ambar’s story is just as remarkable and significant as Yasuke’s own. And here’s a fascinating twist—contrary to popular belief, Yasuke was never a slave. It was actually Malik Ambar, born in the Adal Sultanate, who defied the traditional role of a slave, leading the resistance against the Mughal Empire’s armies and gaining control of a sizeable Deccani sultanate. This is some serious history, and it’s poised to captivate and entertain in a meaningful way, moving beyond the confines of Western-centric narratives to explore ancient, untold ancestral stories predating the unification of Europe, the making of America, and even the European conception of African borders pre-1888.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Colvin House, 5940 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, United States