Supa Team 4 Explained

Genre:	Superhero Action comedy^[1]
Creator:	Malenga Mulendema
Opentheme:	Sampa the Great
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	2
Num Episodes:	16
Network:	Netflix
Last Aired:	present

Supa Team 4 is an animated television series created by Malenga Mulendema for Netflix. It was co-produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios and Cake Entertainment, and animated at Superprod Studio. Season 1 premiered on July 20, 2023 and Season 2 premiered on December 21, 2023.^[2] It has been described as the first original African animated series on the streaming platform.^[3]

Synopsis

Four teenage girls in a neo-futuristic city, Lusaka, are recruited by now-retired secret agent, who want to save the world, while sticking to a budget. In the process, these girls juggle their school lives and being superheroes who fend off supervillains, turning from four friends into a superhero team, Supa Team 4.^{[4] [5]}

Characters

Main characters

• Linda Sokhulu as Kumbukani / Mama K (Lion), a former secret agent, who assembles Team 4, with the help of T.O.M.I. Her code name was Mkango.
• Pamela Nomvete^[6] as Ntsiki Lukhele, a friend of Mama K.
• Zowa Ngwira^[7] as Komana Mwiinga/ K-Bongo, a brilliant inventor who creates a carbon capture machine to creat clean air and energy to help her father, who has severe asthma. She utilizes a high-tech bow and arrow as her special weapon. She is a member of Team 4.
• Namisa Mdlalose as Monde / M-Kozo, a girl who is close with her sister, and deemed "bringer of peace" by Mama K. She mainly uses a high-tech baton similar to her majorette one as her special weapon, and it can be doubled as a shield. She is a member of Team 4.
• Kimani Arthur^[8] as Temwe / T-Mlilo, an excitable girl who is a bit of a delinquent with a perpetual appetite, and has a high-tech ribbon wand as her special weapon. She is a member of Team 4.
• Nancy Sekhokoane as Zee / Za-Mpezi, a tall, athletic girl who is a star on the futbol team at Kamiji Secondary School. She mainly uses high-powered futbol balls as her special weapon. She is a member of Team 4.

Secondary characters

• Daniel "KStar" Lyapa as Chipo, the girls' classmate who has a crush on Komana.
• Chipo Chung as Likando, Monde's older sister and love interest of Mr. Magedzee but then broke up with him and keeps the Supa Team 4's secret. She also became the new mayor of Lusaka in the season 2 finale.
• Abubakar Salim as Principal Nkwashi, the principal of Kamiji Secondary School.
• Gary Martin as Chomps the Goat, a pet of Mama K.
• Celine Tshika as Marjory, the captain of the school majorette team.
• Sne Dladla as:
  • Geoffrey the Reporter, a local news journalist in Lusaka.
  • Mayor Sikazwe, the mayor of Lusaka who citizens believe is "corrupt". He was arrest by stealing money in the season 2 finale.
• Melvin Alusa as:
  • Prosper, the dad of Komana.
  • Ba Saasa, an old vitumbuwa vendor that Temwe frequently buys food from.
• Alanagh Nicoll as Triplets
• Thabe Ntebe as T.O.M.I., also known as "Technical Operations Management Interface", an artificial intelligence assistant who helps Mama K throughout the series.

Minor

• John Kani as Uncle Chi (Rhino), a friend of Mama K.
• Lily Banda as Towela (Leopard), a friend of Mama K and mother of Limbani, who lost her memories in the flashback. She regain her memories in the season 2 finale.
• Yinka Awoni as Chicken Man
• Alanagh Nicoll as Chawezi
• Ludo Freshe as:
  • Sepiso
  • KSS Player 1
• Ashley Zhangazha as Vendor 1
• Sparky Xulu as Vendor 2
• Sarah Faust as:
  • Chicken
  • Female Goat
• Nalukui Mufungulwa Muchindu as:
  • Lunch Lady
  • Mom
  • Woman
  • Generic Woman
• Tshamano Sebe as:
  • Mr. Sibanda / Garbage Man
  • Person 1
  • Generic Man
  • Bad Teeth Man
• Chi Mhende as Himself
• Alanagh Nicholl as Boy

Villains

• John McMillan as Limbani / Lee Magedzee / Bad Magz, the series villain. He is the owner of his tech company and son of Towela. His true identity is revealed to the audience in the season one finale, and revealed to everyone else in the season 2 finale.
• Ashley Zhangazha^[9] as Storm Drain, a supervillain with the ability to control the weather that Team 4 defeats in the first episode.
• Sparky Xulu as Locust Pocus, a robotic engineer supervillain who controls robotic insects.
• Sne Dladia as Snap Back, a rapping supervillain who uses mind control to hypnotize his victims.
• Yinka Awoni as Alley Gator, a half man, half reptile supervillain, who is also in a romantic relationship with Professor Greenthumbs.
• Chi Mhende as Sunblock, a former vlogger turned supervillain with the ability to use her tech and steal sunlight after her vlog kept getting bad reviews.
• Abena Ayivor as Professor Greenthumbs, a scientist supervillain who can control plants and is in a romantic relationship with Alley Gator.
• Lucian Msamati as Chusi

Episodes

Season 2 (2023)

Production

In April 2019, Netflix announced that Supa Team 4 had begun production, and said it joined their "growing slate of original animated programming" designed for families and kids. It was said to draw visual inspiration from "retro-’90s R&B and hip hop girl groups."

In May 2023, it was announced that Anthony Silverston, Mike Buckland, Tom van Waveren, Edward Galton, and Amy Keating Rogers would be executive producers, along with Ciara Breslin as producer. The series is produced by Ciara Breslin, Cake Entertainment, Triggerfish Animation Studios and French studio Superprod Studio. In June 2023, the series was described as being eight-parts long, and featuring actors such as John Kani, Pamela Nomvete, Nancy Sekhokoane, and Sparky Xulu. It was also stated that the series would be dubbed into isiZulu, and have Zambian rapper and singer-songwriter Sampa the Great, creating the theme song,^[10] with the help of her production company, Mag44.^[11]

It was released on July 20, 2023, on Netflix.^{[12] [13]} The second season premiered on December 21, 2023.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Milligan. Mercedes. Trailer: 'Supa Team 4' Saves the Day with African Girl Power. June 29, 2023. Animation Magazine. July 15, 2023. https://archive.today/20230715185231/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/06/trailer-supa-team-4-saves-the-day-with-african-girl-power/. July 15, 2023. live.
2. Web site: Snook. Jay. ‘Supa Team 4’ Season 2 Is Available Now on Netflix. The Good Men Project. December 21, 2023. December 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231221192931/https://goodmenproject.com/arts/supa-team-4-season-2-available-now-netflix-jsnk/. December 21, 2023. live.
3. Netflix Announces First Original African Animated Series Mama K's Team 4. Netflix Media Center. April 16, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190416132648/https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/netflix-announces-first-original-african-animated-series-mama-ks-team-4. April 16, 2019. dead.
4. Web site: 'Miraculous' Movie Joins Sizzling Netflix Family Summer Slate! (New Dates, Images). Milligan. Mercedes. Animation Magazine. May 17, 2023. July 15, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://archive.today/20230715182926/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/05/miraculous-movie-joins-sizzling-netflix-family-summer-slate-new-dates-images/. live.
5. Web site: Massoto. Erick. 'Supa Team 4': First African Animation Series From Netflix Gets Trailer and Release Date. Collider. June 29, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230705153950/https://collider.com/supa-team-4-trailer-release-date/. July 5, 2023. live.
6. Web site: Ntwasa. Thango. Bad girl gone good gogo: Pamela Nomvete on new role in 'Supa Team 4'. Sunday Times. July 14, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230715184844/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2023-07-14-bad-girl-gone-good-gogo-pamela-nomvete-on-new-role-in-supa-team-4/. July 15, 2023. live.
7. Web site: Chimbelu. Chiponda. Africa's animation industry goes global on Netflix, Disney. DW. July 20, 2023. July 22, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230722220011/https://www.dw.com/en/africas-animation-industry-goes-global-on-netflix-disney/a-66265185. July 22, 2023. live.
8. Web site: McKay. Bronwyn. Meet the new superheroes in Netflix's thrilling first African animation series, Supa Team 4. News24. June 29, 2023. July 22, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230713131945/https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/tv/meet-the-new-superheroes-in-netflixs-thrilling-first-african-animation-series-supa-team-4-20230629. July 13, 2023. live.
9. Web site: Supa Team 4. BBFC. July 22, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230722215637/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/supa-team-4-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmde1mda3. July 22, 2023. live.
10. Web site: Whittock. Jesse. 'Supa Team 4' Trailer: First Look At Netflix's Debut African Animation Series. Deadline Hollywood. June 29, 2023. June 29, 2023. June 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629132216/https://deadline.com/video/supa-team-4-trailer-netflix-first-look-at-african-animation-series/. live.
11. Web site: Sarto. Dan. Netflix Drops Trailer for 'Supa Team 4'. Animation World Network. June 29, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630021405/https://www.awn.com/news/netflix-drops-trailer-supa-team-4. June 30, 2023. live.
12. Web site: African Teen Superheroes Save The World In New 'Supa Team 4 Trailer'. Romper. May 17, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230517133348/https://www.romper.com/entertainment/supa-team-4-netflix-exclusive. May 17, 2023. live.
13. Web site: Sarto. Debbie Diamond. 'Nimona' Leads Netflix's Family Summer Animation Lineup. Animation World Network. May 31, 2023. July 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230607191741/https://www.awn.com/news/nimona-leads-netflixs-family-summer-animation-lineup. June 7, 2023. live.