Molo!
New Animated Series ‘Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes’ Premieres Monday, 4 September on Disney Junior
Locally Relevant, Original Animated Series Introduces Three New Superheroes, hailing from Kimoja, a fictitious Southern African city
Created in Partnership and Co-Produced by eOne Hasbro, Disney, Frog Box, Triggerfish Animation Studios and France Télévisions
Series Led by Local South African Voice Talent
Disney Junior EMEA today announced that “Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes,” a brand-new animated series from Hasbro’s entertainment studio, eOne, will premiere on Disney Junior (DStv channel 309) from Monday, 4 September at 16:00 (CAT). “Kiya & the Kimojo Heroes” follows the high-action adventures of African superheroes Kiya (voiced by Dineo du Toit), Motsie (voiced by Fontina Fourtounes) and Jay (voiced by Ian Ho).
Kiya, also known as “Dance Ninja,” is a seven-year-old superhero in her utopian hometown Kimoja City, a dynamic community inspired by the traditions and cultures of Southern Africa, and has a special crystal headband with mystical energy that transforms her dance and martial arts talents into amazing Dance Ninja superpowers. Kiya’s two best friends, Motsie, aka, “Tech Racer” and her stepbrother Jay, aka “Flying Rockstar,” have their own crystal-supercharged talents and, together, they are the Kimoja Heroes. When there is trouble in Kimoja City, the Kimoja Heroes ‘shine bright to make things right’ until joy and harmony are restored in their city.
With each episode featuring two 11-minute stories, Kiya’s world features a diverse cast of characters inspired by the landscape, natural beauty and culture of Southern Africa, and focuses on themes of community, empathy and unity. As a mashup of action, dance and music, the show is visually stunning, with African and Asian-lead characters, Southern African locations and a diverse creative team, including writers, designers and composers from across the globe.
“Disney Junior is home to some of the most cherished programming and franchises for preschoolers, with stories and characters that encapsulate signature Disney qualities of magic, music, adventure and heart. We are truly excited to be bringing “Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes”, a series full of brand new and engaging characters, to families across the continent,” says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa. “Together with the Disney+ original anthology series ‘Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire’ and Disney Channel’s ‘Kiff,’ 2023 is truly a wonderful time to be celebrating proudly local storytelling and talent.”
Original concept is by writer Robert Vargas (“Space Cowboys”) and adapted from the character created by Marc Dey (scriptwriter, executive producer) and Kelly Dillon (scriptwriter, executive producer). The series is produced by Frog Box, co-produced by Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios and France Télévisions, broadcast by Disney Junior, and distributed by Entertainment One (eOne) and Hasbro. Hasbro’s Olivier Dumont and Triggerfish’s Anthony Silverston executive-produced the series while scriptwriters Tshepo Moche (‘Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire’) and Raffaella Delle Donne (‘Zambezia’, ‘Khumba’) worked as writers and executive creative consultants.
Joining the cast in recurring roles are the following:
- Bonko Khoza (‘The Wife’) as Daddy Jo, Kiya’s father and the owner of a food truck.
- Sne Dladla (‘Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire’) as Bra Jabu, the owner of a produce stand.
- Christian Campbell as Zane/Acrobrat, a young Kimojan who turns into Acrobrat when he doesn’t get his way.
- Nancy Sekhokoane as MC Harmony, the events coordinator of Kimoja City.
- Chumisa Cosa as Aunty Busi, an aunty to everyone in the village, who is always out and about and always gets her hair done by Shandu.
- Maja Vujicic as Haddy Collider, a super scientist villain who uses her genius and her Kimoja crystal to try to out-do the Kimoja heroes.
- Cory Doran as Galactoslug is Haddy’s sidekick and super funny slug with a not-so-secret desire to dance and be a hero like Kiya.
- Tumelo Mosese as Primadonna, a glamorous villain with telekinesis that wreaks havoc when things don’t go her way – a literal prima donna.
- Hlengiwe Lushaba as Gogo Flo, Kiya’s maternal grandmother who lives with Kiya and Daddy Jo. She is a martial arts expert and teacher.
- Maghan Swaby as Shandu, Motsie’s mother who works as a hairstylist at her salon, which is seen as the community hub.
- Louisa Zhu as Marianne, Jay’s mother who is married to Shandu and works as a safari park worker.
“Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes” will premiere on Disney Junior (DStv channel 309) from Monday, 4 September at 16:00 (CAT).
About The Walt Disney Company EMEA:
The Walt Disney Company has been in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for over 80 years and employs thousands across the region. Between Disneyland Paris and its other iconic brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, 20th Century Studios and ESPN, The Walt Disney Company EMEA entertains, informs and inspires millions of consumers in more than 130 countries through the power of unparalleled storytelling. Disney+, the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, is currently available in 60 markets across EMEA.
About eOne:
Entertainment One Ltd. (eOne) is a talent-driven independent studio that specializes in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. As part of global play and entertainment company Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS), eOne’s expertise spans across film, television and family programming. Through its extensive reach and scale, and a deep commitment to high-quality entertainment, eOne unlocks the power and value of creativity.
eOne brings to market both original and existing content, through a diversified network of creative partners and eOne companies.
About Hasbro:
Hasbro is a leading toy and game company whose mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. Hasbro delivers engaging brand experiences for global audiences through toys, consumer products, gaming and entertainment, with a portfolio of iconic brands including MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, Hasbro Gaming, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PEPPA PIG, as well as premier partner brands.
Hasbro is guided by our Purpose to create joy and community for all people around the world, one game, one toy, one story at a time. For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50. For more information, visit https://corporate.hasbro.com.
