Anime production company N LITE and U.S. streetwear fashion brand HYPLAND have united to spotlight black anime characters in the first of multiple planned apparel releases.
Via a press release, N LITE has announced a multi-collection partnership with HYPLAND for anime-inspired streetwear. The first collection spotlights the Emmy Award-winning series Afro Samurai from renowned studio GONZO, bringing the Wu-Tang Clan on board as a creative partner. Later drops will spotlight black anime characters through apparel and merchandise based on N LITE’s original afrime (“afro-anime”) IP and legacy anime IP featuring black characters. The collection begins its rollout in the summer of 2025. Readers can check out the promotional art and more details below.

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Following the announcement, N LITE founder/CEO Christiano Terry said the partnership with HYPLAND and CEO Jordan Bentley “aligns with our mission to put culture first and build bridges that connect anime fandoms around the world.” Bentley added, “I’m thrilled to partner with Christiano and the N LITE team to introduce their slate of shows to the HYPLAND universe. Each show and film is a chance for us to connect with new fans and communities, and I can’t wait to bring the N LITE universe to life in a way that feels fresh and exciting for everyone.”
Adding Afro Samurai to the mix, HYPLAND has released numerous fashion collections with popular anime IP. It most recently released the second round of its stylish One Piece collection, featuring sherpa fleece jackets, belts, hoodies and more. It’s also worked with Gundam and exclusively released the Naruto x ASICS sneaker collab in the U.S. through its flagship physical store in Los Angeles’ anime hotspot of Little Tokyo.

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Meanwhile, N LITE has positioned itself to deliver black anime storytelling to the world through notable partnerships with companies like Gonzo, GKIDS and Studio M2. It’s working with Gonzo on two upcoming projects: the sci-fi/fantasy adventure TV series Hotaru and the live-action/anime hybrid revenge flick Ripper, which will explore the intersection between black and Japanese people post-WW2. N LITE will also work with distributor and production company GKIDS and Studio M2 (Pluto) on the upcoming Mfinda, which received a first look at Annecy in 2023. The story follows a 13-year-old Congolese girl transported to the Mfinda, a primordial forest of spirits, gods and ancestors in an adventure-filled fantasy; anime veteran Masao Maruyama (producer: Pluto, Perfect Blue, Summer Wars) was tapped to produce. He’s also known for founding M2 alongside MAPPA and Madhouse (co-founder) and sits as a board member of N LITE Japan — an associate company of N LITE and an up-and-coming anime studio led by Terry and Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai, Wendy Wu).

The animated show follows the journey of Afro, a skilled swordsman seeking revenge for his father’s murder. Guided by the mantra of becoming the Number One warrior, he battles numerous enemies, including the current Number One, in his relentless quest for justice.
Source: Press release