News

Japanese Studio Creative Freaks to Lead Production on Sentinel 6 Anime Executive Produced by NBA, NFL Players Michael Carter-Williams, Jamaal Williams

The Hollywood Reporter entertainment news website reported on Saturday that former NBA player Michael Carter-Williams and NFL player Jamaal Williams will executive produce Sentinel 6, an "Afro-futurist sci-fi adventure anime." The outlet stated Creative Freaks, a Kyoto-based background art studio, is "leading the production" on the work.

Creative Freaks has not previously been credited for animation production on a work, but has worked on background art for such anime as Spy×Family, Synduality: Noir, Ya Boy Kongming!, Chainsaw Man, several series in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime, Kaiju No. 8 TV 2, and Dragon Ball Daima, among many other works.

The studio was founded in 2014 and its website states in 2023 it launched its own animation production division. The company also has studios in Tokyo (where the animation division is located), Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Jamacian-American writer Pat Stout and the late Asa Palmer created the franchise in 2019 through their production company Sable Kudzu Entertainment LLC.

Sable Kudzu Entertainment LLC launched a Kickstarter campaign for a trailer for the project in December 2021, which reached US$18,706 of its US$15,000 goal by January 2022. The company posted the trailer in December 2022. Bulgaria- and Germany-based Chase A Cloud Studio animated the trailer.

The Kickstarter campaign describes the story:

Sentinel 6 is an Afro-Futuristic anime about a post war Earth, following the invasion of intergalactic terrorists. As fate would have it; Earth was destined to be the battleground of God's scorn. The Great Phoenix War resulted in the near total destruction of Earth, wiping out the entire Zeronian Race except for one powerful child. 429 years later, the Earth has rebuilt itself up and is being threatened by that same child, Krath Mudaak. In a desperate cry for help, the Earth's spiritual energy splits and imbues itself into 6 beacons of power across the world, the Sentinel 6! With the power of the Sentinel's Mind, Heart, Hands, Feet, Sword and Shield; the six warriors are destined to protect Earth during this dire time.

Saint Dubois, a stellar student-athlete, is days away from achieving his dream; attending the most prestigious Blik program and following in the footsteps of his favorite athlete. However, a last-minute recruitment by Ranē Bogle, combined with family woes, puts a wrench in his plan. Now, instead of being a starter at his dream school, he must battle with the talented and intimidating Ali Washington for Lead Stryker. Tensions continue to build off the field as the two discover more about the other. As they travel the world with Ranē playing Blik, they meet Kalani Walker, Chafalumisa and Zhu Sianing. With the guidance of Sankofa, an Earth resident for over 600 years, the six heroes understand their destiny to protect the planet. Realizing that Krath Mudaak is the root of all evils, the six must put their differences aside, come together and defeat him to fulfill their destiny. Failure means the destruction of Earth and ultimately the galaxy!

The series is planned to have 11 or 12 30-minute episodes. LeSean Thomas (Yasuke, The Boondocks, Bass x Machina) wrote the pilot and is serving as a consulting producer on the project.

Talent manager Sam Goff is also an executive producer.

Palmer died in 2025, and later that year Carter-Williams and Williams fully funded the pilot for the show.

The Hollywood Reporter stated the project was "taken out to two dozen animation production studios" this year, with Creative Freaks winning the bid.

The series is planned for an English-language version first. Current cast members include influencer King Vader (Dominique Barrett), Jamaal Williams, and dub actor Cedric Williams. Bang Zoom! will lead the reverse localization into Japanese.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter (Abbey White), Sentinel 6's website