Jamaican anime is entering a new era with the upcoming premiere of Jamaica No Jam Makai (The Spirit World of Jamaica), a supernatural action series set on the island and voiced by local talent. The premiere of the pilot episode will take place this Saturday from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Carib 5.

The anime stars Ethan Campbell-Reid, popularly known as Yaadman Ethan, as the voice of Kaito Takahashi, a samurai-descended Jamaican youth. Campbell-Reid also serves as the cultural director of the project, ensuring the show reflects Jamaican culture with accuracy and respect.

“Jamaica No Jam Makai is a series where we talk about supernatural neocolonialism set here based in Jamaica… we a talk bout nuff a di duppies of Jamaica inna dis,” Campbell-Reid explained in an interview with Observer Online.

The storyline follows Kaito, a Jamaican youth with Japanese lineage who works multiple jobs, running deliveries, working in a call centre, and investing on the side, until a mysterious gift from his parents changes his life’s path.

Campbell-Reid, who has a deep love for anime, was discovered by Jamaica No Jam Makai creator Tolga Akcayli during a TikTok Live session between 2021 and 2022. Akcayli offered him the lead role and a chance to help shape the cultural tone of the series.

Creator of Jamaica No Jam Makai, Tolga Akcayli

“Representation truly matters… despite me living in the United States as a Jamaican, I have not sacrificed my voice. I don’t twang. I think that’s what attracted Tolga to me,” he said.

His character, Kaito, embodies the Jamaican hustle and spirit. According to Campbell-Reid, “Black yute, dreadlocks—hello!” he laughed, pointing out their similarities.

Drawing on Jamaican folklore, the anime features duppies, including the rolling calf, as part of its worldbuilding.

“The average Jamaican knows bout duppy… so whether you’re an anime fan or not, you’re going to recognise things in the story,” Campbell-Reid said.

He noted that cultural accuracy was critical, particularly given Akcayli is Vincentian. Even small details like public transportation plates were corrected to reflect Jamaican standards.

Fans also contributed to shaping the anime through social media interactions.

“I don’t believe I’m the smartest man in the room… feedback was crucial to give us guidelines to stay on track,” Campbell-Reid said.

One major adjustment based on public input was the title change from Jamaica No Duppy to Jamaica No Jam Makai, which means The Evil Spirit World of Jamaica. The bilingual pun also nods to traditional anime naming formats.

Alongside the premiere, a manga version of the series will be released on June 28, available globally, including on Amazon Prime. The manga reads in traditional Japanese format (right to left), giving Jamaicans an authentic experience. It includes both black-and-white and coloured versions, the latter of which was especially well received in Japan.

Japanese fan pose in front of Usain Bolt statue

“When we say it sell off in Japan, it sell off,” he added, referencing the response at Comic Con Japan, where the series sold out its manga copies after being showcased at the World Expo 2025.

Japanese fan pose in front of Usain Bolt statue

Preview of page from Jamaica No Jam Makai manga

The premiere event is ticket-only, with no sales at the door. Interested patrons can contact Yaadman Ethan via Instagram @yaadman_etan to secure a spot.

The anime’s origin is a story in itself. It was crowdfunded through platforms like GoFundMe, fuelled by the public’s “hunger” for authentic Jamaican representation in new forms.

“We’re not here to change the culture, we are simply here to represent the culture in a new way with accuracy and respect. So I hope unnuh like it… no, mi know unnuh ago like it,” Campbell-Reid said proudly.