KINGSTON, Jamaica — The pilot episode of anime series Jamaica No Jam Makai received a roaring applause from viewers at its screening at Carib 5 last Saturday.

The theatre was abuzz as guests arrived to a photo-ready backdrop, received collectible stickers and, for VIP attendees, exclusive copies of the manga. The pilot episode was shown twice, both viewings greeted with loud cheers, laughter, and enthusiastic reactions from the packed auditorium.

Creator Tolga Akcayli opened the evening by acknowledging the international team that made the project possible, a collaboration that spanned Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Japan, Sweden, and the United States, all coordinated remotely during the pandemic.

“This was all done post-pandemic via Zoom, we’re not flying around like crazy people,” Akcayli said. “Every single person who worked on this project brought incredible intelligence and sophistication. I am proud of everyone.”

He also shared that the team was moved to tears after watching the finished product for the first time.

Attendees praised the pilot’s visuals and cultural authenticity. Popular TikTok creator Manawe “JD_UNT” Simpson, who attended with his daughter, said he was blown away.

“I’m not the biggest anime fan, but the visuals were impressive, seeing the National Stadium, the Usain Bolt statue, even the Jamaica Pegasus. And the patois in it! It was truly Jamaican,” he said.

He added that the integration of Jamaican culture into the Japanese art form was “cleverly done,” preserving elements of both cultures.

Comedian Kvonne “Prince Pine” Legore described it as “cool and entertaining,” noting he would definitely watch future episodes.

Dwayne Campbell said the pilot surpassed his expectations.

“It was humorous, authentic, and showcased Jamaican culture and music. I thought it would be some kind of white wash or Japanese wash with a few Jamaican words or something thrown in there but it was very authentic,” Campbell said.

Julia Akcayli, wife of the creator, shared: “I guess I’m a little bit bias because I am the wife but the story that he wrote, I read the manga already,y it’s absolutely amazing. To me it’s so mind-blowing the ideas and the concepts that he comes up with, he’s just super creative.”

Tolga Ackayli and wife Julia Ackayli posing with a copy of Jamaica No Jam Makai manga (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Storyboard artist Jonathon Providence said his goal was to direct the film to look and feel authentically Jamaican.

Storyboard artist Jonathon Providence posing with popular Tik Toker Manawe ” JD_UNT” Simpson at the premiere of Jamaica No Jam Makai (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

“I consulted my Jamaican friends to get the look and feel of the characters right,” he explained.

Russhaine “Dutty Berry” Berry also commended what he said was the pilot’s cultural accuracy.

From left to right : Russhaine “Dutty Berry”, Kvonne “Prince Pine” Legore, Tolga Ackayli ( in front) , Ethan ‘Yaadman’ Campbell-Reid, Jonathon “Singh Zima” Singh at the premiere of Jamaica No Jam Makai (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

“I liked how they integrated the culture. That was very good even with some of the little choice words dem, some of the references in pop culture, I really did enjoy that,” he said.

And if Berry gets his wish, he might even appear in a future episode.

“I wouldn’t want to be a regular yaad man, I would want to be a dutty duppy or something. That would be interesting,” he joked.

Rhea Rampair, known in anime circles as Silver Neko, praised the visual quality and Jamaican elements.

“I think Jamaica was very, very well represented, the artwork is stunning and I am looking forward to see what other traditional Jamaican mythology is included in the series,” Rampair said.

Main character and cultural director, Ethan Campbell-Reid shared that the reaction from the audience moved him to tears, again.

Ethan ‘Yaadman’ Campbell-Reid at the premiere of Jamaica No Jam Makai

“We cried during testing. And when I heard the cheers tonight, I had to quickly wipe my face before returning to the stage,” Campbell-Reid said.

He also revealed that Yaad Moss, his sea moss brand, is featured in the anime and hinted at the need for corporate sponsorship to involve more local content creators and product placements.

“If you want real Jamaican representation, we need real Jamaican brands and that takes money,” he said.

What started as a 7-second TikTok joke has now become a professionally produced short film, a 240-page manga, and the foundation of a full-fledged anime series.

“The turnout tonight was overwhelming,” said Akcayli. “We had a long line outside the door. The feedback was incredible and energising.”

The Jamaica No Jam Makai pilot episode is now available on YouTube, and the manga is available on Amazon Prime. Local fans can look for it in Kingston Bookshop stores starting later this month.