Joel Embiid Steps Into Anime Production With MFINDA Documentary

Instagram/@joelembiid

Joel Embiid said goodbye to anime production as his company asked Miniature Géant to co-executively produce the highly awaited feature-length anime film MFINDA and a companion documentary, MFINDA: Spirits of the Congo for Studio N LITE. The project was supposed to join forces with GKIDS, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, and veteran anime producer Masao Maruyama (Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers), so there is palpable excitement building already.

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This announcement went up on Instagram featuring Joel Embiid looking casual in a blue sweater, sitting on a couch, and giving a warm smile. There was an easy confidence about him-the aura you would expect from a sportsman venturing into the creative territory. Beyond this, the post raised big cultural implications too: African storytelling in the realm of Japanese anime-another unusual mix that has intrigued many fans.

Right from the beginning, there were many responses. Some went right back to basketball, telling Embiid to “prove everybody wrong next season” after his injury-ridden 2024-25 season. Some stuck to anime, providing comments such as, “A @masego song on a Joel Embiid IG post was not on my 2025 bingo card,” which is a strange mixture of admiration for the NBA star and absolutely shocked at his taste in music.

An additional comment from another anime fan appeared: “I love anime ♡✍️🏻, congrats dear;” another promised to “do a thorough review when these projects come out.” The mixture of sports-and-anime fandom was apparent when another fan actually asked if Embiid wanted to watch Ranking of Kings together-the MVP has got other interests apart from basketball, for sure.

Not all the comments were jokes. One self-proclaimed “proudest hater” said, “the East need you big bro come back,” so he did give lofted recognition for the influence Embiid has had on the court while maintaining some semblance of healthy rivalry. Health was another major topic, with the bulk of the comments reminding Embiid to “stay healthy” next season.

The documentary’s focus on Congo storytelling aligns with Embiid’s off-court legacy. Being a Cameroonian-born center, Embiid has always been loud about his African pride, so this just seems to him the natural way to go about identity.

Hypocrites? One fan poured it on: “they can never make me hate u Joel.” From the basketball courts to behind-the-scenes anime production, the circle around Embiid keeps closing in—block by block, frame by frame.

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All eat up with little food for thought; an operation of this caliber would demand a star-studded cast and crew, plus Embiid himself, to be on every anime and sports radar. Judging from those remarks, the whole fandom is so much ready to host whatever is next, either a finals run or an animated feature.