There’s an Anime Based on Peruvian Mythology
Credit: YouTube/Ninakami
A teaser was recently released for the upcoming Peruvian anime titled Apukunapa Kutimuyñin.
Apukunapa Kutimuyñin in Quechua means “El Regreso de los Apus” or “El Regreso de Los Dioses.” And in English it means The Return of the Gods. The anime was produced by the Peruvian animation studio Ninakami, which was founded in 2021 in Lima, Peru.
Omar Vallejos is the producer of the anime with Sol Ferrari as the director of animation. And according to El Comercio Peru, the animation team consists of Yuxin Zhao, Michelle García, Luciana Liencres, Jessica Apel, Dafne de Vinatea, Jessica Rowden, and Kentaro Funai.
Vallejos developed the anime as part of his master’s degree at the Kyoto University of the Arts in Japan. Ferrari serves as the director of animation with a team that includes animators from Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Germany, the U.S., and Japan.
“Coordinating teams across different time zones, without a physical studio, was the most difficult part,” Vallejos told Infobae. “Part of the animation team was working from Japan while another part was in charge of finishing touches in Uruguay and the voice acting team was working from Peru. It was a daunting challenge, but it was very satisfying.”
Apukunapa Kutimuyñin is specifically based on Andean mythology and it’s told through Japanese-styled animation. The series’ characters include Inti, the god of the sun, Illapa, the god of thunder, and Pachamama, the mother goddess. The cast is rounded out by an Incan mummy named Mallki, Torito de Pucará, Nina, the goddess of fire, and the lead character Sisa.
According to the teaser, Sisa is caught in a conflict between gods from South American history and humans that are struggling for control of the modern world.
“We want young Latin American artists to know that they don’t have to emigrate to achieve their dreams,” Ferrari also said about Apukunapa Kutimuyñin. “They can do it from home with training, structure, and respect.”
Even though Apukunapa Kutimuyñin is still in early development, Ninakami hopes to produce two seasons of the series of 12 episodes each. Down the line, the production team also envisions a feature-length film for the franchise.