Not Just Anime Podcast

Jack Chen, or ZeroJ to those who're in the know, has been involved in the South African anime scene for more than two decades.

From a humble internet cafe and South Africa's first print anime lifestyle magazine in the 2000s, to the current day Spoonkie and Anime After Hours Community, Jack's passion for anime has pushed him towards developing the local anime community and industry.

We talk past, present, and future for anime in South Africa, and everything in between.

Find Spoonkie, Anime After Hours, and the JPA at the following links:

Spoonkie:
https://www.instagram.com/spoonkiegram/

Anime After Hours: https://www.instagram.com/animeafterhrs/

JPA:
https://www.instagram.com/jpa_africa/

Jeffrey Lu, co-founder of Gunpla SA, is bringing joy to model kit - and especially Gundam model kit - fans in South Africa. But what eventually evolved into a business had its beginnings as a creative passion for making.
 
From art to cosplay to kitbashing, Jeffrey expresses his love for anime through creation but keeps a strong focus on developing the hobby and building a vibrant fan community around it.
 
Through Gunpla SA, Jeffrey is also determined to develop the Gunpla hobby to a point where South Africa can qualify for the Gunpla World Championships held in Japan.
 
We also chat Digimon and VHS Tapes, the first wave of anime, as well as working for one of the only anime speciality stores in South Africa.
 
Find Gunpla SA at the following links:
 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/gunpla_sa/
 
YT:https://www.youtube.com/c/GUNPLASA

Nizar Abrahams co-founded Readers Den more than 30 years ago in Cape Town, South Africa, and has ever since been the home away from home for comic book nerds, otaku and pop-culture fans.

Being one of the oldest comic book shops in South Africa, Nizar was witness to the rise of anime and manga in South Africa during the early 2000s and played a key part in developing the market and spreading its popularity.

Today, Readers Den remains strong and has carved out a unique space in the South African pop-culture scene, from comics being perceived as low art in the early days to now being available in school libraries, from Fan Con to Comic Con, Nizar and Readers Den have played a part in it all.Enjoy a bit of South African pop-culture history by looking back at the early comic book days of Readers Den.

I sat down with Dr. Kotzee Kellerman, a successful medical practitioner, a long-time anime fan and one of my oldest friends.
We reminisce about growing up in a small town in South Africa and going through the trials and tribulations of being an anime fan during the early 2000s.

For the past 23 years, Kotzee has been a great friend and fellow anime-nerd, sharing many of our otaku experiences - and still doesn't believe me when I say I thought my Winged Dragon of Ra was legit.

Market Kokoro is every anime fan's favourite Asian grocery store! From Karate Kid combos to hosting both iterations of Daru Fest, Market Kokoro has become an integral part of pop culture in South Africa.

We sit down with brand manager Monique van Rooyen and dive into how a retailer became the hub of fan events and activities in South Africa.

Recorded live at Daru Fest - Winter 2025