Manimals: Episode 1 - Tusks:

DESCRIPTION: Evolved animals, called Manimals, looking for answers and a better life, migrate from Africa to New York City to live amongst people and find happiness and purpose. They discover that the New York jungle is much more sophisticated and complicated than the jungle from where they came. Changes occur in Manimals and people as they learn about each other and the struggles experienced by Manimals striving to coexist with people. The human world is a mess and Manimals try to understand the complicated nature of people while people try to understand the simple nature of Manimals. Many people are excited by this evolutionary situation while others do not understand or accept it. Manimals are loved and hated. Despised and respected. Accepted and rejected. The Dystopian "What If" Premise: What if animals lived among us? Would people react differently? Would people learn from them? Would people despise them and be disgusted with their presence? How would it change civilization and how people react in their day to day lives? What kind of impact would it have on the economy? What if animals were effected by the pollution created by technology in the modern world? How would they evolve? How would animals living among people be possible. Story Conflict: The Manimals struggle to fit into human society. They strive to find their purpose and place in the world. They are faced with homelessness, hunger, persecution, inequality, and acceptance in the new city jungle with different classes of people. They clearly do not fit in or belong and that works against them constantly. Theme: Manimals is an allegory for racial prejudice, modern day conflicts and differences in diverse cultures, and the handicapped. It addresses the difference in lifestyles between the upper and lower class. Lessons and examples in the story aims to address the social, moral, physical, economical and personality differences and challenges between one another to readers. It is also an allegory of pollution, poaching and the destruction of the environment caused by people and their growing civilizations, wants and needs. PROTAGONIST: The story follows and African Elephant, named Mayaka, who strives to understand human nature and why people do the things they do. As he comes to understand their reasons he begins to act, and think more like them. This helps him in the new world, but also gets him into trouble. Mayaka has a group of close friends that he's gained through showing kindness and compassion to others. These friends are both Manimals and people. ANTAGONIST: The beginning antagonist is the people of the city. Human nature. People do not understand what is happening and therefore react defensive, aggressive and negative toward the Manimals. Like the undead in a zombie film. Later a Society Against Manimals sets out to rid the city of the Manimals and feels they are a dangerous disruption in nature that must be forced out of the city or exterminated if necessarily. The main antagonist is the Black Panther named Sefu. For the first couple seasons of the show he appears friendly and to have the Manimals protection, acceptance and best interest in mind. But later he his position and popularity goes to his head. He develops is own agenda and seeks power and dominance and eventually becoming a threatening public enemy that must be captured. He believes that the future belongs to Manimals and they are the species that will eventually rule the world. He will stop at nothing and works against people and Manimals that do not agree or see his future vision.