LeSean Thomas, the first African-American animator to direct anime in Japan, has been driven to work in animation for the majority of his life. However, the prominent creator is dismayed by his audiences continuously asking for shows like Vinland Saga or Samurai Champloo instead of more innovative projects that push conventional boundaries.

Per Anime News Network, The Japan Society in New York City recently hosted an event called "Foreign Exchanges: Anime Inspirations & Visionaries with LeSean Thomas." While speaking at three talks organized by Coach Mike of "The ImagiNation Project," Thomas discusses the experiences he had while directing major anime projects like Cannon Busters (2019) and Yasuke (2021). Many criticized the latter series at the time of its release due to its incorporation of fantasy and mecha elements into a historical drama story. However, Thomas wishes to avoid "retreading" ground seen in other works -- something he has accused other Black directors of doing.