Editing Anansi (section)

==References in popular culture==
{{In popular culture|date=May 2022}}

===Books===
*[[Neil Gaiman]]'s novel ''[[American Gods]]'' features Anansi (under the name "Mr. Nancy") living in America among several other mythological characters. In the [[American Gods (TV series)|television adaptation]], he is portrayed by [[Orlando Jones]].
*A later Gaiman novel, ''[[Anansi Boys]]'', follows the sons of Anansi as they discover each other and their heritage.
*In the science fiction novel ''[[The Descent of Anansi]]'', by [[Larry Niven]] and [[Steven Barnes]], the main characters manage to land a damaged [[spacecraft]] on Earth with the aid of a very strong cable made of crystalline iron and the "force" generated by [[tidal force|tidal effects]]. The title is based on the image of the spacecraft hanging from the cable like a spider on a thread.
*[[Jamaica Anansi Stories]], a collection of folklore, riddles and transcriptions of folk music, all involving Anansi, by [[Martha Warren Beckwith]].
*[[Los cuentos de Anansi]], a collection of Afro-Caribbean folklore from Costa Rica, all involving Anansi, by the Costa Rica author and academic [[Quince Duncan]].
*''Anansi the Spider: a tale from the Ashanti'', by [[Gerald McDermott]]

===Comics===
*In an arc of [[DC Comics]]''' [[Justice League of America]]'', the team faces Anansi. The character was first mentioned in ''Justice League of America'' No. 23, but was not named until ''Justice League of America'' No. 24. According to Vixen, he is the West African trickster god and "owns all stories". Anansi appears in several forms, the most common form being a large, other-worldly spider with supernatural powers. He has been manipulating the powers of [[Vixen (comics)|Vixen]] and [[Animal Man]]. He initially appears to be villainous, but then reveals after he is "defeated" that his machinations were in fact intended to teach Vixen a lesson and prepare her for some coming disaster.
*In the [[Marvel Comics]] series ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' volume 2 (2003), it is revealed by [[Ezekiel Sims]] that [[Anansi (Marvel Comics)|Kwaku Anansi]] was the first [[Spider-Man]]. Anansi sold himself to Nyame the sky-god in return for wisdom, and passed his knowledge on to spiders.<ref>Straczynski, J. Michael (w), Romita Jr, John (p), Hannah, Scott (i). "A Spider's Tale" The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2, No. 48 (February 2003).</ref> In a story of the mini-series ''[[Marvel Fairy Tales|Spider-Man Fairy Tales]]'', Spider-Man himself takes on the role of Anansi. He is on a quest to gain more power after feeling unappreciated. After encountering elemental aspects (the [[Fantastic Four]]), and a guardian of a sacred garden ([[Swarm (comics)|Swarm]]), he realizes the greatest power is friendship.
*Anansi is a main character in Greg Anderson-Elysée's graphic novel series "Is'nana: The Were-Spider".<ref>{{cite web|author1=Caleb Palmquist|title=Independent Comics In Focus – Greg Anderson-Elysee, Creator of Is'nana The Were-Spider|url=http://wordofthenerdonline.com/2016/01/143733/|website=Word of The Nerd|access-date=11 November 2016|date=26 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112080144/http://wordofthenerdonline.com/2016/01/143733/|archive-date=12 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first volume, "Forgotten Stories" was self-published in 2016, after a successful Kickstarter campaign,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1942007293/isnana-the-were-spider?ref=discovery|title=Is'nana The Were-Spider by Greg Anderson-Elysee — Kickstarter}}</ref> under the imprint "Webway Comics". In the series, Is'nana is Anansi's son.

===Music===
*The English rock band [[Skunk Anansie]] (1994–2001, 2009–present) took the name of the spider-man of the West African folk tales, but with a slightly different spelling, and added "Skunk" to the name, to make the name nastier.<ref>{{cite web | title=Biography: Skunk Anansie | publisher=AllMusic | url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p165457/biography|pure_url=yes}} | access-date=22 November 2005}}</ref>
*Children's singer [[Raffi]] wrote and recorded the song "Anansi" for his 1979 ''[[Corner Grocery Store]]'' album. The song describes Anansi as a spider and a man. It tells a story about Anansi being lazy yet clever, using flattery to trick some crows into shaking loose ripe mangoes from his mango tree for Anansi to enjoy without having to pick them himself.
*Cuban artist [[Celia Cruz]] performed the song "Guede Zaina", a prayer devoted to Anansi, who is heavily associated with the [[Lwa]] "Gede Zarenyen" or "Gede Zariyen", both which translate to "Ghede Spider" in [[Haitian Creole]]. Akin to the song's Haitian origins, it is sung entirely in the respective language and its lyrics petition the Spider spirit for protection from danger. It was featured in her album ''Homenaje A Los Santos, Vol. 2'', where [[Afro-Cuban]] religions were a major theme;<ref name="salsa_cruz">{{cite thesis|last=Rodríguez-Torres|first=Caridad Milagros|title=Celia Cruz, Ícono Global De La Salsa: Africanía, Nostalgia, y Carnaval|year=2014|publisher=[[Arizona State University|Arizona State]]|degree=PhD|language=es|url=https://repository.asu.edu/attachments/143323/content/RodriguezTorres_asu_0010E_14345.pdf|access-date=19 March 2019|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330201706/https://repository.asu.edu/attachments/143323/content/RodriguezTorres_asu_0010E_14345.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|15–38}} several songs directly referenced African deities, including a song named after the [[Yoruba religion|Yoruba]] deity [[Shango]],<ref name="salsa_cruz" />{{rp|30}} for example.

===Television and film===
*Prior to writing the book of the same name (referenced above), filmmaker and author Gerald McDermott created the animated short ''Anansi the Spider'' in 1969. Narrated by Athmani Magoma, it briefly explains the function of folklore, introduces the [[Asante people|Ashanti people]], and retells two tales about Anansi and his six sons.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anansi the Spider (1969)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186819/|publisher=IMDb}}</ref>
*[[Rabbit Ears Productions]] released a VHS adaptation featuring two Anansi stories as part of its ''We All Have Tales'' series in 1991. The story was illustrated by Steven Guarnaccia and the accompanying video was narrated by [[Denzel Washington]], with background music by [[UB40]].
*Anansi appears in ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]'', voiced by [[LeVar Burton]]. This version is a giant spider-like spirit, and one of [[Oberon]]'s "children".
*A superhero called Anansi appears in the [[DC Animated Universe]] series ''[[Static Shock]]'', voiced by [[Carl Lumbly]]. He is from Ghana, and part of a lineage of heroes who wield an ancient amulet that grants powers of [[illusion]] and the ability to adhere to any surface. Additionally, he has three enemies modeled after those of the mythological Anansi: Osebo ([[Michael Jai White]]), Onini ([[Kevin Michael Richardson]]), and Mmoboro ([[Phil LaMarr]]).
**Anansi also appears in the one-shot comic ''Static Team-Up: Anansi'' #1 (June 2023).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schreur |first=Brandon |date=2023-03-09 |title=Static Shock's Anansi Makes His DC Comics Debut |url=https://www.cbr.com/static-shock-anansi-dc-comics-debut/ |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
*Anansi the Spider narrated stories from African folklore on the [[PBS]] children's series ''[[Sesame Street]]'', voiced by [[Ossie Davis]]. These cartoon segments by [[Fred Garbers]] were introduced by [[Sonia Manzano]], who also portrayed Maria.
**The Sun and the Moon aka A Home in the Sky
**Monkey and Baboon's Compromise
**The Little Mouse
*Soviet short animated film [[:ru:Паучок Ананси|Паучок Ананси]] (Russian: ''Anancy the Spider'') premiered in 1970.
*''Anancy Turns Over A New Leaf'' animated film was produced by Lalu Hanuman in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/1059462?view=credit|title=BFI &#124; Film & TV Database &#124; HANUMAN, Lalu|date=24 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924005013/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/1059462?view=credit|archive-date=24 September 2013}}</ref> He followed this up in 2001 with a second Anancy animated film ''Anancy's Healthy Diet''. In 2001 also, the [[National Film Board of Canada]] created the animated short film ''The Magic of Anansi'', which focuses on a Caribbean Anansi tale and was directed by Jamie Mason, with Tamara Lynch as its producer. The film was part of its ''Talespinners'' collection of short films based on children's stories from [[Multiculturalism in Canada|Canada's cultural communities]].<ref name=nfb>{{cite web|title=The Magic of Anansi|url=http://www.nfb.ca/film/magic_of_anansi/|work=Online film|publisher=[[National Film Board of Canada]]|access-date=17 June 2011|location=Montreal|format=Requires [[Adobe Flash]]}}</ref> The film can also be found on the digital archive [[Wayback Machine]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www3.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=cc&id=50422 |title=The Magic of Anansi |access-date=17 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123041951/http://www3.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=cc&id=50422 |archive-date=23 January 2009 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>
*"Mr. Nancy" is a character in seasons 1 and 2 of the [[American Gods (TV series)|television adaptation]] of [[Neil Gaiman]]'s novel ''[[American Gods]]'', portrayed by [[Orlando Jones]] (see "Books", above).
* "Aunt Nancy" is a female character on the SYFY series ''[[Superstition (TV series)|Superstition]]'', portrayed by Jasmine Guy.
* ''Kwaku Ananse'' is a 2013 short film by [[Akosua Adoma Owusu]].
* Anansi is the name of a villain in ''[[Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir]]'' [voiced by Laila Berzins], who has spider-like abilities, including webbing and extra limbs. It is also the stage name of the villain's civilian form, Nora Césaire, who uses it in [[kickboxing]] matches. Within the same episode, the Turtle Miraculous and its abilities are introduced, alluding to ''Anansi and the Turtle''.
* Anansi is referenced in the 2025 ''[[Doctor Who]]'' [[Doctor Who series 15|series 15]] episode “[[The Story & the Engine]]”.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laford |first=Andrea |date=2025-04-30 |title=Doctor Who ‘The Story & The Engine’ cast and BBC One airtime |url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/doctor-who-the-story-the-engine-cast-and-bbc-one-airtime |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=CultBox |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-25 |title=Doctor Who Season 2 episode titles, writers, and directors announced! |url=https://doctorwhowatch.com/doctor-who-season-2-episode-titles-writers-and-directors-announced-01jq2835z2sk |access-date=2025-05-05 |website=Doctor Who Watch |language=en-us}}</ref>

===Video games===
*In [[Microsoft Pandora's Box|''Pandora's Box'']], Anansi is one of the tricksters that has to be captured.
*In ''[[Civilization VI]]'', Anansi is a summonable hero in the Heroes and Legends game mode.
*In ''[[Shivers (video game)|Shivers]]'', an "Anansi Spider Song" is referenced in one of the puzzles.
*In [[Shin Megami Tensei V#Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance|''Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance'']], Anansi is a quest-giving NPC and summonable demon.
*In [[MechWarrior Online]] and [[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]], the SDR-A "Anansi" is the hero variant of the Spider BattleMech.