This short-lived animation series was based on African stories. The three protagonists are the young man Kassai, his sidekick Leuk, a talking humanoid hare who knows the jungle well, and Princess Marana, who is cursed to transform into a gazelle during the day. In the series, Kassai goes on various quests to find the scattered parts of his tribe's patron goddess, Koorie, and tries to stop the plans of the evil god Toguum, who can possess people to do his bidding. The opening theme "Samba Et Leuk" is performed by the African musician Ismaël Lô.
Characters
Kassai, a boy
Leuk (aka Luk), a hare.
Marana, a girl who is cursed to become a gazelle by day, and return a girl at night[5]
^ ab"News Briefs". Kidscreen. 1 October 1996. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Lacewood Productions of Canada has partnered with Marathon Productions of France to produce Kassai and Luk. The new series looks at African cultures with tales of people, customs, religions, wildlife and the geography of Africa. Kassai and Luk is based upon the written tales of the former president of Senegal, Leopold Senghor. The program has recently completed post-production and will be aired on Canal G and France 2 in France. A Canadian broadcaster should be announced in the upcoming months.
^ ab"TELETOON breeds new shows". PlaybackOnline.Ca. 11 August 1997. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. In addition to Splat!, new Canadian titles include Lacewood's Kassai and Luk, based on the writings of Senegalese writer Senghor, and Red Beard, a seafaring adventure series coproduced by Montreal-based Mediatoon, a division of French company Editions Dupuis, with France's Carrere Television and Quebec-based Medver International and produced in France and Canada.
^ ab"TELETOON - Pre-School Shows". Archived from the original on 4 February 1998. This new animated series brings to life the popular African stories of the former President of Senegal, Leopold Senghor. Luk, a cheery, mischievous, boastful hare who can speak the languages of all the creatures of the earth, must help his friend Kassai, an African youth. Kassai is selected for a heroic mission: To save Africa by reconstructing the statue of the Goddess Koorie to satisfy the evil spirit Togoum.
^ ab"Kassai and Leuk". Xfinity.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. The animated adventures of a boy, a rabbit and a half-girl, half-gazelle creature in the wilds of Africa.
^"TÉLÉTOON - PRÉ-SCOLAIRE" [Teletoon - Pre-School]. Teletoon.com (in French). Archived from the original on 24 December 1997. Samba et Leuk Leuk, un lièvre débordant d'énergie, espiègle et capable de converser dans toutes les langues, même celles des animaux, vient à la rescousse de son ami Samba, un jeune garçon africain. Samba doit sauver l'Afrique en reconstruisant une statue de la déesse Koorie afin d'apaiser Togoum, un puissant esprit malfaisant. Cette nouvelle série de dessins animés porte au petit écran les récits de l'ancien président du Sénégal, Léopold Senghor.