Zinzi is a former lifestyle journalist living in the marginalized neighborhood of Zoo City. Following a tragedy involving her brother, she became "animalled," acquiring a Sloth familiar and a magical ability to locate lost things. She uses this talent for legitimate recovery work while secretly writing phishing emails to pay off a debilitating drug debt. Her streetwise exterior masks deep guilt and a reluctance to form close attachments.

Benoît is a Congolese refugee and Zinzi's boyfriend. He bears heavy scarring from an attack by militia forces that separated him from his wife and children years ago. Living in Zoo City with his Mongoose familiar, he fills in as a security guard and constantly searches for his lost family. He offers Zinzi a rare sense of stability in an otherwise chaotic environment.

Odi is a famous, reclusive music producer who runs Moja Records. He manages the rising pop duo iJusi and controls their careers with a tight grip, sending them to rehab for minor infractions while secretly utilizing traditional sangoma remedies. Despite his immense wealth, he lives in a dilapidated home and hides a strange, writhing mass of severed magical connections around his head.

S'busiso is a fifteen-year-old rising pop star and one half of the duo iJusi. Orphaned at a young age, he signed with Moja Records alongside his twin sister. He is sensitive, smokes marijuana to cope with the pressures of fame, and privately believes his sister holds all the true musical talent.

Songweza is the female half of the famous pop duo iJusi. Known for her wild, rebellious behavior, she frequently clashes with her management and guardian. Her sudden disappearance triggers Zinzi's investigation, revealing a trail of secretive relationships and heavy prescription drug use.

Vuyo is Zinzi's debt collector and the handler for her email scams. He dresses sharply and operates with a smooth but threatening demeanor. He forces Zinzi to engage in face-to-face cons to fleece vulnerable victims, constantly using her financial debt as leverage to keep her compliant.

Mark is one half of "Maltese & Marabou Procurements." He is a dapper, meticulously groomed man who dyes his familiar to match his orange scarf. He works aggressively to recruit Zinzi for a high-paying missing person case on behalf of Odi Huron, navigating the criminal underworld with polished ease.

Amira is an androgynous woman who co-runs a mysterious procurement business. She claims to have arrived in South Africa via human trafficking and operates with a cold, professional edge, keeping a Vektor gun among her closely guarded missing objects.

Giovanni is a deputy editor for the men's magazine Mach and Zinzi's former boyfriend. During her previous career as a lifestyle journalist, he introduced her to the drugs that ultimately derailed her life. He remains vain, petty, and eager to capitalize on the cultural fascination with the animalled population.

Sloth is Zinzi's animal familiar. Though heavy and physically burdensome, he provides Zinzi with her magical ability to find lost objects. He frequently bites or scratches to warn Zinzi away from danger or poor decisions, serving as a physical manifestation of her conscience.

Mongoose is Benoît's animal familiar. The creature stays close to him and grants him the magical ability to dampen the effects of other people's powers, making Benoît's presence comforting to Zinzi.

An elderly client who hired Zinzi to retrieve a platinum and sapphire ring. She lost the ring down a sewer drain after fleeing in terror from an animalled person at a local mall.

A police inspector investigating high-profile crimes in Johannesburg. She is deeply suspicious of the animalled population and views Zinzi as a prime suspect due to her proximity to multiple crime scenes and her criminal record.

The guardian of S'busiso and Songweza. She took the twins in after their parents died of AIDS and struggles to protect them from the harsh realities of their fame and management.

A heavyset teenager who spends his time playing video games and smoking at the twins' house. He harbors an intense jealousy toward Songweza and is deeply protective of S'busiso.

Primrose Luthuli's son and a frequent companion to S'busiso. He attempts to help the twins secure new musical representation away from Moja Records.

A photographer for the tabloid The Daily Truth. He has a morbid curiosity about Zoo City and eventually assists Zinzi in her investigation into the string of murders.

A tabloid gossip and crime columnist who tracks gang activity and animalled crime. Zinzi seeks her out to help connect the dots between various magical murders occurring around the city.

A tech-savvy Zulu sangoma who provides traditional healing and muti. He brews a potent potion for Zinzi that induces vivid, terrifying visions to help her locate missing objects and people.

A bouncer at Odi Huron's nightclub. He is friendly with Songweza and attempts to protect her from predatory figures in the music industry, drawing the ire of dangerous individuals in the process.

A non-animalled patron of the local Zoo City bar. He frequently lectures others on pop culture and local gossip.

An animalled friend of Benoît's whose familiar is a Vervet Monkey. His magical ability involves soaking up small moments of happiness from those around him.

The director of Haven, a rehabilitation facility where Odi Huron sends his musicians. She maintains strict confidentiality regarding her patients and utilizes various naturopathic and traditional medical approaches.

A staff member and former patient at the Haven rehab facility. She manages the center's herb garden and provides Zinzi with crucial insight into the twins' time in recovery.

A blonde, animalled woman who works at Odi Huron's dilapidated estate, helping manage his guests and daily operations while harboring her own ambitions in the music industry.