Latest news with #Upin&Ipin
Focus Malaysia
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Focus Malaysia
Claims abound of animated high-flyer Upin & Ipin 'trapped in toxic workplace culture, comfort zone'
IT could not have come at a worse time. With the launch of the Upin & Ipin Universe Game set to be launched in just over a week (July 17), gaming forums are abuzz with news that retrenched staff of Streamline Studios (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd – the videogame development outfit – have not received their dues. Likewise, with the second instalment of Ejen Ali breaking all sorts of box office record at home and abroad, one would have expected a pioneer in the local animation scene to be also generating plenty of pleasant headlines. After all, that was what the Upin & Ipin Universe Game is supposed to do – a game changer. Instead, the creators of Upin & Ipin c hildren's animated television series – Les' Copaque Production Sdn Bhd – has been described as a toxic workplace with a management that was aloof. This was presumably Upin & Ipin fan rei🍉 (rest)'s (@peulreiii) reaction on X to another post highlighting the Streamline Media woes. Les Copaque is also a VERY problematic company. Toxic workplace with their higher ups mostly hidung tinggi gila. Shit talks other local animations and even as far as threatening their employees if they speak highly of another. — rei🍉 (rest) (@peulreiiii) July 6, 2025 Editor's Note: Les' Copaque partnered with American online game developer, Streamline Studios in 2023 to create a console game based on the Upin & Ipin franchise, ie the Upin & Ipin Universe . The crux of the matter is that gaming forums are abuzz with news of the disgruntlement among Streamline Studios' ex-employees which soon rub on Les' Copaque. That the post by rei🍉 (rest) has generated over 301.7K views at the time of writing is itself an indication that enough eyeballs are reading about alleged wrongdoings being perpetrated on employees of Les' Copaque. As one commenter rightly pointed out, the franchise was seemingly static while Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 (a film by Primeworks Studios and Wau Animation based on an animation series of the same name) was conquering new frontiers. That sentiment was echoed in another comment which observed that the brand did not forge ahead to do better content but has instead stagnated within its comfort zone. Concern is raised that it could soon be overtaken by rivals. This comment though ignores the fact that the game itself is meant to up the ante significantly. This toxic work culture was cited by one commenter as a reason for the dip in quality in Upin & Ipin . While both Les' Copaque and Streamline Studios may not be all-conquering as Ejen Ali 2 or even Mechamoto , it would do well to avoid such negative publicity on social media. The consequence is a very negative perception about the organisations and which will ultimately hurt the product it is trying to sell. The Upin & Ipin Universe Game is set to be officially launched on July 17. With the big date just days away, it could very well do with such negative publicity. – July 17, 2025 Main image credit: #ZHAFVLOG (@zhafvlog)/X
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Upin & Ipin Universe game marks milestone in Malaysia's rise as regional hub for animation and gaming
For nearly two decades, the Malaysian cartoon Upin & Ipin has entertained and inspired audiences with its cheeky adventures and meaningful messages about friendship, respect, and community. Now, the launch of the Upin & Ipin Universe game marks the next chapter in the brand's evolution—from a beloved animated series to a fully interactive digital world. Speaking at the launch in Kuala Lumpur, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the project is a testament to the creativity, innovation, and collaborative spirit that define Malaysia's journey to becoming a regional hub for animation and gaming. 'This transition marks a significant step for Malaysian animation intellectual properties as they cross over into games. It also places Malaysia firmly within the global digital content economy,' he said. Among those present were Les' Copaque Production managing director Burhanuddin Md Radzi, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia chairman Datuk Hans Issac, and Stefan Baier, director of Global Studios and co-founder of Streamline Studios. In 2023, the global entertainment and media industry was valued at US$2.8 trillion. According to the PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2024, this figure is projected to grow to US$3.4 trillion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9 per cent. 'Malaysia has also seen tremendous progress in recent years. In 2023 alone, our creative digital industry generated RM5.3 billion in revenue, with exports valued at RM800 million,' Gobind said. 'More importantly, these achievements created over 10,000 high-value jobs across the ecosystem. Riding the wave of global digitalisation, the games sector continues to thrive.' He said the government, through the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation's (MDEC) Digital Creative Ecosystem Roadmap (DICE), is committed to growing the digital creative sector and aims to position Malaysia as a regional and global hub for digital content by 2030. 'DICE is not just an initiative – it's a holistic strategy to build a sustainable ecosystem that supports talent development, market access, investment, and innovation. 'The Digital Ministry is further strengthening this effort by making animation and games a key focus of our mission to drive Malaysia's digital progress. Supporting innovation and growth in the digital creative sector isn't just an agenda – it is the backbone of our national transformation,' he added. To reinforce the government's commitment, MDEC has launched two new programmes: Animated Shorts Challenge – an initiative to encourage the creation of original short animations by local talents. It provides opportunities for creators to produce high-impact work that can be showcased regionally and globally. Digital Games Testbed – an initiative offering incentives for local game developers to explore new products or genres while securing publishing deals. This enables indie developers and established studios to access technical support and market feedback essential for continuous improvement and commercialisation. 'These initiatives complement DICE and play a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of Malaysia's digital creative industry, expanding intellectual property creation, market access, and talent development,' Gobind said.
New Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: A boy's magical friendship adventure
THE title of this movie sounds remarkably close to one from Disney about a flying elephant, but its only animals are three adorable goats belonging to the hero's best friend. Welcome to 'Jumbo', Indonesia's most talked-about movie this year, and the region's best-selling animated movie to date. The title character's name isn't Jumbo, but Don (voiced by Prince Poetiray), and Jumbo is a nickname given to him by Atta (Muhammad Adhiyat), his biggest tormentor in school and the neighbourhood. Don is a chubby and awkward 10-year-old boy who loves fairy tales and one day meets a real fairy. This fantasy directed by Ryan Adriandhy in his directorial debut comes to Malaysian cinemas three months after its Indonesian debut on March 31, and features popular singers Bunga Citra Lestari and Ariel Irham of Noah as the protagonist's late parents. Don, who is often belittled by his schoolmates because of his large size and clumsiness, inherits a book from his parents, filled with illustrations and magical stories. Entirely crafted by Don's parents who perished in an accident when he was 4, the book serves as an escape for Don in a world that feels unwelcoming due to the insults by his neighbours and schoolmates. One day, Don decides to prove himself participating in a community talent show — he plans to perform a play inspired by the stories in the book. Atta steals the book, but fortunately, Don has the support of his wise grandmother (who looks after him) and his best friends — goofy Nurman (Yusuf Ozkan) who lives with his goat-breeding grandfather, and Mae (Graciella Abigail) who is level-headed and street-smart. Don soon meets Meri (Quinn Salman) a sweet fairy who asks for his help to find her parents. They strike a deal — Meri decides to help Don improve his presentation and recover his book, while Don has to help Meri find her parents and defeat their captor. Thus begins an adventure full of wonders, transforming Don's view of himself and teaching him the meaning of friendship, courage and self-confidence. In terms of animation, 'Jumbo' is as good as Malaysia's 'Upin & Ipin', 'Boboiboy', 'Mechamato' and 'Ejen Ali', and here's hoping that the republic's animation industry continues to grow stronger. Each character has superb and realistic facial expressions, movements and gestures, and the director based them on real life activities performed by the cast members. And the movie's settings look very much like Jakarta's suburbia, only neater and more colourful. Don may look adorable but honestly, he is rather annoying — he is selfish until he gets to know Atta after meeting his crippled elder brother Acil (Angga Yunanda), a hard-working electronic goods repair man. The real heroes are his best friends, his grandmother (Ratna Riantiarno) and Meri, who teaches him to be brave, caring and sharing. Getting to know Atta awakens him to his own flaws and the mutual reconciliation that follows finally makes him a hero. The villain, Pak Rusli (Kiki Narendra), is two-dimensional as his motive for villainy is childish. His late wife's grave was destroyed by a developer, and that turned him into a malevolent ghostbuster who destroys graves and captures ghosts including Meri's parents. Flaws aside, 'Jumbo' is a timeless and heartwarming story for the whole family, which contains magic for the young and human values for the adults. Viewers will realise that there is a bit of Don and Meri in everyone — he is the everyman who needs to break out of his comfort zone, and she is our higher self that loves, gives and grows. 'Jumbo' is a wholesome animated story that places strong emphasis on family, friendship and being independent, brave and selfless. Malaysians ought not to miss it, and it is best that they bring their families along to the cinemas. NOW SHOWING JUMBO DIRECTED BY Ryan Adriandhy FEATURING THE VOICES OF Prince Poetiray, Quinn Salman, Yusuf Ozkan, Graciella Abigail, Muhammad Adhiyat, Ratna Riantiarno, Angga Yunada, Bunga Citra Lestari, Ariel Irham, Cinta Laura Kiehl, Ariyo Wahab, Kiki Narendra, Aci Resti and Rachel Amanda CLASSIFICATION U
Rakyat Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rakyat Post
Malaysia Ranks 5th In Top 10 Asian Countries With Best Anime Production
Subscribe to our FREE A Facebook page Incredible Asia recently shared a post listing the top 10 Asian countries with the best anime production based on an alleged list on In this list, Malaysia was ranked 5 th , placing it below India (4 th ) and above the Philippines (6 th ). The top three places were unsurprisingly occupied by Japan, South Korea, and China respectively. Malaysia's neighbours, Thailand and Singapore, ranked 7th and 8th respectively. Malaysia has been improving in strides in its animation industry. This can be seen by the rise of local cartoons such as Upin & Ipin, BoBoiBoy, Ejen Ali, and Mechamato. Some of our local animation titles have made waves abroad in countries like Upin & Ipin in Indonesia, Mechamato in Japan, and READ MORE: READ MORE: In February 2023, Mechamato became the first non-Japanese animation to win the Anime Fan Award at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF) 2023. READ MORE: READ MORE: From left to right: Upin & Ipin, Ejen Ali, Mechamato, and BoBoiBoy. The Ejen Ali series also won several awards including Best 3D Animated Programme at the 27 th Asian Television Awards. READ MORE: Meanwhile, BoBoiBoy also reached success internationally and won awards, including Best Animated Programme or Series (2D or 3D) at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. BoBoiBoy's merchandise for kids such as toy figurines and the Galaxy Card packs are popular as well. READ MORE: However, many were surprised that India has anime and ranked higher than Malaysia, leading curious viewers asking for some titles to check out. Another Facebook page Asian SEA Story What's anime? While it's great to see the growth and talent in the animation industry, there's still a debate as to what constitutes ''anime.'' For some, all cartoons are anime while others do not believe so. Anime is known as a style of Japanese film and television animation which are typically hand-drawn and computer-generated. In Japan, the term is used to refer to all types of animation productions that are produced there. The anime style is often characterized by colourful graphics, vibrant characters, action-filled plots, and futuristic themes. Some major Japanese studios that popularised anime include Studio Ghibli, Pierrot, Kyoto Animation, MAPPA, Toei Animation, and Madhouse. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Free Malaysia Today
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Creative industry can boost M'sia-Indonesia ties, says ambassador
Malaysia's ambassador to Indonesia, Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin, with Malaysian director Erma Fatima. JAKARTA : Malaysia's creative industry, particularly in film and drama, has the potential to become a new bridge for strengthening cultural ties with Indonesia, according to Malaysia's ambassador to Indonesia, Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin. Speaking during a courtesy call by Malaysian director Erma Fatima, whose real name is Fatimah Rahmad, and her delegation, he said the power of storytelling and the shared cultural values between the countries could help deepen bilateral relations. 'Once upon a time, Malaysia and Indonesia had a cultural exchange programme known as Titian Muhibah, organised by Radio Televisyen Malaysia, Televisi Republik Indonesia, and Radio Republik Indonesia,' he said. Syed Mohamad Hasrin said the programme had served as a platform for introducing arts and culture, and strengthening bilateral relations. 'It is time to revive the era of closeness between Malaysia and Indonesia. Through various creative initiatives, we can build new bridges that further strengthen the sense of kinship and the Nusantara spirit,' he said. The most successful local production to penetrate the Indonesian market so far is the animated series Upin & Ipin, which has captured the hearts of young viewers and become a cultural icon representing Malaysia across Indonesia. 'The success of Upin & Ipin proves that high-quality content that resonates with regional values has great potential for international acceptance,' Syed Mohamad Hasrin said. Malaysia can also take pride in its latest television series Bidaah, produced by Erma's Rumah Karya Citra, which has the potential to be another important platform for enhancing cultural ties with Indonesia. 'We hope that local works highlighting shared values will form the foundation for strong Malaysia–Indonesia relations and renew the spirit of cultural cooperation in this modern era,' Syed Mohamad Hasrin said. Since its premiere last month, Bidaah has become the most-watched drama on Viu, an online streaming platform, garnering over 2.5 billion views across digital platforms and social media in Malaysia and Indonesia.
