In the past dozen years, Malaysia has suddenly seen the rise of animation studios, all producing well received and highly popular animated shows like Upin & Ipin, BoBoiBoy, Bola Kampung and more. There is no question that , nowadays, animation studios in Malaysia are nothing to scoff at as our product quality is capable of spreading its wings internationally – proven by how immensely popular shows like Upin & Ipin are in Indonesia and such. In 2019, Malaysia witnessed an amazing feat of garnering a whopping US$20.60 million in box office revenue from three local animated films and they were Upin & Ipin: Keris Siaman Tunggal, Ejen Ali: The Movie and BoBoiBoy The Movie 2.
This is a reflection of the rise of animation studios in Malaysia. In prior years, the animated television series produced by animation studios in Malaysia managed to receive subpar receptions – barely earning anything with the shows not having enough staying power. Take for example, the animated TV series in the 90s called Keluang Man which only aired from 1997 to 2001. In contrast, Upin & Ipin began airing in 2007 and is still airing to this day. Ask any Malaysian child of the late 2000s until present day if they have heard of Upin & Ipin and they are likely to say that they are a big fan and have watched all the episodes. Upin & Ipin, BoBoiBoy and Ejen Ali have made a significant cultural impact on children’s entertainment today.
These days, there are multiple animation studios cropping up in Malaysia that not only produce
Animation TV shows but also create commercials. With video becoming everyone’s favourite type of content to consume, animated videos have also experienced a sudden blooming growth in popularity.
One of the main reasons why animation studios in Malaysia are cropping up more and more is due to the advancement of technology.
According to MDEC (Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation), the animation industry in Malaysia is considered to be worth $187.7 million American dollars in the year 2016 and all of this is thanks to OTT media services.
OTT or over-the-top media services allow media to be directly sent to the internet which enables them to skip the traditional routes of being published in movie theatres or aired on TV. Netflix, Disney +, Apple TV and more are examples of OTT. It is thanks to OTT platforms that the animation industries in Malaysia were able to enter the international market due to a lack of restrictions. A good example of this is the BoBoiBoy movie as well as two seasons of Ejen Ali being available on Netflix.
Aside from OTT, Malaysia saw a growth in the animation industry because of new, innovative animation software. Yes, we need great talented people working in order to produce quality animation, however, without excellent animation software, there’s only so much an animator can do. A new, revolutisionising animation software known as ToonBoom
There is no doubt that the number of animation studios in Malaysia are growing as more of these shows become more popular, hence, resulting in others deciding to open up an animation studio of themselves as a means to make a grab at that lucrative animation revenue.
With that said, let us take a look at the giants of animation studios in Malaysia.
- Les Copaque
It’s best to start with the absolute juggernaut of animation studios – Les Copaque Production. This is a Malaysian animation company that is responsible for the creation of one of Malaysia’s number one animation series, Upin & Ipin. Upin & Ipin started airing from 2007 all the way until the present, proof of what an immensely popular this animated show is.
- Animasia Studio
This is also an incredibly well known animation studios in Malaysia. It is renowned for well received animated shows like Bola Kampung, Harry & Bunnie, Fairytales From The Orient and more. Their animations are famous for their vibrancy in colours, incorporating fun storylines as well as having exciting adventures be a recurring theme.
- Explainer Videoly
Explainer Videoly is an animation studio in Malaysia that is committed to producing high quality animations in the form of TV commercials, motion designs, educational videos, corporate videos and more. They specialise in 2D and 3D animation so they’re really flexible.
- Kasra Design
Yet another animation studio that produces videos in the form of TV commercials, motion graphics, website and corporate videos and more. They are dedicated to delivering the best possible products to any kind of company – regardless if it is a small startup or a large corporation. At Kasra Design, they have several packages that clients can choose from depending on their budget so they are incredibly flexible in that sense.
- Mirayi
This is truly an impressive animation studios in Malaysia. Just taking a glance at their website is already enough to tell you that their products are truly high quality. They have produced original works like animated cartoon serieses Mega Bear, Toby & Friends, Mask Masters and a feature film called Flying Tiger Running Chicken. Aside from cartoon shows and feature films, they are also an animation studio in Malaysia that produces TV commercials.
- The Moving Image
The last one on our list is ourselves of course; The Moving Image. Producing high quality animation videos that encompasses all kinds of formats including but not limited to 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphic videos, stop motion animation and more. We pride ourselves in telling our clients’ stories through the videos we make. Our impressive portfolio showcases work we’ve done for well established companies such as MAVN, Sunway Group for their Christmas campaign, Biogas and lots more.
In conclusion, if you want an animation studio that will listen to your requests and take down every minute detail and breathe life into your ideas; we can be the right fit for you. Give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to discuss the budget, your ideas and other information.
