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PRESENTATION FYP

AHIBS UTM SKUDAI JAN 2022

UPIN AND IPIN: FACTORS INFLUENCING MALAYSIAN CULTURE THROUGH

ANIMATION

NURUL SYAKIRA BINTI ABDUL KARIM, PROFESSOR. DR. ROHAIZAT BIN BAHARUN

Azman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru

*Corresponding author: n.syakira@graduate.utm.my

Abstract
We now live in a world that is influenced by globalization and technology. Animations are no longer unfamiliar to Malaysians, especially
for children. However, not only for children, teenagers and adults also love to watch animations. By watching animation that highlights
more on good values and lessons, most people can lead their life to prosperity and harmony. Upin and Ipin have successfully influenced
young people’s behavior even in different races and religions. The purpose of this study is to identify whether young people’s behavior can
be influenced by character archetypes, storytelling and language used in Upin and Ipin animation. This research would be used for
convenience sampling, which involves the targeted population of UTM students and other people. An online questionnaire would be analyzed
in this research and distributed to 110 respondents through WhatsApp. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software would be
used to evaluate the data.

Keywords: Animation, character archetypes, storytelling, language, young people’s behavior.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Upin and Ipin is a Malaysian animated television series that premiered in 2007 and portrays the lives and adventures of the main twin
brothers in a fictional Malaysia. Furthermore, Upin and Ipin are five years old Malaysian twins who have unique character and they were
raised in a village house in Kampung Durian Runtuh by their grandmother, Opah, along with their sister, Kak Ros. When they were children,
both of their parents died.

Les' Copaque Production Sdn. Bhd. or Les' Copaque alone (also known as LES' COPAQUE) is a 3D computer animation publishing firm
and studio located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, with an MSC-status. Les' Copaque is not just an animator, but also a full-fledged
production firm that incorporates concept submissions and other aspects of his animated work such as sound recording and post-processing.
The studio employs a large number of young professionals (Les' Copaque Production, 2021).

Furthermore, Haji Burhanuddin Md Radzi and Hajah Ainon Ariff, publishers, created Les' Copaque in December 2005. The company was
founded by them and three Multimedia University (MMU) graduates. Usamah Zaid bin Yasin, one of the founders of the company, is now
the Creative Director of Les' Copaque. They named their studio in conjunction with the Malay language term "Last Kopek" which means
"last chance" and changed the spelling to seem French (Les' Copaque Production, 2021).

Misi Mustahak, their first animation project, won four awards in 2005: Best Work ("Best of the 10th MVA 2005") and the Gold Medal for
Short Animated Film (Open) at the 10th Malaysian Video Awards (MVA), Tertiary Student Projects (Creative Multimedia) in the
Multimedia Super Corridor-APICTA 2005, and Best of Multimedia University Collection 2005 at Creative Pixels, National Art Gallery
have persuaded the publishers to collaborate with them in the development of animation studios (Les' Copaque Production, 2021).

Besides, in 2006, Les' Copaque's services were utilized to develop community service orders and a Japanese GT advertising. Short
animations were also produced by the firm which is Gang: The Adventure Begins which won the overall title, the best animated film and
the best animated director at the Short Film Awards 2006 (Les' Copaque Production, 2021).

While working on the film Gang: The Adventure Begins, Les' Copaque introduced Malaysia's most renowned animation character, Upin &
Ipin, in conjunction with Ramadan and Aidilfitri which also featured the twin brothers. The film was finally released on 12 February 2009
and managed to garner around RM6.3 million in cinema, making it one of the highest grossing Malaysian films in history (Wikipedia, 2021).

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