02/06/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | JUNE 2, 2026

23 Iconic mascots come to animated life F OR many Malaysians, Sunway’s mascot characters have appeared across theme parks, malls, healthcare o Gogo & Bebe Wonderland places familiar Sunway characters into colourful Malaysian children’s animation universe

centres and festive campaigns with out necessarily having stories of their own. Now, those familiar mascots are stepping into the spotlight through Gogo & Bebe Wonderland , a new Malaysian children’s animated series that transforms the recognisable characters into the centre of an edutainment-driven fantasy world aimed at young audiences. Produced and directed by AdAsia, the series marks an interesting step within Malaysia’s growing animation landscape, particularly at a time when locally produced children’s content is increasingly competing within a digital space dominated by international franchises and fast paced online entertainment. Rather than rely heavily on spectacle or complex storytelling, Gogo & Bebe Wonderland leans into a softer and more accessible approach built around nursery rhymes, simple life lessons and visually cheerful storytelling. The first season will feature 10 episodes centred around early learning themes such as colours, numbers, shapes, kindness and everyday childhood experiences. The episodes are designed for digital-first viewing and will be released across platforms including YouTube, YouTube Kids and Spotify. Visually, the series embraces a bright, rounded animation style commonly associated with preschool content, prioritising warmth and recognisable character expressions over hyper-detailed animation. While simple in presentation, the creative direction reflects an understanding of what resonates with younger children, including repetitive musical structures, comforting visual familiarity and emotionally gentle storytelling. Although many children’s animations today aim for global neutrality in design and tone, Gogo & Bebe Wonderland appears more comfortable embracing local familiarity. The mascots themselves already carry strong recognition TWO palm oil episodes from the Malaysian series Upin & Ipin recently won awards at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ (APB+) Awards 2026 held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. The episodes have accumulated 171 million views on YouTube, reaching families, children and educators across Southeast Asia and beyond. Les’ Copaque Production received the Animation Storytelling award for the Minyak Sawit episode from Upin & Ipin Season 18 and the Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions award for Wira Minyak Sawit from Season 19. Both categories are judged on uniqueness, innovation and societal impact. The Minyak Sawit episode helped viewers examine the palm oil value chain through structured narrative development, covering plantation operations, downstream

The line up of characters featured in the animation film, centring on the fun adventures of Gogo and Bebe, includes the children of the famous duck couple, Captain Quack and Lady Quack.

Malaysian towards developing original intellectual properties rooted in local identity rather than outsourcing production work for international studios. Whether the series ultimately develops into a lasting children’s franchise remains to be seen, but its foundation appears intentionally designed for longevity. New nursery rhyme episodes are scheduled for monthly release beginning this month, with dialogue driven episodes planned later in the year and a second season already in development for 2027. animation

platforms and short-form content. For local productions, creating recognisable emotional connections often matters more than visual scale alone. The use of original nursery rhymes may also help the series stand out within Malaysia’s children’s content space. Music-driven storytelling remains one of the most effective ways to engage preschool audiences, particularly in digital environments where repetition and familiarity drive long-term viewing habits. More importantly, the series reflects a broader shift within

The Asian Academy Creative Awards is a regional content recognition programme covering more than 16 Asian countries, with each country conducting a national selection to determine its representative entries for the Asia wide competition. The APB+ Awards draw entries from major public and commercial broadcasters across 15 countries and recognise excellence across categories judged on uniqueness, innovation and societal impact. The Animation Storytelling category recognises the originality of narrative and creative quality in animated content, while the Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions award acknowledges content that demonstrates measurable engagement and reach across broadcast and digital platforms simultaneously. every part of the creative process was carefully crafted to build a world that children can connect with and enjoy,” he said during the launch event held at Sunway Pyramid recently. That attention towards character building may ultimately determine whether the series evolves beyond branded content into something children genuinely form emotional attachments to. Children’s animation today exists within an extremely competitive environment where audiences are constantly exposed to global franchises through streaming

elements, including biomass reuse, replanting practices and biodiversity considerations, were woven throughout the episode. Distributed across Asean television networks and digital platforms, the episode has reached 119 million views on YouTube. Educators and parents have since referenced the episode in classroom instruction and informal learning contexts across the region. Wira Minyak Sawit introduced palm oil to a festival setting, with Upin & Ipin characters engaging in sustainability practices and industry functions across broadcast, streaming and social media channels. The episode accumulated 52 million views on YouTube. The Minyak Sawit episode was also named Malaysia’s national winner in the Best Animation among Malaysian audiences and the series builds upon that nostalgia while introducing the characters to a younger generation in a more story driven format. According to AdAsia head Gordon Ling, the creative team focused heavily on giving each character a distinct personality and emotional identity rather than treating them purely as mascots adapted for screen. “From developing each character’s personality and visual identity to composing original nursery rhymes and shaping the storytelling direction of the series,

Upin & Ipin win twin international awards for palm oil episodes applications and the sector’s contribution to Malaysia’s economy. Furthermore, sustainability category at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2024.

Upin & Ipin is an award-winning animated series with an international audience. – YOUTUBEPIC

Ipin episodes and supplementary educational and digital materials in development.

Looking to the future, both organisations intend to build on this content model, with further Upin &