Animation in Malaysia has origins in the puppetry style of Wayang Kulit, wherein the characters are controlled by the storyteller, or Tok Dalang. The manipulations in this art form inspired German filmmaker Lotte Reiniger to create the animated "The Adventures of Prince Achmed." Many Malaysian animators have credited Prince Achmed`s recognizable style for generating their initial interest in animation.
Malaysian Film Unit
The Malaysian Film Unit was created in 1946 with the intent to produce public service announcements from the government and later renamed Filem Negara. A set designer working for the company named Anandam Xavier wanted to fuel his passion for animation into a project and got the chance in 1963. The two-person team of Xavier and Meng Huat set to work on the first in-country animation short subject "Hikayat Sang Kancil" until 1978, although the short would not see a release until 1983.
Animated Shorts
The coming years would see additional hand-drawn animated shorts: 1984`s "Sang Kancil Dan Monyet" and a 1987 follow-up, "Sang Kancil Dan Buaya"; 1985`s "Gagak Yang Bijak"; and Arnab Yang Sombong" and "Singa Yang Haloba," both released in 1986. Live action films produced in Malaysia began to feature animated sequences, particularly in the opening credit sequence.
Animation Houses
The surge in Malaysian animation products resulted in the founding of two animation studios: FilmArt, established in 1984 and Lensamation, which opened its doors in 1987. Having these production companies in the country led to the legitimization of animation as an art form and career path, and training schools and programs were instituted. The year 1995 saw the debut of the first animated television series, "Usop Sontorian."
Modernization
The animation industry in Malaysia received some attention from Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister with plans for rapidly modernizing the country. This extended to the use of digital technology in production houses, predominantly the direct-to-system method of drawing into the computer. The first 3-D animation efforts in Malaysia were the 2000 film "Nien Resurrection" and an episode of the series "Skyland."
This era also saw an increase in efforts to aggressively promote locally-produced animation efforts
Adult Audiences
Efforts to create animation for an adult audience like the features "Silat Lagenda" (1998) and "Puteh" (2001) failed to catch on, with many believing there would not be a market for mature animated fare.
