Upin & Ipin
Encyclopedia
Upin & Ipin is a Malaysian television series of animated shorts produced by Les' Copaque Production
, which features the life and adventures of the eponymous twin brothers in a fictional Malaysian kampung. Originally a side project for the blockbuster animated film Geng: The Adventure Begins
, Upin & Ipin was introduced on TV9
in 13 September 2007 as a six-episode Ramadan
/Eid special, to instil significance of the Islamic holy month amongst children. To date, the series has reached its fourth season, including another Ramadan special season in 2008, and, season three onwards, the year-long, more general themed Upin & Ipin and Friends, the series' international debut via the Disney Channel Asia
, with more concentrating on telling the lives of Upin and Ipin with their friends on the normal days.
The headman of Kampung Durian Runtuh is Isnin bin Khamis, better known as Tok Dalang, the wayang kulit champion. Tok Dalang keeps a cluster of rambutan
trees for commercial purposes, and a rooster named Rembo. Among the village's other notable residents are Muthu, owner of the village's only food stall who lives with his animal whisperer son Rajoo and pet steer Sapy; Salleh (Sally), a waspish transgender
-apparent, who owns a mobile library; and Ah Tong, a strident-voiced vegetable farmer. A new character was later added in the series who is an Indonesian girl named Susanti who moved in with her family.
and Aidilfitri
, which tells of the twins Upin and Ipin on their first fasting months. The first four shorts debuted early in the holy months, followed by repeats from 22 September to 11 October, finally ending with two final episodes premiering on Hari Raya itself. This series bore away the Best Animation award in the 2007 Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival
.
Malaysia via its Colgate
Kayu Sugi toothpaste.
, which placed its brand on the show to this date. In the year-end school break season, it became apparent that new episodes are strategically debuted on school holidays, with new episodes premiering on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5.30 pm (repeats for the rest of the week) throughout the six-week holiday season. This is also the first season of Upin & Ipin for the international market, airing on Disney Channel Asia
beginning 15 November 2009 with dubs in English
(the official dub, as the credits and episode titles are in English as well), Mandarin
and other languages.
-themed title card. The main focus on this season is as a tribute to sports, as it was developed in a year full of sport events. Season 4 was co-sponsored by TM
, and Wyeth
.
and mill be simulcasted on TV3
every Sunday Morning at 10:00am.
Upin & Ipin can also be seen on TM
UniFi
video-on-demand service as of May 2011.
volumes 1-6 were distributed in Malaysia by Music Valley. Volume 7 and above are distributed by Sony Music.
While season two was on air on Ramadan 2008, it was reportedly watched by 1.5 million on TV9, making it the second most-watched animated series on all of Malaysian television, right behind Doraemon
(1.6 mil), yet ahead of SpongeBob SquarePants
(800,000). The popularity of Upin & Ipin could have attributed to the commercial success of Malaysia's first CGI-animated feature film, Geng: The Adventure Begins
(2009), which featured the twin characters Upin and Ipin, propelling it into the RM 6.31 million mark throughout its seven-week run in Malaysian cinemas as one of the highest-grossing Malay-language films in history.
As the third season reaches its conclusion in late 2009, TV9 reports that Upin & Ipin was viewed by 1.6 million, making it the second most-viewed programme on the channel, just behind the free TV premiere of Geng which was watched by 2.45 million (scoring TVR 12.8).
Indonesia has been the most obvious export market for Upin & Ipin. In 2009, MNCTV
which airs the series in the republic reported a TVR of 10.5. Upin & Ipin has also been praised by the Indonesian press; for instance, Fadil Abidin for Analisa who remarked on the vastness of moral content and Islamic values, such as respect for those of different ethnic or religious backgrounds, in a communal setting consisting not only of Malays, Chinese and Indian Malaysians, but also Indonesians.
In March 2010, as the Balinese Hindu community prepare for Nyepi
, images of ogoh-ogoh
(demonic effigies
used for the famed ngrupuk ritual on the eve of Nyepi) which largely resemble Upin & Ipin were exposed on Indonesian media. The effigy reportedly cost 4 million rupiah
.
Les' Copaque Production
Les' Copaque Production is a MSC-certified animation and film production company based in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Founded in 2005, it is best known for the production of the commercially and critically acclaimed TV series Upin & Ipin and Geng: The Adventure Begins.-History:Les' Copaque was established...
, which features the life and adventures of the eponymous twin brothers in a fictional Malaysian kampung. Originally a side project for the blockbuster animated film Geng: The Adventure Begins
Geng: The Adventure Begins
Geng: The Adventure Begins is the first Malaysian computer animated feature film. The film is produced by Les' Copaque and released in Malaysian cinemas beginning 12 February 2009....
, Upin & Ipin was introduced on TV9
TV9 (Malaysia)
TV9 is a free-to-air private television station in Malaysia. TV9 began broadcasting on 22 April 2006, as a subsidiary of Media Prima Berhad. It formerly existed as Channel 9, which began airing on 9 September 2003 and ceased transmission on 1 February 2005 due to financial difficulties faced by the...
in 13 September 2007 as a six-episode Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
/Eid special, to instil significance of the Islamic holy month amongst children. To date, the series has reached its fourth season, including another Ramadan special season in 2008, and, season three onwards, the year-long, more general themed Upin & Ipin and Friends, the series' international debut via the Disney Channel Asia
Disney Channel Asia
Disney Channel Asia, a franchise of Disney Channel, airs in most parts of Southeast Asia.- Programming :Disney Channel Asia airs a variety of shows, aimed particularly at children and teenagers. Most of the programming is similar to the American counterpart with some shows exclusive to the Asian...
, with more concentrating on telling the lives of Upin and Ipin with their friends on the normal days.
Background
Upin and Ipin are five-year-old Malay twins who live with their elder sister Ros and maternal grandmother Uda (whom they call Opah) in a wooden house in Kampung Durian Runtuh. They have lost their parents in their infancy. Upin and Ipin study in the village's Tadika Mesra (Friendly Kindergarten), where they befriend a motley bunch of classmates, including the adorable and right-thinking Mei Mei, a jocular and poetic Jarjit Singh, the firm but clumsy and short-tempered Ehsan, an easygoing and sarcastic Fizi (Ehsan's cousin), and an entrepreneurial and meticulous Mail.The headman of Kampung Durian Runtuh is Isnin bin Khamis, better known as Tok Dalang, the wayang kulit champion. Tok Dalang keeps a cluster of rambutan
Rambutan
The rambutan is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae, and the fruit of this tree. It is native to Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, although its precise natural distribution is unknown. It is closely related to several...
trees for commercial purposes, and a rooster named Rembo. Among the village's other notable residents are Muthu, owner of the village's only food stall who lives with his animal whisperer son Rajoo and pet steer Sapy; Salleh (Sally), a waspish transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
-apparent, who owns a mobile library; and Ah Tong, a strident-voiced vegetable farmer. A new character was later added in the series who is an Indonesian girl named Susanti who moved in with her family.
Season 1 (2007)
The first season of Upin & Ipin was aired on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 7.30 pm, in conjunction with RamadanRamadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
and Aidilfitri
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, which tells of the twins Upin and Ipin on their first fasting months. The first four shorts debuted early in the holy months, followed by repeats from 22 September to 11 October, finally ending with two final episodes premiering on Hari Raya itself. This series bore away the Best Animation award in the 2007 Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival
Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival
held a three-day one-off film festival from February 16-18, 2003 entitled Kuala Lumpur World Film Festival 2003 with the theme “Peace, Harmony, Non-Violence and Non-Discrimination”. It was organized in conjunction with the Non-Aligned Movement Conference which was hosted by Malaysia during the...
.
Season 2 (2008)
The second series, under its full title Upin & Ipin: Setahun Kemudian, went on air in conjunction with Ramadan again, with 12 new episodes, the first six of which were aired and repeated on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 7.00 pm throughout Ramadan while the other six premiered for Hari Raya from 1 till 6 of Shawal. This season was sponsored by Colgate-PalmoliveColgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
Malaysia via its Colgate
Colgate (toothpaste)
Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
Kayu Sugi toothpaste.
Season 3 (2009)
Under the new full title Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan, a third season of the series premiered on TV9 on 2 February 2009, with each episode lasting up to seven minutes. As a year-long production season, it had frequent in-season breaks filled by repeats, and also experienced some schedule changes. From 14 May, the TV series received major sponsorship from TMTelekom Malaysia
Telekom Malaysia Berhad , DBA TM, is the largest integrated solutions provider in Malaysia, and one of Asia's leading communications companies, with a market capitalisation of RM13.9 billion and a workforce of 26,629 employees. Established as the Telecommunications Department of Malaya in 1946, it...
, which placed its brand on the show to this date. In the year-end school break season, it became apparent that new episodes are strategically debuted on school holidays, with new episodes premiering on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5.30 pm (repeats for the rest of the week) throughout the six-week holiday season. This is also the first season of Upin & Ipin for the international market, airing on Disney Channel Asia
Disney Channel Asia
Disney Channel Asia, a franchise of Disney Channel, airs in most parts of Southeast Asia.- Programming :Disney Channel Asia airs a variety of shows, aimed particularly at children and teenagers. Most of the programming is similar to the American counterpart with some shows exclusive to the Asian...
beginning 15 November 2009 with dubs in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(the official dub, as the credits and episode titles are in English as well), Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and other languages.
Season 4 (2010)
Season four of Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-kawan debuted on TV9 on 15 March 2010 with the episode "Juara Kampung (bahagian 1)", with a brand new opening sequence and color pencil and exercise bookExercise book
An exercise book is a notebook that is used in schools to copy down schoolwork and notes. A student will usually have a different exercise book for each separate lesson...
-themed title card. The main focus on this season is as a tribute to sports, as it was developed in a year full of sport events. Season 4 was co-sponsored by TM
Telekom Malaysia
Telekom Malaysia Berhad , DBA TM, is the largest integrated solutions provider in Malaysia, and one of Asia's leading communications companies, with a market capitalisation of RM13.9 billion and a workforce of 26,629 employees. Established as the Telecommunications Department of Malaya in 1946, it...
, and Wyeth
Wyeth
Wyeth, formerly one of the companies owned by American Home Products Corporation , was a pharmaceutical company. The company was based in Madison, New Jersey, USA...
.
Season 5 (2011)
Season 5 debuted on TV9 on the 12th of March 2011 with the episode "Belajar Lagi (bahagian 1)". As with previous seasons it opens with a new sequence, now based on a papercraft theme. This season airs every Saturday night at 6:30pm.Future
Seasons 6 and 7 will be premiering on mid-2012 (Season 6) and mid-2013 (Season 7) every Saturday night at 6:30pm on TV9TV9 (Malaysia)
TV9 is a free-to-air private television station in Malaysia. TV9 began broadcasting on 22 April 2006, as a subsidiary of Media Prima Berhad. It formerly existed as Channel 9, which began airing on 9 September 2003 and ceased transmission on 1 February 2005 due to financial difficulties faced by the...
and mill be simulcasted on TV3
TV3 (Malaysia)
Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010...
every Sunday Morning at 10:00am.
Television
| Country/Region | | Channel | | From | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV9 TV9 (Malaysia) TV9 is a free-to-air private television station in Malaysia. TV9 began broadcasting on 22 April 2006, as a subsidiary of Media Prima Berhad. It formerly existed as Channel 9, which began airing on 9 September 2003 and ceased transmission on 1 February 2005 due to financial difficulties faced by the... |
September 2007 | Season 1 onwards | |
| TV3 TV3 (Malaysia) Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010... |
Mid-2012 | Seasons 6 and 7 only | |
| |
Astro Ceria Astro Ceria Astro Ceria is a 24-hour Malay language television channel that is broadcast on the Astro satellite television service. This channel is dedicated to toddlers and children... |
August and September 2011 | Season 1 to 3 |
| TVRI TVRI Televisi Republik Indonesia Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) Televisi Republik Indonesia (TVRI) (formerly known as Televisi Indonesia (Indonesian Television in English) and Radio Indonesia (Indonesian Radio in English) is a state-owned television station, the oldest television station in... |
September 2007 | Season 1 only | |
| TPI (now MNCTV MNCTV MNCTV is an Indonesian private television channel which headquarter's based in East Jakarta. TPI was established by Tutut Soeharto . It began broadcasting on the 23rd of January 1991... ) |
September 2008 | Season 2 onwards | |
| MediaCorp TV12 Suria MediaCorp TV12 Suria MediaCorp Suria is a Malay language channel featuring local and acquired Malay dramas and popular programmes. Suria has achieved recognition outside the Malay community drawing media attention in Singapore and abroad.... |
2011 | ||
| Hilal TV | September 2008 | Seasons 1 and 2 | |
| |
Disney Channel Asia Disney Channel Asia Disney Channel Asia, a franchise of Disney Channel, airs in most parts of Southeast Asia.- Programming :Disney Channel Asia airs a variety of shows, aimed particularly at children and teenagers. Most of the programming is similar to the American counterpart with some shows exclusive to the Asian... |
November 2009 | Season 3 onwards |
Internet
Upin & Ipin episodes can be streamed in the following services:- Tonton (Media Prima's online video service, user registration required)
- BlueHyppo
- YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(via lescopaque account) - Hypp.TVHypp.TVHypp.TV is a Malaysian subscription-based internet protocol television service owned by Telekom Malaysia Berhad. It provides IPTV channels over ADSL and video on demand programming delivered via broadband. Hypp.TV is an example of telecommunication convergence...
(Internet TV, software required)
Upin & Ipin can also be seen on TM
Telekom Malaysia
Telekom Malaysia Berhad , DBA TM, is the largest integrated solutions provider in Malaysia, and one of Asia's leading communications companies, with a market capitalisation of RM13.9 billion and a workforce of 26,629 employees. Established as the Telecommunications Department of Malaya in 1946, it...
UniFi
UniFi
UniFi is an amalgamation of “Uni” which denotes togetherness and camaraderie, while “Fi” symbolises fibre optics. This is a new service provided by TM Berhad the leading Integrated Telecommunications provider in Malaysia....
video-on-demand service as of May 2011.
DVD and VCD
Upin & Ipin DVD and VCDVideo CD
Before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
volumes 1-6 were distributed in Malaysia by Music Valley. Volume 7 and above are distributed by Sony Music.
| Title | | Years | | Episode list |
|---|---|---|
| Upin & Ipin Vol. 1 | 2007 |
|
| Upin & Ipin: Setahun Kemudian Vol. 2 | 2008 |
|
| Upin & Ipin: Setahun Kemudian Vol. 3 | 2008 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 4 | 2009 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 5 | 2009 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 6 | 2009 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 7 | 2010 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 8 | 2010 |
|
| Upin & Ipin dan Kawan-Kawan Vol. 9 | 2010 |
|
Comics
Since December 2009, Upin & Ipin have been adapted into a monthly comic magazine series, aptly titled Majalah Komik Upin & Ipin to be circulated all over Malaysia, published by Nyla Sdn Bhd. Targeted at young readers, the magazine features screenshot comics of the Upin & Ipin TV series and the Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula film, voice actor and production crew profiles, and learning and activity sections.Reception and influence
The Upin & Ipin franchise has wielded its influence in countries of the Malay archipelago, notably in Malaysia and Indonesia which share linguistic and cultural similarities. Its first season landed its first award, for Best Animation in KLIFF 2007.While season two was on air on Ramadan 2008, it was reportedly watched by 1.5 million on TV9, making it the second most-watched animated series on all of Malaysian television, right behind Doraemon
Doraemon
is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
(1.6 mil), yet ahead of SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
(800,000). The popularity of Upin & Ipin could have attributed to the commercial success of Malaysia's first CGI-animated feature film, Geng: The Adventure Begins
Geng: The Adventure Begins
Geng: The Adventure Begins is the first Malaysian computer animated feature film. The film is produced by Les' Copaque and released in Malaysian cinemas beginning 12 February 2009....
(2009), which featured the twin characters Upin and Ipin, propelling it into the RM 6.31 million mark throughout its seven-week run in Malaysian cinemas as one of the highest-grossing Malay-language films in history.
As the third season reaches its conclusion in late 2009, TV9 reports that Upin & Ipin was viewed by 1.6 million, making it the second most-viewed programme on the channel, just behind the free TV premiere of Geng which was watched by 2.45 million (scoring TVR 12.8).
Indonesia has been the most obvious export market for Upin & Ipin. In 2009, MNCTV
MNCTV
MNCTV is an Indonesian private television channel which headquarter's based in East Jakarta. TPI was established by Tutut Soeharto . It began broadcasting on the 23rd of January 1991...
which airs the series in the republic reported a TVR of 10.5. Upin & Ipin has also been praised by the Indonesian press; for instance, Fadil Abidin for Analisa who remarked on the vastness of moral content and Islamic values, such as respect for those of different ethnic or religious backgrounds, in a communal setting consisting not only of Malays, Chinese and Indian Malaysians, but also Indonesians.
In March 2010, as the Balinese Hindu community prepare for Nyepi
Nyepi
Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isakawarsa according to Bali's calendar . It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New year.Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m...
, images of ogoh-ogoh
Ogoh-ogoh
Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for the Ngrupuk parade, which takes place on the eve of Nyepi day in Bali, Indonesia. Ogoh-ogoh normally have form of mythological beings, mostly demons...
(demonic effigies
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
used for the famed ngrupuk ritual on the eve of Nyepi) which largely resemble Upin & Ipin were exposed on Indonesian media. The effigy reportedly cost 4 million rupiah
Indonesian rupiah
The rupiah is the official currency of Indonesia. Issued and controlled by the Bank of Indonesia, the ISO 4217 currency code for the Indonesian rupiah is IDR. Informally, Indonesians also use the word "perak" in referring to rupiah...
.
Awards
- 2007 Kuala Lumpur International Filem Festival
- Animasi Terbaik
- 2009 Shout! Awards
- Best On-Screen Chemistry
- NEF-Awani ICT Awards 2010
- NEF-Awani Tun Dr Mahathir Award
- The Brandlaureate Awards 2010
- Best Brands in Animation
External links
- Upin & Ipin official website
- Upin & Ipin at FriendsterFriendsterFriendster is a social gaming site that is based in Malaysia, KL. The company now operates mainly from the three Asian countries namely in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore....
- Upin & Ipin at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Disney Channel Asia-Upin and Ipin