It's Urban Legends and Ghosts in Malaysian Made animated series -- Kisah Bawah Tanah

PETALING JAYA - Malaysians have always loved their cartoons. From Upin & Ipin and Bola Kampung to BoBoiBoy and Ejen Ali, local animation has built a strong following with stories that are fun, relatable, and family-friendly. But there’s one thing missing — shows that go beyond the kids’ crowd.

That’s where Kisah Bawah Tanah comes in. This upcoming Malaysian made animated series is set to shake things up with a fresh take: a horror comedy cartoon that blends Southeast Asian folklore with laugh-out-loud humour.

A scene from Kisah Bawah Tanah, the upcoming Malaysian made horror comedy cartoon by Animasia Studio, featuring Tok Mat, Ina, Vincent, and mischievous toyols.

A New Kind of Malaysian Made Animated Series

“We realised there’s very little animation in Malaysia made for teens or young adults. By the time they hit 12 or 13, they usually turn to Japanese anime or Western shows. So we wanted to fill that gap,” explained Hendra Wardi, co-creator and managing director of Bawah Tanah Sdn Bhd.

The show follows two unlikely heroes — Sam and Zack, a pair of skeleton best friends — as they stumble through absurd everyday adventures. Along the way, they encounter pontianak, toyol, jiangshi, hantu galah and even Poching, a grumpy pocong-cat who’s already winning fans.

If you like the mix of silly and spooky from shows like Futurama or Rick and Morty, you’ll feel right at home here — but with a Southeast Asian twist.

From Idea to Reality

Kisah Bawah Tanah isn’t starting from scratch. It first won recognition at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Intellectual Property Creators Challenge back in 2018. Since then, it has grown into a co-production with Animasia Studio (the team behind Chuck Chicken and Bola Kampung) and Spaceboy Studios.

Recently, Bawah Tanah also partnered with Animasia Studio and Komet Productions Sdn Bhd to take the brand even further. “The characters and world-building immediately caught our attention. I became a fan just from the first reel,” said Wong Kuan Loong, COO of Animasia Studio.

Season one will feature 26 short episodes, about 11 minutes each, and is expected to premiere in 2025.

(L-R) Wong Kuan Loong (Animasia Studio COO), Ahmad Izham Omar (Komet Productions head), Hendra Wardi (Kisah Bawah Tanah co-creator), and Edmund Chan (Animasia Studio MD) with Sam and Zack cutouts. (Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

Why Folklore + Comedy Works

On paper, mixing hantus with humour sounds unusual. But for Malaysians, it’s the perfect fit.

“In Southeast Asia, we’ve grown up with ghost stories. They’re part of our culture. And honestly, we love being scared and laughing at the same time,” said Ahmad Izham Omar, head of Komet Productions.

Hendra added that the show is written with multiple layers of humour. “Kids will laugh at one thing, while adults pick up on another. It’s about revisiting the ghost stories your parents told you — but now through a fun, ridiculous lens.”

Bigger Dreams Ahead

The creative team doesn’t plan to stop at TV. They’re already looking at games, spin-offs, and even a feature film to expand the world of Kisah Bawah Tanah.

“Our hope is to make Southeast Asian ghosts as well-known globally as Dracula. Imagine a world where everyone knows the Pontianak the same way they know vampires,” said Edmund Chan, managing director of Animasia Studio.

And maybe, just maybe, that dream will start with this Malaysian made animated series.

This article was originally published by Free Malaysia Today, on August 18, 2024, written by Terence Toh.