THERE was a time when watching Upin & Ipin was a relatively peaceful affair.
The twins would get into some kampung mischief, Opah would dispense some wisdom, and the episode would usually end with a simple lesson that children could understand.
But according to one netizen, something has changed. A social media post on threads criticising the current version of the popular Malaysian animation has gone viral after its author argued that Upin & Ipin is no longer as suitable for children as it used to be.
Her complaint was not really about the characters, storyline or even the occasional mischief. It was about how the show feels.
According to netizen ansfrhnzl, the earlier episodes had a slower pace and softer colour grading, while newer episodes appeared to be faster, brighter and more exaggerated in their character movements.
The result, she claimed, was an experience that even an adult could find overstimulating.
She acknowledged that animation naturally changes with technology and the times, but questioned whether the changes were appropriate when the target audience remained children. And apparently, she was not alone.
Netizen tiramisuikan claims that Upin & Ipin now is brain rot, and that the old version was more slow paced.
Another simply described the current version as “serabut,” or confusing, complaining about the colours and storyline among many other things.
Then there was maizatul.ikhsan saying that she was starting to feel reluctant to let her children watch the show, claiming that she found it strange too.
In a picture comment, one netizen even linked Upin & Ipin to a conspiracy theory involving Jews.
Netizen n.umairaa further reminisced about a time when Upin & Ipin indulged in rough sports associated with village life.
One netizen compared the characters’ exaggerated reactions to anime-style animation, saying the behaviour had become too over-the-top.
Several others pointed out that Upin & Ipin were kids, but the language they used were more suitable for adults.
However, a netizen pushed back against the criticism, saying that Malaysians have to support the local film industry.
Away from the comment, it is undeniable that Upin & Ipin is no longer merely a cartoon watched by today’s children.
For many Malaysian adults, it is also a piece of their own childhood. Maybe the real question is not whether Upin & Ipin has changed.
Maybe it is whether Malaysians have grown old enough to complain about the cartoon they watched when they were children.
Perhaps that is the real challenge facing Upin & Ipin today. The show is no longer competing only with other cartoons.
It is also competing with the memories of adults who grew up watching the twins a long time ago.—Oct 2, 2026
Main image: New Straits Times
