After the industry not only stagnated but regressed, I never thought I’d see a Malaysian studio create an original contemporary action-adventure animated series with a global appeal , but, that is exactly what the folks at Monsta have done with Mechamato.

The show takes inspiration from everything we love in children’s entertainment from the past three decades, especially from the 80s and distilled it.

All of the hallmarks that made for a memorable, evergreen, and impactful show are there: a rocking opening sequence that explains everything, a creative villain of the week, an overarching story, an often repeated transformation sequence that never gets boring, and a whole lot more. It even has a craft section at the end of the show instead of a “the more you know” segment.

I think the strength of the show comes from its adoption of the “show, don’t tell” technique of storytelling and that not all episodes end in the status quo.

For example, at no point is there an exposition dump about Amato’s or Mecha’s — the two protagonists of the show — ingenuity, background, and abilities, it’s apparent from just watching the show. Also, in the short 12 episodes of season one, the world of Mechamato evolved and grew more than most kids shows with 52 episode seasons.

Still, there is room for the show to improve. Mechamato is not immune to certain dated and regional tropes. The writing could also use some sharpening and it needs a style guide to keep things consistent.

It’s jarring when an episode falls back to exposition, when the dialogue doesn’t sound right, when a facial expression is over exegerated, or when a story breaks its own rules for the plot’s sake.

That said, I still think Mechamato is not only a step in the right direction but a giant leap for Malaysia’s animation industry. Sure, Malaysia had animated content that went abroad before, but their appeal is usually limited to the region.

Mechamato has the potential to go global and become more than just intellectual property but also a platform for telling stories.

Mechamato is currently streaming on Netflix.