A comparative study of environmental storytelling element in cultural perspective in animation films

As environmental crises has alarmingly increased, including Malaysia, where deforestation and floods occur yearly. Children’s media has become a critical tool for fostering ecological awareness. This study examines how environmentalism storytelling can educate young audiences about environmentalism. As Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo (2008) and Tom Moore’s Song of the Sea (2014) demonstrated how environmental storytelling simplify complex messages for young audiences. While eco-criticism in animation is well-studied, few works explore how cultural perspectives shapes environmental messages. In contrast, Malaysian animation tends to prioritize Malay folklore rather than ecological themes. Through a qualitative method, by using content analysis of eleven literary works, there are seven key elements identified that can be used as a framework to analyse both Ponyo (2008) and Song of the Sea (2014). Future research should explore how animators can adapt this approach, using cultural stories to highlight environmental crises like plastic pollution or habitat loss.