NOT many fans of animated series 'Ejen Ali' know of Ida Rahayu Yusoff.
She the voice of the science-fiction schoolboy superhero who battles supervillains with his space-age gadgets, and true fans know exactly who she is.
In fact, the Pahang-born voice actress also voices the boy hero's smart pet cat Comot as well as the "square" boy Fizi in 'Upin & Ipin'.
DIVERSE
"I've been doing voiceovers for various animation projects since 2007.
"The characters I've voiced are diverse, apart from Ali, Comot and Fizi," said Ida Rahayu in a recent interview after a "First Look" event for 'Ejen Ali The Movie 2' (EATM 2) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
ADVENTUROUS
A Malaysia Multimedia University (MMU) multimedia graduate, Ida Rahayu has always enjoyed watching animated series, especially homegrown ones.
Besides 'Ejen Ali', she is also a fan of adventurous twins 'Upin & Ipin' and pre-teen secret agent 'Boboiboy'.
"What I love most about animated characters is, they have out-of-this-world personalities.
"This is because the producers and directors always make sure that they stimulate the imagination of viewers," she said.
CHALLENGE
Ida Rahayu admitted that voicing different characters was a challenge.
"It is not easy to be Ali and Fizi, they must sound different.
"Ali has a manlier voice, while Fizi has a more childish voice.
"And of course, Comot only meows and purrs," said Ida Rahayu.
MASTER
In order to do a good voiceover, Ida Rahayu has to master each character she voices.
"This means I have to step into their shoes and understand them in and out," she said.
"A job well done only happens when we make our characters believable and distinct.
"Having stringent quality control for each character's voice is a must, for nobody wants Ali and Fizi to sound alike, and they also must not have traces of the real me in their dialogues."
MAINTAIN
Ida added that in order to maintain a good voice, she drinks warm water and stays away from soft drinks and spicy or oily foods.
"My voice is the tool of my trade, so I must make sure it is always crisp.
"Furthermore it is not easy to find a replacement for me."
ADVERTISING
Another voiceover talent for EATM 2 is MMU advertising graduate Shafiq Isa, the man behind "alpha male" Ejen Bakar.
Selangor-born Shafiq has done voiceovers since 2006, and counts Bakar and Jagjit Singh of 'Upin & Ipin' as his major characters.
He said: "Bakar is a macho man while Jagjit is rather timid and goofy.
"They are opposites and would not want to meet each other, that's for sure."
STOPPED
Both Ida Rahayu and Shafiq are seldom stopped by fans in the street, since they have been mostly invisible to moviegoers.
"However, in 'Ejen Ali' roadshows, attended by staunch followers, we do get mobbed by youngsters who take selfies with us," said Ida Rahayu.
SEQUEL
The director of 'Ejen Ali' and WAU Animation's chief executive officer Usamah Zaid Yasin said that EATM 2 picked up where the first movie left.
"It is still in production, conceived two years ago, but delayed due to the pandemic," he said.
"This time, our young hero sees his career progress as he takes on greater responsibilities.
"His superiors begin to appreciate him more, too."
Usamah said that after the first film's success in 2019, Ejen Ali is assigned as the pilot of Project Satria, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted armoured suit designed to optimise the physical performance and mental skills of MATA agents while running their top secret missions.
"The main cast of voice actors from the first movie is returning to their starring roles.
"Besides Ida Rahayu and Shafiq, there is Noorhayati Maslini Omar as Ejen Alicia and Azman Zulkiply as General Rama."
RESEARCH
Usamah said: "All of us at WAU challenged ourselves to not only improve the production quality of the film but also to craft a compelling story for fans.
"We look forward to a positive response and cannot wait to see you all at the cinemas."
NEXT YEAR
The movie is expected to be ready next year.
Costing RM10 million, EATM 2 promises double the excitement of the first movie, and Usamah hopes that it will collect more at the box office too.
"There will be new characters introduced, and some who were from the series not featured in the first movie will be in the second movie," he said.
"The two-hour animated film promises plenty of high-octane action and mysterious intrigue, woven around a heartfelt cinematic experience for the family audience."
ANTICIPATED
EATM 2 was officiated by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo as part of the Malaysia Digital Content Festival 2024 (MYDCF).
Co-producer Primeworks Studios' chief executive officer Nini Yusof said: "EATM 2 is a highly anticipated film on our slate, and we must thank the fans for their continued support."
The first look video was released on the Ejen Ali Official YouTube channel at 9pm on Sept 13.
Visit www.youtube.com/ejenali for the latest updates on EATM 2.