Not Your Childhood Cartoons: 9 Filipino Animators Are Shaping the New Wave on YouTube
Written By Hanna Ysabel Noche
In the field of animation, creativity and passion are what truly stand out. Here is a list of our favorite talented group of Filipino creators who excel at storytelling. From rough sketches to comedy and relatable slice-of-life stories, these animators are creating scenes one key frame at a time, not only inspiring artists but also establishing how you can make a career through YouTube animation, making everyday moments feel special and worth cherishing.
Domics
Instagram | YouTube | X | Twitch |
Dominic Panganiban, a Filipino who migrated to Canada with his family, has made a mark on YouTube as an animator. From drawing as a hobby, he was able to start his artistic talents online and made a webcomic on Tumblr, under the username Domics, as a simple combination of Dominic's Comics.
He started making comics as a hobby and posted his first comics in August 2012. His early comics contained a simple and appealing art style and were mostly about life, school, relationships, and other daily life relatable things. He continued posting his comics regularly and was able to gain an audience in about a month on Tumblr as he kept honing and refining his craft, being able to do his webcomic for two years. Until soon, he bought a graphic tablet. That's when Domics' animation was in the making; he started to learn Flash animation on YouTube tutorials, and he began to learn how to animate to start his YouTube channel.
After posting his very first YouTube video, which served mostly as a lip sync animation, he set the tone for his animation videos. With the help of his webcomic audience, he was able to grow and gain more subscribers, up to 7.21 million subscribers on YouTube.
REEOkun
Facebook | Instagram | TikTok |
REEOkun is a YouTube animator famous for his funny and relatable Filipino slice-of-life videos. With over 1.4 million subscribers, he shares his realistic life experiences, from college life to growing up with cultural influences. His animation style stands out for its minimalist yet expressive pastel color palette and humorous storytelling voice-over animations. His most popular YouTube video, Kilig Moments Part 2 | Pinoy Animation, has over 13 million views.
He explains that he began drawing because of his two cousins, who would usually bond and play by drawing, with one person saying what to draw and the other drawing the word and competing to see who had the best illustration. As a child, his family also supported his artistic talent, allowing him to draw on the walls of his terrace, which encouraged his love of the arts, for which he is grateful.
He pursued a path in animation courses. One memorable moment was when his professor discouraged him, saying that it is hard to find work in the Philippines as an animator, but from his perspective, he thought he would just work in Japan as an animator instead. When he went to college, instead of taking fine arts, he took architecture, but he only lasted for a year, and he lost his passion for drawing. After a while, his friend encouraged him to attempt YouTube cartoon content, but he did not do so until a year later. When the epidemic hit, he rekindled his interest in drawing and YouTube animations.
ABEANIMATED
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
AbeAnimated uses storytelling in her animations to connect with her audience with a lighthearted and soothing tone, complemented by vibrant visuals and moments that resonate with Filipino culture.
She began her animation career by writing her script on paper but prefers to type it on her phone so that it is easier to edit or update, taking notes on what sound effects she would use as well as the character's perspective and reaction/emotions.
Her content covers memories such as growing up in the Philippines and student life experiences. Her most successful YouTube video is Tindahan, which has over 3.2 million views.
Arkin
Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X
Renowned for its unique hybrid storytelling style, Arkin has over 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube. With 10 million views across its various animated videos in YouTube and Facebook, one of his top video uploads is "HAPAGKAINAN - Pinoy Animation" ("meaning Dining table). With the ability to combine humor with relatable narratives, Arkin Animation specializes in animated stories delivered primarily in Cebuano, though Tagalog is occasionally incorporated.
Jenanimation
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
With over 4.05 million subscribers, Jenanimations storytelling animation is filled with nostalgia, laughter, culture, and the collective quirks of growing up Filipino.
What sets Jenanimations apart is that they're not just about getting laughs; they’re mirrors reflecting experiences many Filipinos can relate to, those chaotic school mornings, quirky family dynamics, the familiar pestering from neighbors, funny/awkward moments, and the everyday moments that turn into cherished tales. In his early videos, you can find hand-drawn scenes reminiscent of school notebook doodles, featuring funny yet heartfelt stories about Filipino childhood, like most kids do in school when the boring phase hits. They weren’t high-tech animations driven by trends; they were just real stories that resonated deeply with viewers.
One Animation
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
One Animation captures the essence of first loves, teenage crushes, and the challenges of school life. He tells his stories with ingenuity, which appeals to many aspiring animators in the industry, by using affordable equipment such as laptops or tablets, as well as free or low-cost software.
His flagship series, “First Girlfriend,” exemplifies the kind of heartfelt storytelling that has garnered millions of views and comments.
Vince Animation
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Vince Animation's videos generate enthusiasm from a genuine “barkadahan” than from a faceless audience. His anecdotes are intimate, as if he were having a conversation over pancit canton. Instead of shouting, his videos evoke recollections.
You'll laugh at each episode's contribution to the fabric of Filipino student life, whether it's about "pagtitipid" (saving money), "suspension of classes," or "perfect attendance." You will flinch. And you will probably say, "Ayyy, ako 'to!"
What's more incredible? Vince operates alone. He oversees the voice acting, writing, animation, and timing. It's personal. Not cooked. And that's precisely why it connects.
Yogiart
A Filipino artist who portrays emotional reality, Yogiart, is unique in the vibrant realm of Filipino animation. He provides emotional clarity among sources who make amusing jokes or clichés regarding schools: He compliments rather than competes, and he promotes reflection rather than reaction. He is a part of an artistic movement that gives private, intimate stories the same influence and potency as more conspicuous ones.
Gelonimation
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Gelonimation has a been a meme-popular name in the industry of animation. His animated video short "UTANG MOMENTS" serves as a perfect entry point into the Gelonimation universe. The narrative explores the common yet often awkward conversations surrounding debts, whether it's borrowing money from friends or family (in Tagalog "Utang"), or the cultural expectations that come with it. The animation style is a delightful blend of vibrant colors and charming characters that accurately visualize a certain character, bringing life to situations that many can relate to.
rofessors Emmanuel David and Yumi Janairo Roth have extensively researched this forgotten group, publishing their findings in February 2024 in Playing Filipino: Racial Display, Resistance, and the Filipino Rough Riders in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West .
Read More