The popularity of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear in Indonesia is driven by a blend of humor, warmth, and universal values of friendship, according to a communications researcher.
Tera Widyastuti, a communications specialist at the University of Indonesia and co-author of a study on the animated show, told news agency RIA Novosti that the television program aligns closely with local cultural values.
The project's localized Indonesian YouTube channel has become one of the largest digital outlets for children in the country, accumulating roughly 6.4 million subscribers and more than 5.2 billion total views.
Masha and the Bear is a Russian computer animated family television series produced by Animaccord Animation Studio. The storyline follows the comedic adventures of a mischievous young girl named Masha and her protective friend, a retired circus bear. The University of Indonesia, situated in Depok and Jakarta, is the country's oldest public higher education institution.
Cultural values and family appeal
Widyastuti said the research showed that the relationship between the main characters relies on trust, mutual support, acceptance, and sincere friendship. She noted that these principles are universal and hold strong appeal in Indonesian culture, which places heavy emphasis on family, respect, and caring for neighbors and relatives.
She added that the show remains accessible to a broad audience because its emotions, jokes, and storylines can be easily understood by young viewers regardless of the language they speak.
Ukrainian sanctions and channel blocks
The comments follow recent restrictions placed on the franchise in Eastern Europe, where access to YouTube channels hosting Masha and the Bear was limited in Ukraine. All three of the show's pages were added to an official sanctions list signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Following the decision to block the popular children's program, the Ukrainian leader was accused of waging a war on children.
