XM Media, a Singapore company dedicated to original anime, comics and gaming intellectual property, made its public debut on 13 November 2026 during Game Fest at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, and announced it will turn the comic The Celestial Zone (天界無限), by Wee Tian Beng, into a multi-season anime series from 2027, using AI-assisted animation.
The company behind the project
Founded in August 2026, XM Media presents itself as a home for original Singaporean IP. The company is led by Founder and CEO Kerr Sun, Founder and Chief Business Officer Frank Yong, and Founder and Chief Creative Officer Wee Tian Beng, described in the release as a veteran local comic artist.
Created by Wee in March 1999, The Celestial Zone blends traditional wuxia storytelling with a modern comic style. The company says the work has sold more than 4 million copies in 40 countries and describes it as Singapore's first major international comic hit.
The Celestial Zone and AI as a production assistant
The project's central bet is using AI as a production assistant: according to the release, the technology should speed up animation work while preserving the artistic integrity of the work. Two video teasers were shown at the event, one for The Celestial Zone and one for Mystical Gateway. No animation studio, streaming platform, voice cast or exact premiere date has been announced yet.
Mystical Gateway, the second project
The company's second project is Mystical Gateway (玄門), described as Singapore's first fantasy comic. Co-created in 2018 by Wee Tian Beng and Kerr Sun and illustrated by Yeo Hui Xuan, the title combines wuxia-style action with a manga look and turns Singapore landmarks into hubs of magic and guardians. It is being developed as an anime film, slated for late 2026, with no exact date or release plan announced yet.
XM Media also plans to work with Singapore's ITE School of Design and Media so students can take part in the company's animation and comic production.
Game Fest 2026, in its tenth edition, holds its closing weekend from 13 to 15 November at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, with esports, collectibles and technology programming.
Featured image: The Celestial Zone logo. Credit: XM Media / TCZ Studio, via GameTrader.
Sources: GameTrader — XM Media Debuts at Game Fest: Celestial Zone AI Anime; Tech Coffee House — XM Media Bets on AI Animation for Singapore IP.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence, cross-checked against public posts and internet sources. Please consult the original sources to confirm the information.
By Muse
