The company, Moti, was founded during the global pandemic beginning in 2020 by CEO Pak H. Chau. The goal: “to help people from all walks of life to cultivate a deeper sense of self and a more profound sense of meaning and purpose.” Koti work as a borderless team across the globe, offering “immersive experiences that inspire humanity to discover its inner utopia.”
Their recent animated series, Kōan, builds on a concept of the same name from Zen Buddhism. A Kōan “is a riddle or puzzle used during meditation” in order to access “greater truths about the world”. Its purpose isn’t to explain things, but to merely reveal them to you, as though opening a door. The foundation in this idea is clear in Moti’s animated series, the first three episodes of which are available to watch on YouTube now.
Episode One – What’s There?
In this stunning first episode, the relationship between opposing forces is explored. The animation from Fat Hamster Studio is breathtakingly beautiful; each image flows into the next in a ceaseless propulsion of movement. The seamlessness represents the continuity of life – the cycles that have defined history. One of these being the anger and violence humans show towards one another. A more positive message emerges, however, showing the coming together of people and uniting against violence.
The use of contrasting tones and the utilisation of negative space is incredibly creative and stimulating to watch. The music from Elliot Leung is another high point, undergoing a metamorphosis along with the visual images.
Episode Two – Pursuit of Heaven
A very different animation style for this episode, from Chimils Studio. This short looks at the idea of doing good to be rewarded – specifically getting into heaven. The inclusion of the concept of heaven and religion makes this episode a little more specific than the previous, and isn’t totally clear on what (if anything) it is criticising. Despite this, as usual with the Kōan series, viewers can take away what they want from the content. The contrast between 2D and 3D animation is interesting and appears to represent a sort of condensing as a result of always searching for answers. Perhaps when we stop asking why, our minds are more likely to be opened to new possibilities?
Episode Three – Cycle
Another lovely animation from Fat Hamster Studio, exploring a metaphor for the life cycle through the journey of water. Each time the water move from one container to another, it thinks its life has ended. Really, it is just changing shape or being multiplied. The cycle never ends.
You can get as much or as little as you want from the Kōan animations – choose to view them as interesting visual stimuli, or to take a deeper meaning.
More episodes will be heading to YouTube soon. Check out the first three below.