Summary:
“Molang” is the vision of an affectionate and humorous relationship between a happy, energetic rabbit, Molang, and a shy, emotional little chick, Piu Piu.
Despite their many differences, they share a unique and lasting friendship. Molang and Piu Piu experience difficult, unexpected, and sometimes frustrating situations together, turning amazing adventures and misunderstandings into opportunities for happy and interesting moments.
Work Profile:
Producer: Rachel Lear
Director: Marie-Caroline Villand
Production Technique: 2D Animation
Number of Episodes: Two seasons, 104 episodes
Company: Millimages
Country of Origin: France
Year of Production: 2015
Audience: Toddlers (4-6)
Duration: 3:30
Analysis and Evaluation:
Molang is the engaging and humorous story of a round, chubby, and cute rabbit named Molang and a shy, lovable little chick named Piu Piu. The striking physical differences between the two, combined with the gentle behavioral humor present throughout the work, create narrative appeal and attract the audience.
Molang and Piu Piu’s honest, pure, and sincere friendship is the core theme of the story. They experience things together, make messes, and make up again. Molang and Piu Piu’s art is to make difficult and frustrating moments joyful. They turn difficult situations and misunderstandings into happy and engaging moments. Joy and optimism are among the primary needs of any society. When people approach issues with hope and optimism, they either find solutions to problems or, if they cannot find a solution, they make the situation bearable. This is something very necessary in societies like ours. Look; Molang and Piu Piu are going for a drive when they hit a heavy traffic jam. They wait for a while, but the traffic doesn’t seem to clear up. Molang and Piu Piu set up a picnic right there and try to enjoy their time. This causes others to do the same, and the atmosphere lifts from boredom and fatigue. The generated joy spreads like a wave and causes the traffic, which was caused by an argument between two drivers, to clear up after hours.
Another valuable feature of this work is the observance of safety rules. This is a very necessary point for the toddler age group with educational value. Wearing specific clothes for every task such as cooking, gardening, etc., wearing helmets when riding motorcycles and bicycles, fastening seat belts in cars, using knee pads and helmets when skateboarding… are among the items shown in this series.
Molang and Piu Piu look out for each other and keep an eye on one another. If danger or illness befalls one, the other goes out of their way to resolve the danger. This holds great moral and social value.
Emphasis on etiquette is also one of the notable features of this work. Greeting people when meeting them and on the phone, thanking and appreciating someone who does something for them, showing embarrassment and apologizing when making a mistake, and saying goodbye when leaving a place… are examples of this.
The final point is addressing rational education and problem-solving. There are no dead ends for Molang and Piu Piu; they find a solution (preferably a joyful one) for every problem and offer creative ideas. Through this, it engages in the rational education of toddlers and strengthens their thinking and problem-solving skills.
Author: Zakieh Jahandideh – M.A. in Philosophy of Education