Foreword

 

Today's article takes an unusual turn. We won't be discussing contemporary Japan, its social issues, themes in anime, or Japanese history. Instead, I'd like to share the story of certain emoticon-stickers. And, to make it even more unconventional, they're not from Japan, but from Indonesia. My only excuse is that they fit into the kawaii trend and have become popular in Japan, thus "earning" their place on ikigai-manga-dive.pl. However, if I were to confess, it's their special role in the humble life of the author that truly secured their spot here.

 

Over the years, couples - people close to each other often communicating on a deeper emotional level, develop various methods and strategies to understand each other as best as possible and to express their feelings. One day, which I can't precisely recall, my better half, then not yet my wife but fiancée, started using certain funny, cute gifs of bears. Over time, these bears became a constant part of our daily written communication. They were just perfect for it.

 

 

Milk & Mocha are a set of stickers (gif animations) in the kawaii style. They show two bears in various situations and relations to each other. Milk is a white bear (hence the name), which could be considered female, perhaps. She's lively, active, energetic, hyperactive, excessively optimistic. Meanwhile, Mocha (the brown bear) is bigger and slower (let's say he's the male version), calmer, a stoic, somewhat phlegmatic, usually patient towards his restless companion.

 

Milk and Mocha stickers are simply gifs, all maintained in one style (warm, sweet, kawaii) depicting various situations. We have funny animations where Milk is bored and "torments" her phlegmatic brown partner out of boredom. We see situations where Milk cries, and calm Mocha tenderly wipes her tears with tissues. Other scenes show, for example, Milk, sleeping alone and cold, so she goes to find her brown companion, who is working on the laptop. So what? - Milk determinedly drags the bewildered Mocha with his laptop. Mocha continues to work on the laptop, this time in bed, and Milk cuddles up to him in her sleep. Such "for every occasion" scenes are not dozens, but hundreds, maybe thousands. The appropriately chosen animation can very accurately, yet warmly and friendly, convey to the recipient of our message what we feel or what the situation means to us, whatever it may be.

 

Since we first started using Milk & Mocha animations in our communication, shyly at first, then more and more adeptly, many years have passed. Years during which a lot has happened - among other things, we moved in together, then stopped being fiancés and became a married couple, and finally, this year (2024), our currently one-and-a-half-month-old small Octavian joined us. And on our Signal (our messenger), the same (though in new versions) Milk & Mocha bears still appear. It's funny how simple gifs, just ordinary, overly sweet stickers, can become a permanent, long-term, and valuable element of someone's life and someone's relationship.

 

Let's take a closer look at this phenomenon.

 

 

 

Who is Melani Sie?

 

Melani Sie is an Indonesian artist and creator, the author of Milk and Mocha Bears, two adorable characters that have won the hearts of internet users worldwide. Born and raised in Indonesia, Sie showed an interest in art from an early age, which eventually led her to a career in graphic design and illustration.

 

Before Milk and Mocha became a global phenomenon, Melani Sie worked as a freelancer, creating graphics and illustrations for various clients. Her passion for drawing and creating characters that can express emotions and tell stories was evident in her earlier works. Sie has always been fascinated by the kawaii style, and her works often reflected this aesthetic - cute, smile-inducing, and warm.

 

The decision to create Milk and Mocha was a turning point in her career. Initially designed as a series of stickers for use in the LINE app, these characters quickly took on a life of their own, allowing Sie to transition from freelance designing to managing the growing universe of Milk and Mocha. The success of these characters enabled her to establish Klova Studios, a studio dedicated to developing the stories and products related to Milk and Mocha, in collaboration with Gigih Hartanto.

 

 

 

History and creators

 

The journey of Milk and Mocha bears began in 2016 when Indonesian artist Melani Sie decided to give LINE app users (think of it as Indonesia's Kakao Talk, or WhatsApp, a bit like FB or NK) a series of stickers that were meant to facilitate expressing emotions in digital communication. Inspired by the kawaii culture and the desire to create characters that were more than just cute, she designed two bears - Milk, a white bear full of energy and optimism, and Mocha, a brown bear whose calm and stoic approach to life was the perfect complement to Milk's character.

 

Initially, Melani Sie did not anticipate the huge success her characters would achieve. Created out of a love for art and as a form of expression, Milk and Mocha quickly won the hearts of LINE users, crossing the borders of Indonesia and reaching kawaii culture enthusiasts worldwide. The growing popularity of these characters inspired Sie to further develop their world.

 

In 2018, Melani Sie, along with Gigih Hartanto, who shared her passion for creating adorable kawaii-style characters, founded Klova Studios – a studio dedicated to the development of Milk and Mocha. Gigih Hartanto, a friend and collaborator of Melani, contributed to further developing the story of the bears, giving their adventures more emotional depth.

 

Soon after establishing Klova Studios, the entrepreneurial duo took a step further by founding PT Semanggi Kreasi Indonesia. The aim of this initiative was to create a solid operational base for the expanding universe of Milk and Mocha, as well as to provide a platform for other creative projects. PT Semanggi Kreasi Indonesia became the home for Klova Studios, allowing Melani and Gigih to develop their ideas in a more organized manner.

 

The development of Milk and Mocha's characters was not limited to their visual aspect. Sie and Hartanto devoted much time to building their personalities, wanting everyone to be able to identify with them. Milk, always full of enthusiasm and ready for fun, and Mocha, more contemplative and calm, quickly became a reflection of the diverse dynamics of human relationships. Through their daily adventures, from simple moments of joy to more challenging times of support and understanding, Milk and Mocha became symbols of love, friendship, and mutual support.

 

As an artist, Melani Sie remained humble and focused on her passion for creating. Despite the global success of Milk and Mocha, Sie continues to be involved in the creative process. She works on new illustrations and stories that retain the original charm and warmth, which is a key factor why the world fell in love with these bears.

 

In her personal life, Sie values family and friends, often drawing inspiration from her own experiences to create new adventures for Milk and Mocha. Her work, full of positive messages and emotions, reflects her life approach – finding joy in simple moments and relationships. Melani Sie, through Milk and Mocha, has proven that art can be a powerful tool for connecting people, regardless of their background or language. Or form, because after all, we are talking about gif stickers.

 

The story and creators of Milk and Mocha Bear is a tale of how a simple idea and a passion for art can create something that crosses the borders of countries and continents and touches the hearts of people worldwide. Thanks to the determination and creativity of Melani Sie and the collaboration with Gigih Hartanto, Milk and Mocha Bears have become more than just characters – they are a symbol that reminds us of the power of simple gestures and deep emotions.

 

 

 

Global Development of the Brand

 

Debut

 

Since their debut on the LINE platform in 2016, Milk and Mocha bears have quickly won the hearts of users worldwide. As of February 26, 2024, their official Instagram account @milkmochabear has gathered over 1.5 million followers, becoming an important and recognizable symbol of kawaii culture on the Internet. Interactions on this account often exceed 100,000 likes per post, and comments are filled with expressions of love and identification with the situations depicted by the bears.

 

On Facebook and LINE, the number of fans also grew at an impressive pace. Milk and Mocha stickers were used not only for personalizing conversations but also as a means of expressing emotions and feelings. In the first few years of their appearance, the number of sticker downloads exceeded millions, testifying to their immense popularity.

 

 

Export Abroad

 

Initially targeted at users in Indonesia, the characters quickly gained popularity beyond the country's borders, becoming hits in places like Thailand, Taiwan, the United States, and India. The dynamic growth of the international fan base was supported by translations of comics and the availability of toys and other merchandise on the global market, further solidifying their position in pop culture.

 

Interest in the characters quickly translated into demand for physical products. The range of offered items quickly expanded, including plush toys, keychains, clothing, office supplies, and even home decorations. Milk and Mocha plushies, available in various sizes, became particularly popular, with thousands of units sold worldwide.

 

 

Expansion

 

As the popularity of Milk and Mocha grew, Klova Studios entered into collaborations with other brands, thereby expanding the product offering. Limited editions, special collections, and joint projects with other popular characters or clothing brands allowed for even greater fan engagement. Thanks to these collaborations, Milk and Mocha Bear found not only a virtual but also a physical presence in the world of their admirers.

 

 

 

Where do these celebrity bears appear?

 

Milk and Mocha bears currently have a significant presence in the media, not just as cute gifs, but also through various other forms of content, from comics to animations, and even games and applications. The comics, mainly published on their official social media pages such as Instagram, depict the daily adventures and interactions between Milk and Mocha, often illustrating themes of love, support, and friendship. These stories, full of warmth and humor, appeal to a wide audience, crossing the language barrier thanks to the universality of the emotions expressed.

 

Although there are no official cartoons or movies yet, fan animations and short videos utilizing Milk and Mocha characters have gained popularity on the Internet, showcasing the potential of these characters for further development in media. The emergence of mobile games and applications featuring these characters seems to be a natural step in the expansion of their universe.

 

Milk and Mocha have made a significant impact on popular culture, especially within the context of kawaii culture. Their popularity has inspired creators worldwide to develop similar characters that carry comparable emotional and aesthetic values. Characters such as Peach and Goma or Bubu and Dudu, like Milk and Mocha, emphasize the importance of relationships and emotions in their stories.

 

Comparing Milk and Mocha to other popular characters in kawaii culture, such as Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma, or Sumikko Gurashi, one can notice common features such as a simple yet expressive aesthetic, and the ability to convey warm emotions without words. However, the uniqueness of Milk and Mocha lies in their dynamics as a couple, which in an accessible way presents various aspects of human relationships, from joy to support during difficult times. This particular trait distinguishes them from other kawaii characters and adds an additional layer of identification for fans.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Milk and Mocha Bear, by crossing linguistic and cultural boundaries, have become an important tool for many in communicating emotions. Thanks to their simplicity and directness, stickers of these characters are used by couples, friends, and families to express feelings that are sometimes hard to name but are easily understood by watching scenes with these comforting bears. Interestingly, in Japan, the homeland of kawaii aesthetics, Indonesian bears Milk and Mocha have become part of educational programs aimed at children, teaching them empathy and expressing emotions through art and narration.

 

In practice, Milk and Mocha stickers are used not only by lovers. For example, in Indonesian schools, teachers use these characters to build a positive atmosphere in the classroom, and in companies, managers use them to motivate teams.

 

Reflecting on the impact of Milk and Mocha on human relationships and emotions reveals the depth that simple graphics can have in our lives. Their ability to speak to people's hearts, regardless of age or origin, highlights the power of art and narration in building bridges between people. It's not really about watching another funny scene with cute bears. It's about relationships with people important to us. Relationships are built in many ways and use various tools. I believe that having among those tools emoticon-stickers for every occasion, which do not replace but enrich the exchange of experiences and emotions between two people, is a good and recommendable thing.

 

So, before anyone claims that an article was written about silly gifs. No, at least in the humble understanding of the author, the above article was about one (of many) ways to accurately and efficiently express one's feelings between close people. And it's not a bad way at all.

 

 

 

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