More than a decade ago when I was still designing toys, the idea of Lemon’s Ark sprouted in my mind. The story revolves around Lemon, a yellow-spotted giraffe who stumbles upon a mysterious ark by the river. Despite being somewhat neurotic, Lemon is deeply caring and determined to protect his jungle companions. One night, he dreams of an approaching storm and realizes he must save his friends by bringing them aboard. Alongside him are three vibrant characters: a playful monkey full of energy, a diva elephant who loves singing and playing wind instruments with his trunk, and a timid lion slowly learning the meaning of bravery. Even the ark itself is alive with personality—choosing its own course rather than being guided, adding to the whimsical charm of the tale.
The vision for Lemon’s Ark was always more than just a story—it was to be an animated musical experience. Children would join in with sing-along renditions of classic nursery rhymes, while being carried through a colorful world of friendship, courage, and imagination. The combination of music and character-driven storytelling creates a unique atmosphere where fun meets heartfelt moments. Lemon might be neurotic, but he reflects the love, worry, and perseverance we all feel when it comes to protecting the people we care about.
To begin making that vision real, I built complete 2D character rigs in Moho for all four main friends. These rigs include walk cycles, lip-sync systems for dialogue or singing, and special effects that allow me to place them in different scenarios. Using this setup, I even brought one finished animation to life. However, as any solo creator knows, it’s an exhausting journey—especially while balancing a full-time job and design consulting work. What I’ve learned is that the heart of Lemon’s Ark is too important to be rushed, and it deserves the right team and resources to reach its full potential.
That’s why I’m sharing my project today. Lemon’s Ark already has a complete storyline, polished character rigs, effects, and space for an original musical score. What it needs now is collaborators—people who want to bring a heartfelt children’s story to life through animation and music. If this project sparks your interest, I’d love to hear from you. Alone, it may take several more years to finish, but together, we could finally launch Lemon and his friends into the world where they belong.