Momotaro
Time goes by
so slowly
Or does it? We used to be bored. Waiting for a bus, staring at a wall, letting the mind wander. That wandering, that useless, uncomfortable nothing, is where ideas are found. We traded it for endless scrolling.
The idea of Momotaro was born out of that feeling. Time spent, nothing gained.
A space that works the other way
So I set out to design an app that works against the doomscroll our brains are now wired for. One that helps build better focus habits by blocking the apps that distract you, with beautiful customization that unlocks the more you use it.
A small, calm figure
Going through other apps in the category, they all felt mechanical, vibe-coded, sterile. Looking at sketches from a recent trip to Japan, I found a warm, calm character staring back at me. Big fonts, elegant colours, minimal UI, and then eureka: a character that smiles at you every time. The idea for the app was complete.
Slow, consistent, worth building
But I wanted that branding to work in favour of functionality. So I researched. Found one study that suggests it takes around 66 days to form a habit. I broke that into hours, assumed people would use the app a couple of times a week, and used that to set milestones. Those milestones unlock new colour themes, soundscapes, and fonts.
“Adorable app blocker… unlockable colour themes and giant type give this familiar idea a unique personality.” — Kai Brach, Dense Discovery
Momotaro launched in October 2025 and found its audience quietly, through newsletters, word of mouth, and people who still believe the best tools don't need to shout.
Creative direction — Orlando F. Ruiz
Soundscapes — Thomas Williams, composer and sound designer
Typeface — Laura Meseguer, Gresca
Built in Barcelona. A long swim from Silicon Valley.