Puppet Prop Design: Goro the Kitsune Planning Phase

 When I originally started thinking about a puppet-related costume, I came up with three ideas:

1. Rod/Cable Puppet Kasugai Crow
2. Hand Puppet Goro the Kitsune
3. Walk-along/marionette Kirin/Unicorn

The reality is I can't do it all. As you may surmise from the title of this post, my focus for now is on the Goro puppet. Like I said, I had been plotting out all three and have some pretty interesting research results from my time spent figuring out how to make a crow, but I'd be much happier making yet another kitsune. I have the things that I like! And right now, it's Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, and Kitsune. I'm simple like that. 

I'm rambling, aren't I?

The Inspiration and Initial Research

The character I have in mind is from my visual novel project (6 years so far in the making). He is highly anthropomorphized, expressive, and mischievous. However, I have never made a puppet of this nature so I need to ensure I do not over-complicate the design. 

His beast form

At the very least, I want to make it a blinking puppet that moves its mouth. So, I started looking at the puppets that did the same. 

The dragon puppets I've seen looked like this, so I started looking into the following: 

• How do I make the mouth?
• How do I make the eyes blink? 
• How do I make the head?
• How do I make the body? Where does my arm go? 
• Do I need a fake arm? Is that what people do? 
• Do I want him to talk? How do I get a recording to play? 
• What should I wear? 

Other plans were spent figuring how what kind of materials I wanted to use. I have pretty much settled on 3D printing much of the internal structure for the puppet, so that's no issue. But the fur and scale covering is something to consider. And do I want to make a rubber tongue or buy one? 

I keep switching between big-picture and little-detail problems to solve. 

Multiple Paths

First, I focused on the head mechanics and how to make different features move. Found plenty of 3D print files and sculpting tutorials to really make it my own. 

But then I'd step back and think: I have two arms. If one arm is making the puppet move, then it'll look like I have one arm. But I have two arms. Everyone knows I have two arms. They still need to think I have two arms. Because this puppet is alive...not a puppet. That is the illusion I want. 

So, I knew I would have to construct a false sleeve or arm, but how would that work with what I am wearing? And for that matter, what am I going to wear? 

There were endless routes to take. I tried to narrow it down like this:

1. Re-use a current costume or costume in progress
2. Create a new costume
3. No costume, just adjust clothing. 

In my mind, the "no costume" idea was right out. What kind of blog is this if not a costume one? 

Of my current costumes, I thought Wisteria Fox or my in-progress Goro costume would suffice. New costume ideas were a shrine maiden and the Polish Vampire Hunter. 

Reused Costume Debate

Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of reusing a costume went like this: 

• More economical in terms of time and funds
• Fits with the character and theme of the puppet
• Wisteria Fox: Plenty of real estate in the sleeves to hide a fake arm without having to make a fake hand. 
• I have a duct tape dummy arm already! 

However, as I continued to consider reusing either Wisteria fox or Goro, there were some hurdles: 

• Goro: The sleeveless kimono top actually makes it tricky to fit 2 arms through one hole. 
• Goro: I'd have to make or purchase a visible false hand in addition to creating a false arm. 
• Goro: If I'm going to wear this to the office, I'll have to cover my midsection. 
• Wisteria: I'd have to cut the seam of the sleeve that I worked so damn hard on attaching. I don't want to cut it!! 
• Wisteria: The costume has quite a few moving parts of its own to contend with. 

This is why I shifted to consider making a new costume to accompany this puppet project. 

New Costume Considerations

I have a couple of costume ideas that I have wanted to work on: The Polish Vampire Hunter and a Shrine Maiden. 

• Since I have not started these costumes, I can design them with the puppet in mind. 
• I like making new things! 
• Shrine Maiden: Theme appropriate AND related to the visual novel. 
• Plenty of sleeve space for a false arm and no need for a false hand. 

On the downside: 

• I'll need to buy materials and take the time to work on them. 
• It's more costly. 
• Polish: It doesn't exactly fit with the puppet theme per se. (I have my head fanfic, but it is not obvious to the public.)

After all that debate, I've settled on the Shrine Maiden outfit, which will consist of: 

• Juban
• Kimono Top
• Hakama 
• Mask
• Tabi
• Zori
• Prop Lamp

Back to Puppet Design

Feeling settled on the costume plan, I could refocus on puppet construction. Again, I would switch between macro and micro design issues. 

I took a lot of inspiration from the Art Doll course as well as the many examples on my Pinterest board. Just when I was feeling confident about my internal structure design I was faced with a slight dilemma. 

The big issue was how was Goro going to fit across my shoulders? And at some point in my research, I discovered a somewhat fatal flaw: Goro has a short neck. 

Well, a short neck compared to a snake-dragon. The length of my arm was much longer than his neck would need to be, even in an exaggerated sense. At most, I would need my wrist to elbow, so how could I hold my arm? As you can see I doodled many possibilities. 

This could work in theory.

Alternative Solutions

One thing I could do was give up on the whole puppet thing and just make a large art doll of Goro. But I was not about to give up. See, I was looking at more than just sleeve dragons, I was also looking at baby dragons that you hold in front of your body. These all had different lengths for necks, but it would be a more reasonable solution because I don't need to use my WHOLE arm, just what I need. 

I could make a younger, cuter version of the character to be more child-like...but it would also be in character for him to just want to be held. 

Many of my major design concerns are solved by switching to this style of puppet. While the large-sleeve puppet is more dramatic and exciting, the reality is I could save a lot more with a slightly smaller design. 

For now, this is the doodle plan for the puppet design:

I'll keep y'all posted on any progress I make with this project. 

Potential Supply List

Puppet Material

• PLA Filament for Head, teeth, eyelids, nose, claws (Need a bit more, i think mine are all dried out.)
• Latex paw pads and tongue (to buy)
• EVA Foam + Worbla (ribs) (owned)
• Quilt Batting (owned...but need to find.)
• Large gauge wire (owned)
• Fosshape (owned)
• Soft felt - skin cover, Ears (Need more)
• Roving Wool (Need to buy or make from acrylic yarn)
• Minky (Need to buy)
• Faux Fur (I think I have some in white)
• Faux Fur Yarn (Tails) (owned)
• Resin - eyes (Owned, but may be old)
• Paint (owned)
• Back Scales - TBD either latex, silicone, or metal
• Polymer Clay (owned)

Costume Material

• Thin Cardboard
• Plaster strips
• Paper Mache supplies
• Stiff Cotton/Polyester (Hakama)
• Cotton (kimono top)
• Tabi (owned)
• Zori/Geta (both owned)