Have you ever wanted to try your hand at puppet animation but didn't know where to start? Tomoyasu Murata (村田朋泰), one of Japan's most prolific independent animators, has recently introduced his own line of armatures. In puppet animation, the armature acts as the skeleton or frame upon which figures are built. Some animators make their own armature using simple tools such as wire and endnuts, as is shown in this demonstration video. Armature can also be bought at art supply shops. Murata is selling a complete set for a human figure online for ¥18,900. Pieces can also be bought individually for ¥2,000 per unit. To see Murata's own puppets in actions, check out the short trailers for his films on his website, or Mr. Children's music video for the song Hero. His films are also available on DVD. Learn more about him by reading the numerous reviews of his films on this blog or Midnight Eye.
