Bunraku, bring characters to life through skilled manipulation
Originating in the 18th century during the Edo period, Bunraku, also known as Ningyo joruri, combines storytelling with the musical accompaniment of a narrator and shamisen musicians, while puppeteers intricately manipulate the puppets. A significant evolution in this traditional art form occurred in 1967 with the introduction of Otome Bunraku, where female puppeteers, in a break from tradition, would control a puppet solo, allowing for a more intimate connection between puppeteer and puppet. How do these puppeteers manage to control every part of the puppet with their body, achieving a seamless blend between the puppeteer and puppet? What sets the structure and design of these puppets apart? The Bunraku Revealed series, launched by Weiwuying, allows audiences to observe the puppeteers’ techniques and discover the secret mechanisms hidden within the puppets.
Bunraku Revealed:
EP1: Hitomi-za Otome Bunraku: Female Solo Puppetry since the Showa Period.
Bunraku Revealed:
EP2: Secret mechanics of world class puppetry.
Bunraku Revealed:
EP3: Dancing through hands: recreating the elegance of Japanese dance.
Bunraku Revealed:
EP4: From beauty to monster in a blink of an eye, the surprising features of Bunraku puppet heads.
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