LitPick Review
Karakuri, in Japanese, means mechanism. It can also mean how something works. For example, someone could say, "the karakuri of a magic trick..." It also is the name for small toys that move due to simple machines and mechanics. In Karakuri: How to Make Mechanical Paper Models That Move, it explains this and much more. There is a section with colored diagrams and understandable examples that explain the simple mechanics used in these toys. This book also describes, in easy to understand English, how to make these traditional Japanese toys. There are four colored and finished toys to make yourself and ten blank karakuri that you have to finish. The four finished ones include a robot that spills tea and a peek-a-boo bear. The unfinished karakuri have directions on how to make the base for the toys, but the top "doll" part is up to you to make. There are also many examples of toys made by high school students in Japan that are very inspirational when designing the unfinished karakuri.
Opinion:
Although the English in this translated book is excellent, the directions for making the karakuri are sparse and lack detail. Having had previous experience with making karakuri, I was easily able to make the toys successfully, but for someone who is new to this art, it would be very confusing. I would recommend this book as an excellent resource for learning about karakuri and how they work, but not as a first step. This book is a great next-step tool and has expanded my knowledge of how karakuri and other machines work and has opened me to new ideas about how to create my own karakuri. Also, it took over an hour to cut out the parts for the toys, which was annoying and time-consuming. For those reasons and the need to use an craft knife when cutting out the parts, this book should be for children and adults twelve and over.
