All About Bunraku: The Ultimate in Puppetry

Some of you may well know of Kabuki, Japan's traditional theatrical art. But what about Bunraku? Heard of it but not uncertain what that is? Fair enough, because four out of ten average Japanese are with you - know about it but not enough to talk about it. This episode takes you a virtual Bunraku theater and breaks you into the ultimate art of puppetry which has a unique 400-year history.

By the way, would you be surprised to know the cutting-edge science of robotics is studying the movements of Bunraku puppets - how they are manipulated to execute lifelike movements? That's true, too.

Find your seat in the theater, observe and watch the puppets perform - the way they move from place to another, dance and even pray. Amazing they "talk" and "ponder" and even "sob" - all as if they are quite alive.

Of course, all of them are manipulated by master puppeteers, two or three to a doll, all clad in black except the head puppeteer who is dressed in darkish formal garments.

Most amazing is a heroine doll manipulated by three puppeteers, one for the left hand of the doll, one for her both legs and a master puppeteer who, while handles the right hand of the doll,  directs his subordinates every movement of the puppet simply by subtle contact of their own waists and legs.  

Bunraku offers plenty of tricks for modern robotics to learn from. In fact, Bunraku is a gold mine of know-how on human movements refined in art form.

Bunraku is a total stage art comprising puppetry, shamisen (three-stringed instrument) music ensemble and a master storyteller who recites the entire drama to a shamisen chamber orchestra - and of course, a gorgeous stage setting to match the story. 

I trust some of you planning a trip to Japan shortly will make sure to visit the Bunraku Theater. Worth your time it certainly will be.