Sakon
Tachibana
(name means "Left")
Seiyuu: Megumi Ogata
Ukon
the puppet
(name means "Right")
Seiyuu: Kumai Motoko
Ukon is a beautiful Buraku puppet created in 1870, supposedly by the Master puppet-builder Unosuke Koizumi III. But Ukon doesn't act as a good Bunraku puppet should. When he is with Sakon, he is forward, obnoxious, flirtatious, coarse, and very egocentric. He smokes a long-stemmed pipe, called a kisera, and has a love of torturing Sakon's aunt Kaoruko.
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Hair
colour:
In anime, green hair is most often seen on quite, shy, or level-headed characters.
Collar:
Sakon's collar is shaped like gears. The Kanji of the series' title is usually used
for "Ningyo" (doll or puppet) but can also be read as "Karakuri.",
which can refer to clockwork dolls or trick puppets.
Cuffs:
They look cool and probably protect the forearms from stress when puppeteering. He
also wears them with short sleeves too.
@
Hair
colour:
In anime, red hair is usually given to the outspoken and uncouth characters. This
stems from fieldworkers whose hair would bleach a reddish colour from working long hours
in the sun. Also, most everyone notices the similarity Ukon has to Himura Kenshin in
this department. Watsuki, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin, was an assistant to Obata
(Sakon's artist) in his earlier days. (thanks to The Go Institute for this
info)
Yuigesa:
The collar with tufts that Ukon wears over his jacket is called a Yuigesa.
This is traditionally work by Yamibushi, Japanese mountain monks. It has been said
that Yamibushi have been known to possess certain unorthodox traits shared by a certain
puppet...
Traveling
clothes:
Sakon doesn't have a much of a varied wardrobe. When stage performing or 'summoning'
the dead, he wears a kamishimo, the traditional clothes worn by a master puppeteer.
His sleeves do get shorter in the warmer seasons, and he has a Victorian style sleeved
cloak (called a greatcoat) for the colder seasons.
Jointed
Fingers:
Bunraku puppets' hands vary depending on the role and demands of the puppet fitted
with them. The mulitple joint system developed at the height of technical
advancement in the Bunraku theatre. In some shots, you will also see a grip
extending from Ukon's wrist. This is used by the puppeteers to better control a
hand's movement when grasping objects.
Hakama, Tabi, Geta:
These are all tradional Japanese dress. Hakama are worn by many, but you will
probably notice them more on priests, miko, or samurai in most anime. Tabi are
split-toe socks, geta are the wooden clogs.