Hobby Industry Inside vol.17: The Charm of "Different Material" Bishojo Figures Made with Wool Felt - Interview with Krone Hijikata

When it comes to bishojo figures, it is commonplace to sculpt them with clay or putty. Recently, digital modeling has also increased. However, there is a person who creates bishojo figures using a handicraft material for mascots and accessories called "wool felt. Her name is Krone Hijikata.
Ms. Hijikata creates "figures" that look as if they are three-dimensional versions of two-dimensional bishojo characters. The interpretation of the shape and the direction of deformation seem to follow the theory of figure modeling (......), but the texture of the figure is fluffy because it is made of wool felt. Moreover, at 40 to 50 cm in length, the figure is very powerful. It is an exciting encounter between the "bishojo figure" context and the "handicraft" genre, and even represents an unprecedented new frontier. We spoke with the creator, Ms. Krone Hijikata.

Why use "wool felt" instead of clay or putty?

───How long have you been making wool felt figures?

Hijikata: Since 2012. At first, I bought a wool felt kit at a handicrafts corner and made figures following a model. After that, I started to make what I wanted. The first one I made was about 12 cm in size and looked like a straw doll (laughs).

─ ─ Were you interested in figures before you got into wool felt?

Hijikata: I studied plastic sculpture in the sculpture department at university, but I had never made figures out of clay. I like video games and animation, so I buy commercial figures from time to time. I like games and anime, so I buy commercial figures from time to time. I learn a lot by looking at them up close, so I go to Akihabara to see them, and I always do research on the Internet to see how I can make them look cute.


─ ─ But you didn't want to create something similar to commercially available figures, did you?

Hijikata: Yes, I wonder why (laughs). (laugh) People often ask me, "Why don't you make them with clay? (laughs).
Even if I used the same modeling materials used by figure sculptors, my predecessors were making amazing things, and I felt that I couldn't keep up with them, and that it would be "naive" for me to try my hand at it as a hobby. When I came across wool felt, I had a hunch that I could make something that no one had ever made before. I had a hunch that I could make something that no one had ever made before. The material is also fluffy and mysterious. That's what attracted me.

─ Is wool felt easy to shape?

Hijikata: No, I don't think it is easy to make. A mascot such as a cute cat can be made in about one hour. However, my work requires a thin leg to support the body, so I have to "stick" it tightly. With only one leg, it takes at least four days, working several hours each day. In total, it takes about one month.

─ ─ What kind of work is "sticking"?

Hijikata: There is an inexpensive material called "needle wadding" that is sold to make the shape. When the wadding is pricked with a special needle, the fibers become entangled and the shape is formed. The shape is created by repeatedly inserting the needle, and is then added to the wire core. After a certain amount of shape has been achieved, beautiful colored wool is stitched on and finished off. Colored wool is too delicate to be added on top. So, as much as possible, we use "fluff" to create the shape. It is really a very steady work.