Laika Debuts First Fully 3D Printed Puppet in "Kubo and the Two Strings."

3D Printed Moon Beast and other characters.  Image Credit:  Inverse.com

3D Printed Moon Beast and other characters.  Image Credit:  Inverse.com

Next week, our Portland neighbor, Laika, premiers its newest project, "Kubo and the Two Strings." The animated film features its first fully 3D printed puppet, the Moon Beast. According to 3D Printing Industry, the character's physical requirements - and 130 separate pieces - demanded a different approach...

Comprised of a series of 3D-printed shells that bolt over a centralized gooseneck armature, the Moon Beast was a unique undertaking on the part of LAIKA’s Rapid Prototyping department. Ordinarily they look after just the faces and heads of the characters, while the puppet department handles the rest. For the Moon Beast, though, separating the body from the head wasn’t really an option.

The film, which took 94 weeks and 70 rapid prototyping specialists to complete, shows in theaters on August 19.