origami samurai top

A little bit more advanced than your average paper crane…

If you’ve ever tried origami before, then you know how difficult it can be. It seems simple enough in concept – just fold a piece of paper a bunch of times and you’re done – but the reality is often quite different.

Some origami folds can be pretty tricky to pull off, either requiring exact precision or cumbersome movements, and just one tiny mistake can throw the whole thing off ten or twenty steps later. I know whenever I try origami, I usually end up with more paper in the trash than completed pieces.

Which makes the origami work of Japanese Twitter artist Ezuno (@ezunogunndann) all the more impressive. One of their recent creations shocked Japanese Twitter with its detail and craftsmanship.

See it for yourself below: (Click on images to enlarge.)

▼ “I made an origami Sanada Yukimura, the samurai hero of the Sengoku Period. It’s a single piece of 92cm by 92cm (26in by 26in) paper without any cutting.”

Wow, that looks more like a carved sculpture than a piece of paper! The details in the armor especially are just unbelievable. And to think I have trouble just making an origami frog….

Of course, that’s not Ezuno’s only origami creation. Take a look at some of these other origami masterpieces:

▼ An origami chicken that Ezuno spent over a year folding.
Remember: all of these are made from one, single piece of paper.

▼ This origami shrimp looks like it would be right at home in an aquarium…
until it dissolves, of course.

▼ Ezuno’s four favorite works from 2015. The smoking man is especially impressive,
though extremely detrimental to his paper-based health.

▼ And Ezuno doesn’t just fold works of art, he folds optical illusions too!

▼ And what origami exhibition would be complete without the obligatory “cute” entry?
I love how the paper squirrels have their paper nuts, d’aww!

▼ Feeling up to a challenge?
You can follow along with this video to make your own origami squirrel (chipmunk?)

If you want more step-by-step intricate origami instructions, check out the rest of Ezuno’s YouTube channel, or Twitter page.

And if those are a little too advanced, then check out our own guide to making a cool origami bookmark that will never slip out of your book. It’s so easy, even I could do it!

Source: Twitter/@ezunogunndann via Japaaan Magazine
Featured/top image: Twitter/@ezunogunndann