Puppet: Ama-no-Zuka

Name: Ama-no-Zuka

Rank: D

Owner: Ikusen Yaiba

Appearance: The puppet wears a long, pure white kimono with a red sash, so that it appears to have legs. It has long, black horse hair on the top of its head to give it the appearance of a woman, and there’s enough hair to hide its face, when needed. Ama-no-Zako’s bamboo body hardened and sanded to last for a long while. The body has been painted to look like human skin from a distance, except for its face, which is painted completely white, to look like a ghost’s face. The mouth is set into a constant, wide grin with sharp, demonic-looking metal teeth, with a hinged jaw so that the mouth can open and close. Where the eyes usually are, there are two gaping holes, made to look like a skull’s blank stare. The kimono is usually stuffed with pillows or bags of cotton to give the appearance of a perfect, well-endowed woman. These bags are held in place on the body by metal wires that can be pulled loose from a distance, if needed.

Length: 5 feet.

Width: The body is 2 feet at the shoulders, arm span is 5 feet.

Material: Hardened bamboo wood and metal "teeth".

Weight: 50 lbs, including traps.

Abilities: The sharp, metal teeth that make up most of the puppet’s mouth are strong enough to catch most thrown weapons. Each of the fingers contain a small, hollow needle with ridges all along the outside, and a much larger version in the palm, to make it easier to hold onto its prey, or to inject them with a poison or hallucinogen, for added effects. Inside each of the hollow eye sockets are small flint sparkers behind a candle with reflectors around the flame, making bright, blinding lights shoot out to momentarily blind the opponent. It's bodice can also be opened via sliding panel, usually made for hiding extra equipment or a captured, unconscious ninja or ally. This compartment cannot be used to store something moving or particularly heavy, as its innards are very delicate.

Info: After remembering the story of the original Ama-no-Zako, or Heavenly Beast Princess, whom was famous as the manifestation of Susano-o-No-Mikato’s rage, Ikusen created a new puppet meant to scare away some of his weaker, more superstitious opponents with one of his favorite oni stories he'd heard as a child. Ikusen named his puppet after the oni, in honor of her power for striking fear into many commoners.