Nintendo is primarily known as a maker of consoles and games, but the company also produces a lot of physical merchandise—including amiibo figures and large statues for exhibitions and museums. Nintendo employee Yo Onishi, a 3D modeler specializing in amiibo and statues for locations like the Nintendo Museum and Super Nintendo World, explained how these objects are created.
From Illustration to 3D Model
According to Onishi, the work begins with posing the character based on a 3D model, referencing the official illustration. The issue is that the illustration is always drawn from a single angle, whereas a statue or figure must look natural from all sides.
“If you directly transfer exaggerated expressions or angles typical of 2D art into 3D space, the proportions of the body and limbs may look unnatural depending on the viewing angle,” Onishi explained. Therefore, the team meticulously adjusts the pose, checking the model from different angles until the balance is just right.
Precision Down to a Fraction of a Millimeter
Onishi called applying the eyes a particularly challenging stage. Due to the miniature size of amiibo, even a slight shift of paint can alter the character's facial expression beyond recognition—which is why the position of the eyes is adjusted with a precision of less than one millimeter.
With large statues, the problem is the opposite: due to their size, it is difficult to assess the overall balance during painting. In such cases, Onishi sometimes drew eye outlines directly on the object with a pencil to find the correct proportions.
Fan Reactions as the Ultimate Reward
Despite the difficulty of the work, it is the fans' reactions that inspire Onishi to keep going. According to him, seeing people take photos with the finished statues and genuinely rejoice is extremely rewarding. He also noted that some fans discover Nintendo games and characters for the first time thanks to 3D sculptures, highlighting the importance of this work.
“I will continue working to ensure that our 3D sculptures convey all the charm of the characters,” Onishi concluded.
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