Suitmation

Suitmation (スーツメーション, Sūtsumēshon) is a term originally used in Japan for a tokusatsu technique to portray a daikaiju (giant monster) using a suit actor in a monster suit, often moving through scale model scenery to give the impression of large size, as well as filming them at a higher framerate, to make them appear slower.

The term can be used when puppet does not apply, since the puppet is being worn by an actor, and when costume does not apply, since the costume is also being controlled by a puppeteer.

The technique was initially developed by Eiji Tsuburaya for use in Godzilla films and then used for his Ultra Series productions.

The following are considered suitmation: the creature costumes of some B-movies, notably An American Werewolf in London, and the American television satire Dinosaurs; the full-body costumes of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, in particular the pre-Creature Shop creations of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth; and also other creations of his such as Big Bird and Sweetums.

The 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are uses a suitmation technique combined with computer-generated imagery to depict the Wild Things.

The latest to utilize this technique are the two-part live-action adaptation of, "Attack on Titan", where the titan-shifters are being portrayed by actors in suits, in particular, the Rogue Titan (Eren Yeager), the Armored Titan (Captain Shikishima), and the Colossal Titan (General Kubal). Unfortunately, with the exception of these characters, only a mere number of Titans were actually utilizing this technique of suitmation, with their facial make-up being replaced with computer-generated imagery (CGI).

See also

• Tokusatsu
• Suit actor