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How to fold an origami kaiju

Fold a kite in half, fold its short end up as the chest and tip it back so the long point slopes down as a thick tail. Fold the top point forward for a big square-snouted head and curl the tail. A folded strip makes two striding legs, and a snipped lime strip adds crystal spikes down its back.

You need: A 15 cm square and a 15 × 4 cm strip, both teal on one side, a 5 cm lime square, scissors, a glue stick and a black pen. Medium, 20 steps, about 20 minutes.

Steps

  1. Body: crease the middle. Start with the square, white side up, like a diamond. Fold the top corner down to the bottom one and open it again.
  2. Body: make a kite. Fold the two edges by the left corner in so they meet along the crease. The long point on the left will be the tail.
  3. Body: fold in half. Fold the top half down onto the bottom half, flaps inside. The long fold on top is the kaiju's back.
  4. Body: fold up the chest. Fold the right end up on a slanted crease from the bottom edge 8 cm from the tail tip to the top fold 12.5 cm from the tail tip. It stands up as the chest.
  5. Body: stand it up. Tip it back a little so the tail slopes down to the table behind the chest.
  6. Body: head forward. Fold the top point forward and a little down, 4.5 cm from its tip, so it sticks out in front as a big head.
  7. Body: square snout. Fold the last 1.5 cm of the head behind, so the front of the head is square.
  8. Body: curl the tail. Fold the last 3.5 cm of the tail up and back, so its tip curls up.
  9. Spikes: new sheet. Set the body aside. Cut a 5 cm square of lime paper and lay it white side up.
  10. Spikes: fold in half. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge. The tips of the spikes will be on this fold.
  11. Spikes: fold it small. Fold the right end over onto the left end.
  12. Spikes: smaller. Fold the right end over onto the left end again, so it is 1.25 cm wide.
  13. Spikes: snip. Cut one slant through all the layers, from the top left corner down to the right edge 3 mm above the bottom, so the pieces stay joined.
  14. Spikes: open it. Unfold the last fold.
  15. Spikes: open it out. Unfold the first fold too. Three sharp crystal shards stand up along the strip!
  16. Legs: new sheet. Set the spikes aside. Take the 15 × 4 cm teal strip, white side up, standing upright.
  17. Legs: fold in half. Fold the strip in half the long way, left edge onto the right edge, so it is teal on both sides.
  18. Legs: stride. Fold the top half down in front, on a crease across the middle, slanting it so the folded-down leg swings a little to the left. The two legs stride apart.
  19. Legs: feet. Fold the bottom 4 cm of each leg forward on a slant for a foot: the front layer's foot in front, the back layer's behind. Keep the soles level.
  20. Glue it together. Glue the body over the top of the legs, so the fold between them hides behind its tummy and the feet point the same way as the head. Glue the spikes behind its back, from the back of the head down to the top of the tail, points sticking out.

Roar!

Draw a fierce eye with an angry brow, a nostril, a long grumpy mouth with two little white fangs, and two claws on each foot. Then stomp it across the table!

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