Hi there, my name is James Shikada, alias One Sixth Practical. Based in Tokyo JAPAN.
After nearly two decades as a writer and documentary filmmaker, I've returned to a craft I love the most, the practical kind. It was my adolescent dream to become a Practical FX artist, to design, craft and mold sci-fi creatures like the classic Predator and Xenomorph. So in a sense this is my dream fulfillment, only on a smaller scale that I can do at home.
“Throwback 2020/1993. Me of 39 yrs mimicking my 12yr old expression of August 19, 1993. I'd just seen ALIEN³ on VHS and had to immediately craft a purple color Runner/Dog Alien with papier-mâché over a flimsy thin wire armature with a rubber snake for its tail. Yup, it fell apart in weeks but a win for experimental art! 28 years on, that statue I hold is my Purple Alien Mark II”
“Tokyo circa 1992. A perfectionist since age 10. I mean I give Godzilla double row teeth, c'mon!” 
My fascination with 1:6 figures began in 2016 when my uncle introduced me to Hot Toys and brought a number of his collection to my place since space was an issue at his own. When he saw that I had a talent for customization, he continued to bring more for me to customize. From messing with the best on the market, I became a complete 1:6 maniac.
My artistic aim is to make 1:6 objects look and feel as close to the real thing as possible. Only an artist or a collector may relate to how it is to hold a hyper realistic figure in hand. When tastefully customized, a figure can generate what is sensory magic, where a mind is almost fooled into a sensation of holding or looking upon an actual tiny being. Rooted hair when done correctly can elevate a piece of PVC to a believable thing that tingle our senses more than a 3D digital asset on screen ever could. Those who’ve seen and held such works of art may also relate to the fact that a photo representation cannot replicate ‘that’ feeling. Its an obsession of the sensory kind, shared by collectors and artists alike.
Personally I find that a sculpt with not only hair but rooted eyebrows, stubble and beard (if a male) can elevate that feeling even further. So why is rooted stubble and brow hair such a rare find in custom 1:6? The most likely answer is: while long to medium hair and beard is straight forward in its glue application, short hairs such as stubble and eyebrow poses a far greater challenge in both difficulty and patience level. So much so that most artists find it best to avoid them all together. Therefore, I invented my very own practical method of short hair application that is esthetically organic while also stable and secure. Many of my upcoming original-sculpt custom head projects will include such hairs.
I am still a student of this craft, striving toward a mastery in certain areas I can proud of. Being half Japanese on my father’s side, I regard perfectionism as my cultural heritage. As I enter my 40s, I better understand my late father’s teaching. He spoke of why we go the extra mile for the finest quality and detail. Good or bad, perfectionism is in my blood. It is for this reason that I stamp my family name 鹿田 by traditional hanko on every card. If my work gives you ‘that’ cool feeling others artists have given me, I’m a happy chappy.
Thank you for visiting! I can be found on both Instagram & Facebook @onesixthpractical
Warm regards,
James Shikada / One Sixth Practical
