Bun-chan the Java Sparrow (Yakuza)

Well, my return into fandom amigurumi designs had to start with a bird. It's not my fault I fall in love with anything bird-related. At least I haven't subjected you all to my cat obsession yet!

So... Yakuza, or Ryuu ga Gotoku. I'm very, very slowly making my way through the series! I'm still stuck in Yakuza 2. It's not my fault there's so many fun side things to get in my way! I managed to get through Judgment as well, so I've at least gotten through 3 of the games? It was tempting to jump right into 7 when it came out, especially because I've got a bit spoiled in terms of how 6 ends, but I still wanna play through all of them anyway. Figured I'd wait and then get 7 on sale a decade later when I finally reach that point!

Anyway, out of all the cool things in Yakuza, naturally when I thought of making a plush I went straight to a UFO Catcher prize. I don't make human amigurumi so that did cut out a lot of my options... But of course I was still gonna land on the bird thingy. Especially after the Doll Girl substories in 0.

I also did some very rigorous, very scientific math to figure out a rough to scale size for Bun-chan. In that I took a screenshot of Kiryu standing beside a UFO Catcher and drew some lines to compare his height with Bun-chan's height.

I drew a line over Kiryu, labelled it 6ft, then shrunk it down in different increments until I got it to Bun-chan's height. So, in universe, Bun-chan is about 6 inches tall.

The best part of all this? Despite my best efforts, my Bun-chan design doesn't come out to 6 inches. More like 5. But it's close enough that I'll just call it "nearly life size" and move on. Other than that I think the design is surprisingly accurate!

If you want, you can buy a printable PDF copy of this pattern on Ravelry for $2CAD. That's less than it would cost to buy three tries at the UFO Catcher, even in 1988! The full pattern is still available here for free, but I know that some people prefer printed vs digital patterns.

Here's some quick guff on the ways you can use my pattern:

• do not redistribute the pattern - just link to this page
• your results are free for personal use - but I ask that you don't sell your finished product. just hand them out as gifts, ok? your friends will love you for it

With that out of the way, on to the pattern!

ad

Materials

• Size E (3.5mm) Crochet Hook
• Worsted Weight Yarn
  • I used Red Heart Super Saver in:
    • Spring Green
    • Light Raspberry
    • Cherry Red
    • Petal Pink
    • Cornmeal
• Yarn Needle
• Stuffing
• 2 10mm safety eyes

Abbreviations - US Terms

• ch – chain
• sc – single crochet
• hdc - half double crochet
• dc – double crochet
• inc – two single crochet in same stitch
• dec – invisible decrease
• ss – slip stitch
• cc – colour change
• blo – back loop only

Techniques

I have a useful guide on all the different techniques I use when I make amigurumi. Obviously, you should stick with whatever techniques you are comfortable with when making amigurumi, but I still recommend checking it out if you wanna get a result as close to mine as possible!

This pattern will ask you to work invisible decreases while working in BLO. To do this, work the invisible decrease the same as your would regularly, but use the back loop instead of the front loop.

This pattern is worked in a spiral. Therefore, there are no joins at the end of rounds.

Hat

Starting in green.

Rnd 1: sc 6 in a magic circle. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: inc around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) around. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: BLO: sc around. (18 sc)
Rnd 5-7 (x3): sc around. (18 sc)

On last rep, cc to dark pink on last sc. We’ve just created the main body of the hat. We’ll be going back to add the brim and ribbon of the hat later.

Rnd 8: BLO: inc around. (36 sc)
Rnd 9-10 (x2): sc around. (36 sc)

Fasten off with an invisible finish. We’ll finish off the hat before continuing on with the body.

Attach green yarn into one of the loops of the hat. Attach from top to bottom, like so:

Brim: inc in each st around. (36 sc)

Fasten off as if you’re about to do an invisible finish. I like to wait until I’ve stuffed the hat to do this so that I can hide the tail in that stuffing.

Speaking of which, stuff the hat.

Now cut a length of red yarn about 8” (20 cm) long. Thread it into your yarn needle and insert between the brim and the body of the hat at a point close to where the seam is. Pull down, leaving just a bit of yarn underneath and unthreading from the needle.

Thread the other end of the yarn into your needle. Wrap the yarn around the hat then insert your needle one stitch past the other end.

Pull the end tight enough to keep the ribbon somewhat in place around the hat. Tie the two ends together in a knot to secure.

Next we’ll be continuing on with the body.

Body

Attach light pink yarn anywhere along the body.

Rnd 1: sc 4, inc, sc, cc to dark pink (dp), sc 3, cc to light pink (lp), sc 5, cc to dp, sc 8, cc to lp, sc 5, cc to dp, sc 3, cc to lp, sc, inc, sc 4. (38 sc)
Rnd 2: sc 5, inc, sc 10, cc to dp, sc 6, cc to lp, sc 10, inc, sc 5. (40 sc)
Rnd 3: sc 6, inc, sc 11, cc to dp, sc 4, cc to lp and drop dp, sc 11, inc, sc 6. (42 sc)
Rnd 4: sc 7, inc, sc 4, dec, sc 5, dec twice, sc 5, dec, sc 4, inc, sc 7. (40 sc)
Rnd 5: sc 8, inc, sc 4, BLO: (dec, sc 10, dec), then in both loops: sc 4, inc, sc 8. (40 sc)
Rnd 6: sc 9, inc, sc 20, inc, sc 9. (42 sc)
Rnd 7-9 (x3): sc around. (42 sc)

Pause here to attach the safety eyes and stuff the head. Place the eyes in line with the highest point of light pink along the head, one stitch into the dark pink.Then stuff the head. Like so:

Rnd 10: (sc 6, inc) around. (48 sc)
Rnd 11-14 (x4): sc around. (48 sc)
Rnd 15: sc 14, dec, sc 7, dec, sc 7, dec, sc 14. (45 sc)
Rnd 16: sc around. (45 sc)
Rnd 17: sc 14, dec, sc 6, dec, sc 6, dec, sc 13. (42 sc)
Rnd 18: sc around. (42 sc)
Rnd 19: (sc 5, dec) around. (36 sc)

Start stuffing the body.

Rnd 20: (sc 4, dec) around. (30 sc)
Rnd 21: BLO: (sc 3, dec) around. (24 sc)

Stuff the body some more. Now is a good time to get a lot of stuffing into the back. Bun-chan has a kind of “hunchback” where there isn’t really a clear separation between the back of the head and the body. See?

There’s going to be a lot of stuffing going in to make its plump, round shape. Probably a lot more stuffing than you’d expect. Seriously, mine ended up weighing almost 100 grams. Which, yeah, doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s pretty hefty for an amigurumi.

Anyway, let’s carry on.

Rnd 22: (sc 2, dec) around. (18 sc)
Rnd 23: (sc, dec) around. (12 sc)
Rnd 24: dec around. (6 sc)

Fasten off with a weaving finish.

Beak

In yellow:

Rnd 1: sc 4 in magic circle. (4 sc)
Rnd 2: (sc, inc) twice. (6 sc)

Fasten off with a tail for sewing.

Feet

Make 2. In yellow:

In magic circle, (sc, ch2, ss to sc) three times to form the three front toes. sc. (sc, ch 2, ss to sc) once to form the back toe. sc. ss to first (or as close to it as you can get). Fasten off with a tail for sewing.

Wings

Make 2. Starting in light pink.

Rnd 1: sc 6 in magic circle. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: inc around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) around. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) around. (24 sc)
Rnd 5: ss 7, sc, hdc 2, dc, 3 dc in next, dc, hdc 2, sc, ss, cc to dark pink and ignore the rest of the sts. Leave the light pink tail for now.
Rnd 6: ch 1, turn. ss, sc, hdc 2, dc, 3 dc in next, dc, hdc 2, sc, ss.

Fasten off, leaving both tails long enough to sew their respective sections.

Tail

In light pink.

Rnd 1: ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc, 3 sc in next, rotate, sc, 2 sc in last. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: inc, sc, inc three times, rotate, sc, inc twice. (14 sc)
Rnd 3-5 (x3): sc around. (14 sc)
Rnd 6: sc, inc, sc 2, inc, (sc, inc) twice, rotate, sc 2, inc, sc, inc. (20 sc)

Fasten off with a tail for sewing.

ad

Face Details

We’ll start by sewing on the beak. Use this placement. Add a small amount of stuffing to give the beak shape.

Now, cut a length of green yarn about 16” (40 cm) long. We’ll be creating the hat strap with this yarn.

Insert your needle into a stitch right up under the brim, in line with end/start of the BLO section. Tie a knot over this stitch and hide the tail in the body.

Insert your needle into the 4th stitch of the BLO section.

Exit at the same point on the other side (4th stitch from BLO section end).

Repeat step 2 and 3.

Insert your needle into the stitch under the brim in line with the end/start of the BLO section.

Tie a knot and hide the tail.

Sewing on Parts

Let’s start by sewing on the wings. It’s a large part, so the placement is a bit difficult. You can follow my placement or use your own, just try your best to sew both wings on the same way.

• The first pin will go directly beside the end of the BLO section. Then, go 4 stitches outwards (towards the back).
• The next point is four rounds below, 1 stitch outwards. This is the start of the dark pink section of the wing.
• Then 3 rounds below, 1 stitch outwards.
• Then 3 rounds below.
• Then 1 stitch diagonally inwards.
• Another stitch diagonally inwards.
• One stitch towards the belly.
• The next point is 3 rounds above, 5 stitches towards the belly. The dark pink section will end around this point.
• The next is 4 rounds up, 1 stitch towards the belly. The ss of this wing will be sewn along here.
• Then another 4 rounds up, 1 stitch towards the back. This completes the circle, leaving 1 diagonal stitch to the first point.

Before you finish sewing, add some stuffing to the wing. It doesn’t need to stick out that much. Try to add more stuffing to the top than to the bottom as a sort of “shoulder.”

The other wing is attached with the same placement, but in reverse.

• The first pin will go directly beside the end of the BLO section. Then, go 4 stitches outwards (towards the back). The ss of the wing will be sewn in along these stitches.
• The next point is four rounds below, 1 stitch outwards. This is the start of the dark pink section of the wing.
• Then 3 rounds below, 1 stitch outwards.
• Then 3 rounds below.
• Then 1 stitch diagonally inwards.
• Another stitch diagonally inwards.
• One stitch towards the belly.
• The next point is 3 rounds above, 5 stitches towards the belly. The dark pink section will end around this point.
• The next is 4 rounds up, 1 stitch towards the belly.
• Then another 4 rounds up, 1 stitch towards the back. This completes the circle, leaving 1 diagonal stitch to the first point.

Before you finish sewing, add some stuffing to the wing. It doesn’t need to stick out that much. Try to add more stuffing to the top than to the bottom as a sort of “shoulder.”

Follow this placement to sew on the tail:

The bottom will be two rounds above the higher section of the BLO round (because we worked in a spiral, the seam doesn’t align exactly). This part is 6 stitches long.
Go one up diagonally and outwards to start the outer edge of the tail. This section ends 2 rounds higher. It will be 4 to 5 stitches away from the dark pink wing tips. Just try to align it by eye.
The next two points are one diagonal up and inwards, back to being 6 stitches apart.

Stuff the tail, trying to keep a minimal amount of stuffing in the end to make the tail a bit pointed.

Attach the feet next.

Align the top inner point with the end of the hat strap. The next point is in the same round, one stitch outwards. The next two points are both in line, one round below. Basically, make a square. It’s alright if the square isn’t perfect.
Because there is no stuffing, you don’t need to be too diligent on closing up gaps between the feet and the body. Just get them attached.

Now we’ll finish up by embroidering a tie with dark pink yarn.

Try your best to line up the tie with the middle of the body. It’ll probably be a bit off centre, but it’s not that noticeable once it’s done.

Mark a length 3 stitches wide, 3 rounds below the BLO section. Mark a point in the middle stitch, one round below.

Mark another length three stitches wide in line with the other, 4 rounds below the lower point. Then mark the middle stitch, one round below, again.

Embroider a tie by making two lines from each of the top three stitches going down to the middle one, then make a line from one end of the top length to the other.

Working from that top middle point, make two lines to each of the 3 stitches below again. Then do two more lines in each stitch from the second length down to the middle.

And you're done!

I hope you enjoyed making your little Bun-chan! I don't have any more Yakuza-themed patterns, but you can still check out all of my other patterns here! Also, if you like birds as much as I do, I have quite a few bird patterns as well.