Origami Craftsman
- “Olivia?! Crease my corners! Is that really you? You look just how I designed you! Who in the world folded you?! And why aren't you with Olly?”
- —Origami Craftsman, Paper Mario: The Origami King
The Origami Craftsman is a Toad encountered in Paper Mario: The Origami King, who resides on Mushroom Island in the middle of the Great Sea, distinguished from other members of his species by his green spots and light blue shirt under yellow overalls; not to mention the multicolored pieces of paper he often holds in his hands. He is effectively the catalyst behind the entire game's narrative, as it was he who created the main antagonist, King Olly.
History
Prior to the events of The Origami King, the Origami Craftsman was preparing exhibits for the Mushroom Kingdom's forthcoming Origami Festival, including one modeled after an Origami Castle. While working on his projects, he aspired to create two origami characters to reside in that castle, the first of which being King Olly, whom he created with the forbidden Fold of Life, granting him sentience. However, the craftsman would write a note on his stomach while folding him, which infuriated the king. Olly, without reading the note, deemed it an insult to the very paper that created him, and harbored a genocidal bigotry against all Toads. He then created his sister, Olivia, and fled to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, but not before imprisoning his creator within the walls of his own basement, further immobilizing him with some tape. The doorknob leading to his backyard would also be stolen and locked away in a chest on Full Moon Island, preventing anyone from rescuing him.
The Origami Craftsman would later be rescued by Mario, Luigi, and Olivia, who are on their quest to destroy the purple streamer. The trio stumbles into his basement, where the latter immediately discloses her familiarity with the room, before ripping open the wall to set him free. The craftsman expresses shock at the fact that she has become sentient, before deducing that she was also created via the Fold of Life. He then explains that he never meant to cause Olly any trouble, and only wanted the best for his creations. Following the disclosure of King Olly's backstory, he wishes the gang good luck on their quest, but not before telling Olivia a secret, which she does not share with the others until the final battle, where she reveals that she can morph into a powerful hammer, which even manages to impress her brother while simultaneously returning him to his senses.
The Origami Craftsman later shows up at the end of the game, following King Olly's death, having been escorted to the transformed Peach's Castle thanks to Luigi, Kamek, and Bowser Jr. He helps Olivia fold her brother's remains into a crane, which combined with the other 999 in the room, would grant any wish she makes, which ultimately results in the undoing of everything Olly ever did. Before she makes her wish, the craftsman vows to never use the Fold of Life technique again.
Later that night, as the Origami Festival kicks off as planned, the Origami Craftsman reveals a tribute to his own creations in the form of a revised version of his intended exhibit, complete with thrones that would've housed Olly and Olivia. If Mario manages to 100% the game before the final boss, a post-credits scene shows the Origami Craftsman placing inanimate replicas of the origami siblings on these thrones, fulfilling their intended role.
Profile
- Collectible Treasure No. 92: "The origami craftsman who brought King Olly to life. For some reason, Olly doesn't really seem that grateful."
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | オリガミ職人キノピオ Origami Shokunin Kinopio |
Origami Craftsman Toad |
| Chinese (simplified) | 折纸工匠奇诺比奥 Zhézhǐ Gōngjiàng Qínuòbǐào |
Origami Craftsman Toad |
| Chinese (traditional) | 摺紙工匠奇諾比奧 Zhézhǐ Gōngjiàng Qínuòbǐào |
Origami Craftsman Toad |
| Dutch | Origamikunsternaar |
Origami artist |
| German | Origami-Meister |
Origami Master |
| Italian | Maestro Origamista |
Origami Master/Master origamist |
| Spanish (NOE) | Maestro del origami |
Origami Master |
