From Mr. Aoki, the artist who animated the wood figures:
I often hear park ramblers giving a shout “Wow!” at sight of my Conals, when I’m making a new one. Some are hardly aware of them, but most children are happy at the sight of the figures and are occasionally giving yippee. I’m happy too to work much harder with my new one.
“Is this an owl, isn’t it?”, someone asked me. So, I added ears to it.
“Wow, it’s a lion!”, I heard someone yell. So, I added more palm beard around its face.
They could be mysterious creatures living in the woods, fairies or even gods and goddesses. I really have no idea what they should be. I just have been making efforts these three years to make the most of each piece of wood to materialize my imaginations, because each wood has its own characteristics due to its long history as a tree. My Conals got their new lives from that wood.
Do you know the Conal’s Square? About fifteen of wooden statues are standing next to each other there. Are they living things or spirits of the forest? Are they gods and goddesses guarding our fields and woods? Or are they just holding a meeting about their own matters? They look cute before dark, but I suspect that they are suspiciously loitering around there at night.