Mukimiguma makeup has red beniguma, and is used for roles that are full of youthful sensuality and have a strong sense of justice. This makeup is known as mukimiguma because the simple shapes resemble mukimi, shellfish without shells.

Representative roles: Sakuramaru in the Kurumabiki (The Fight Over the Carriage) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Sukeroku in “Sukeroku Yukari no Edozakura” (Sukeroku, the Hero of Edo), Soga no Goro in “Kotobuki Soga no Taimen” (The Revenge of the Soga Brothers)

Ipponguma makeup has red beniguma, and is used for roles that are strong and reliable, but also rough and rascally. This style is called ipponguma (“one kuma”) because only one vertical kuma is drawn. A kuma representing a double-chin is also drawn beneath the jaw.

Representative roles: Umeomaru in the Ga no Iwai (The Birthday Celebration) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Watonai in the Senrigatake (The Thousand League Bamboo Forest) scene, Romon (The gate to the Castle of the Lions) scene in “Kokusenya Kassen” (The Battles of Coxinga)

This makeup has red beniguma, and is used for calm, majestic, and strong adult roles. Nihonguma means “two kuma,” and is named this because two kuma sweep upwards from the eyes. An actor will also use blue on his chin for a beard, and black ink on the outer corners of his eyes and the inside of his lips.

Representative roles: Matsuomaru in the Kurumabiki (The Fight Over the Carriage) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Narukami Shonin in “Narukami” (The Holy Man Narukami and Lady Taema)

Sujiguma makeup has red beniguma, and is used for roles that are heroes with super-human strength, filled with intense anger. It is called sujiguma because several red kuma are drawn sweeping upwards over the lines of the face (suji). A triangle in red is added on the chin, and black ink is drawn on the corners of the mouth.

Representative roles: Umeomaru in the Kurumabiki (The Fight Over the Carriage) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Kamakura Gongoro in “Shibaraku” (Wait a Moment!), Soga no Goro in “Yanone” (Goro and the Arrows)

These kuma are used for roles that are valiant heroes, but have been captured and imprisoned by their enemies and have become pale and thin. Kagekiyo no kuma is named after the character Kagekiyo, a role for which it is often used. The actor’s face is painted with a white base color, and red beniguma the same shape as those used in sujiguma makeup are drawn on the upper half of his face, but those on the lower half are drawn in indigo blue. Due to this, this style is also known as hanguma, or “half kuma.”

Representative roles: Kagekiyo in “Kagekiyo”

This makeup is used for roles of great villains with high status who are trying to take over the country; the indigo blue aiguma give a cold and eerie impression. Kugeare makeup may feature prominent eyebrows, rounded kuraiboshi (“stars of rank”) drawn on the forehead in black ink, or both.

Representative roles: Fujiwara no Shihei in the Kurumabiki (The Fight Over the Carriage) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy), Kiyohara no Takehira in “Shibaraku” (Wait a Moment!)

These kuma are used for roles of thoughtless thugs who are the retainers or subordinates of great villains. This makeup is known as akattsura, or “red face,” because the base color is red rather than white. Mukimiguma are drawn on in red, as are kuma beneath the chin.

Representative roles: Haradashi in “Shibaraku” (Wait a Moment!), Kamei Rokuro in the Kawatsura Hogen Yakata (The Maison of Kawatsura Hogen, commonly called ‘Shi no kiri’) scene in “Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura” (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees), Sugiomaru in the Kurumabiki (The Fight Over the Carriage) scene in “Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami” (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy)

These light brown chaguma are for roles in which humans transform into entities that are not of this world, such as monsters, spirits, or vengeful ghosts. In the case of the ground spider, the actor uses a brownish-white base color, adds eyebrows, and paints the mouth so that it looks like a great slash, which strengthens the impression of eeriness.

Representative roles: Tsuchigumo no Sei in “Tsuchigumo” (The Ground Spider), Ibarakidoji (Ogre) in “Ibaraki” (The Demon)

These kuma are used for roles of heroic samurai who are comical and humorous despite their status. Saruguma means “monkey kuma,” and this makeup is one type of zareguma (meaning “playful kuma”), which imitates animals and plants. The eyebrows are shaped like a figure of eight (八), and are called nasubi-mayu (“eggplant eyebrows”).

Representative roles: Kobayashi Asahina in “Kotobuki Soga no Taimen” (The Revenge of the Soga Brothers)

These kuma are used for roles that are dimwitted and make the audience laugh despite their villainy. Similar to kagekiyo no kuma, namazuguma uses a combination of red beniguma on the top half of the face and indigo blue aiguma on the bottom half. This is one type of zareguma, and is known as namazuguma (“catfish kuma”) because it has catfish-like whiskers around the mouth.

Representative roles: Kashimanyudo (common name: Namazubozu) in “Shibaraku” (Wait a Moment!)