Puppets were classified in various ways. First, they were divided by the different types of puppets: marionettes, mechanical dolls, puppets held above the operators' heads, small puppets on a portable stage, large puppets operated by one man, and lastly, the three-man puppet used in Bunraku. They were also classified by their gender and age (See chart below). The puppets were 1/2-2/3 life size. They were made up of a wooden head, a shoulder board, a trunk, arms, legs, and a costume. The arms and legs were hung from the shoulder board with strings. They had frames made up of a straight piece of wood for the shoulders and a bamboo hoop for the hips. Between them was thick paper that formed the back and front. Generally, the parts of the body covered by a kimono were not actually present. The head of the puppet was insterted into the shoulder board, and the legs and arms were hung from it with strings. The male puppets were larger and heavier than the females, while the female puppet was smaller and more simple than the male. They also lacked feet, hands and facial features. Overall, there were 70 different kinds of heads. Bunshichi was the most famous man's head, created in 1718. Bunshichi was a strong warrior puppet in his prime, but one can see past his stern expression to a foreboding of an early death.
Image from http://blog.ofjapan.jp/japanese-puppet-theater-bunraku/
Image from http://blog.ofjapan.jp/japanese-puppet-theater-bunraku/