Stan Winston Studios were hired to realize the 'Ripper' kangaroo mutants, and decided to take them into a more jokingly grotesque direction; the Ripper makeups were based on sketches by Mark 'Crash' McCreery, and had their heads be more human-like compared to Booga's design in the original comic, with short snouts and protruding ears on their skulls. McCreery also designed the makeshift armor the Rippers wore as well.
Working under Stan Winston was Shane Mahan as one of the art department co-ordinators; Mahan would later be supervisor on the infamous Island of Dr. Moreau a year later. Bruce Spaulding Fuller was one of the makeup artists for Tank Girl that would find himself working on Dr. Moreau as well.
When it came to realizing the eight Rippers, it would be prosthetic makeups with animatronics fitted in the top of the head to move the ears; three technicians would have to work on each Ripper prosthetic during filming. This was difficult for the actors, as the animatronics had the prosthetics heavy, but Ice-T (who played the Ripper T-Saint, in the headband) didn't complain much as it was 'better than prison'. One of the unnamed Rippers was played by Doug Jones, who would play several prosthetic creatures in his career.
Past the faces, only a prosthetic tail prop was required, sticking out of the actors pants. However, a full body prosthetic was made for Booga (played by Jeff Kober) for a scene where he and Lori Petty were in bed after sex; this scene cost thousands of dollars to make, partly for the creation of a full prosthetic penis as well! This was cut from the final film, and no behind the scenes images of it have ever been shared online as of now. Perhaps one day...
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