Known for his "demonstrative" designs and his contribution to the mathematical backbone of modern folding, Maekawa’s work is a testament to the idea that structure creates beauty.

| Feature | Jun Maekawa | Akira Yoshizawa | Robert J. Lang | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Physicist / Mathematician | Artist / Laborer | Physicist / Engineer | | Aesthetic | Geometric, faceted, minimal | Organic, soft, expressive | Hyper-realistic, dense | | Fold count | Low to medium (30–80) | Variable | High (100–1000+) | | Key Theorem | Mountain-valley parity | None (intuitive) | Circle packing / Tree theory | | Typical model | Devil, Pegasus, Cicada | Crane variations, Frog | Tarantula, Moose, Cuckoo clock |

He helped prove that origami is not merely a pastime for children, but a legitimate branch of geometry. By codifying the rules of the fold, he gave a generation of designers the tools to create the impossible.

Maekawa has published several influential books that serve as guides for both intermediate and advanced folders:

: A series of books (e.g., Genuine Japanese Origami 2 ) that features models like the Golden Cat , Peacock , and various insects.