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avatar_Beetle guy

Kabaya insect series plus secret

Started by Beetle guy, August 28, 2016, 07:45:34 PM

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Beetle guy

I have deleted this post because of the photobucket issue.
Blaine has revived the overview of the series below!
To beetle or not to beetle.


sbell

I personally really like the mantis!

brontodocus

Ah, wonderful, this seems to be a complete set, isn't it? :) I'm quite envious because of the Golofa porteri and Kallima inachus! And yes, the pose of the Hymenopus coronatus is wonderful, I like it more than the Furuta version.

Beetle guy

Quote from: brontodocus on August 31, 2016, 02:01:09 PM
Ah, wonderful, this seems to be a complete set, isn't it? :) I'm quite envious because of the Golofa porteri and Kallima inachus! And yes, the pose of the Hymenopus coronatus is wonderful, I like it more than the Furuta version.

It is the complete set! :)
To beetle or not to beetle.

bmathison1972

#4
I just completed this set. I did a review for STS forum, but I am copying it here too (we encourage multiple reviews/walkarounds but like them on the same thread).


Review of one of Holy Grail sets that I just this week was finally able to complete, after about a decade of trying! It is the Insect Directory set by Kabaya. Thanks to Marcel, Brett, and Emiko who helped me acquire figures over recent years!

I am not sure when they were released.

There are 15 figures, 14 standard and one 'secret' figure. They are single-piece (no assembly required) and typical gashapon-sized and comparable to earlier Kaiyodo and Furuta figures. As many of you know, I love figures on bases. These figures all have a cool base and can easily be removed and reattached to the bases (so you don't need to display them on the bases if you prefer not to).

The species assortment is most interesting. About half the figures are very commonly made (at least by now, maybe not when this set first came out). But half the figures are rarely made and as of today, one remains unique. About half the figures are scarabaeoid beetles (at least half are beetles), and the rest an interesting assortment of taxa.

I show the figures below in their designated numerical order, as well as how frequently they show up in toy/figure/model form.

01. Allomyrina dichotoma.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. Let's face it, this is the face of Japanese beetle figures. I have 47 figures from 20 different manufacturers as well as a few unknown companies. I have actually stopped collecting the annual rehashes by F-toys and Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., even if it means losing some 'completeness'.



02. Dynastes hercules.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is the Western Hemisphere counterpart to A. dichotoma in terms of frequency made. I have 41 figures and I think Beetle Guy has more than I do! Also, like with A. dichotoma I have stopped collecting the annual rehashes by F-toys and Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., even if it means losing some 'completeness'.



03. Megasoma elephas.
Frequency: COMMON. I have a little more than a dozen figures.



04. Golofa poteri.
Frequency: RARE. This is only one of two figures I am aware of, the other by Sega.



05. Dorcus hopei binodulosus.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is another go-to species for Japanese manufacturers. I have 25 other figures.



06. Cyclommatus elephus.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of four figures I have, but one of five species in the genus. And of those five species I have only 11 figures total!



07. Macrodontia cervicornis.
Frequency: RARE. The only other figure I am aware of is by Play Visions, and you know how hard those are to get these days!



08. Luehdorfia japonica.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of two figures I am aware of, the other by Kaiyodo in their original Choco Q Animatales line.



09. Kallima inachus.
Frequency: RARE. When I was first aware of this set, this is the figure I wanted the most! The only other figure I am aware of is by Safari LTD (Wild Wraps, 1997)



10. Sympetrum pedomontanum elatum.
Frequency: UNIQUE. Yujin made another species in the genus.



11. Phyllium bioculatum.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of two figures of this species I have, and one of five total in the genus.



12. Hymenopus coronatus.
Frequency: RARE. I have two others, and one of those is from Shapeways.



13. Graptopsaltria nigrofusca.
Frequency. UNCOMMON to COMMON. I have about 12 figures of this species, but half of them are from a molting set by Bandai.



14. Coccinella septempunctata.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is the most commonly made non-scarabaeoid beetle. I have 13 figures of this species, plus many generic lady beetle figures could easily be attributed to this species.



15. SECRET: Dynastes hercules, in flight.
See Number 02, above.



Beetle guy

#5
Congrats! Nice overview also!

Deagostini has a G. porteri and Sega has released 2 (small and intermediate/small ones). I know an other G.porteri figure of an unknown manufacturer. 
A great set this Kabaya one is it is! :D

I have one original package/box were the figurines of the set were sold in. If you want me to post some pic's of it here , let me know.
To beetle or not to beetle.

bmathison1972

Quote from: Beetle guy on October 07, 2018, 07:52:38 PM
Congrats! Nice overview also!

Deagostini has a G. porteri and Sega has released 2 (small and intermediate/small ones). I know an other G.porteri figure of an unknown manufacturer. 
A great set this Kabaya one is it is! :D

I have one original package/box were the figurines of the set were sold in. If you want me to post some pic's of it here , let me know.

yes, let's see the box

You have a DeAgostini G. poteri? Mine are G. pizzaro and G. eacus.

Beetle guy

Quote from: bmathison1972 on October 07, 2018, 08:12:49 PM
You have a DeAgostini G. poteri? Mine are G. pizzaro and G. eacus.

Sorry I got the species mixed up, Perhaps I can get you the G. porteri of the unknown manufactorer, I will look if I still got it somewhere.
To beetle or not to beetle.


Beetle guy

Here is the box that was used for the seperate figurines.

Front:


Back:


Date of relaese?:

To beetle or not to beetle.

bmathison1972

updated my post to reflect that the Kallima inachus is not unique  :P