Japanese Giant Salamander (Sofubi Toy Box by Kaiyodo)

Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972.

Not a lot time has passed since my last review of a Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), so there is not much more to tell about the animal itself, so let us get straight away to the figure itself.

Kaiyodo`s Sofubi Toy Box figures are produced in a very different scale than what we are usually accustomed to by that company. With a roughly 1:5 scale and 30 cm in direct line this figure takes up some shelf space. At the head, the body part with greatest width, it measures 6.5 cm.

The figure is made of hollow vinyl and therefor very light. The usual production seams of such figures are well hidden on the belly so they do not disturb the view from above or the sides. All four legs and the lower jaw are articulated. This articulation for sure requires some gaps or seams, but especially at the legs, these fit quite well with the folds and wrinkles the animal correctly boasts. The jaw articulation is quite ugly, but also almost invisible from the best perspective to show the figure, so I personally do not mind it at all and welcome the possibilities the articulation offers.

The detailing is very well done and the figure may pass for a live specimen at a glance. Lots of small tubercles deck the front half of the figure, the tiny eyes are accurately painted in silver and black. The overall coloration of yellowish brown with black blotches and dots is intermixed with a darker brown hue in some places.

The material and paint can withstand quite some handling and I have used the figure several times for photo-shoots out in the “wild“, on wood, stones, and as you can see in water; my son used it for playing and it still is in perfect condition.

I am unaware of the production date of the figure as there is no stamp anywhere on the figure to be seen. You can find the figure on eBay for around 45 to 60 US dollars. While this is quite a sum, I highly recommend this figure for collectors keen of amphibians.