This figure is the bluegill sunfish (or just bluegill), Lepomis macrochirus, model number 26 and figure number 11 from the second series. Sunfish are medium-sized relatives of the largemouth and smallmouth bass (Centrarchidae) that natural occurred in the US in many areas east of the Rocky Mountains (and no relation to the ocean sunfish Mola). Like their larger-mouth cousins bluegill are popular with anglers and as food fish, and so have been introduced to almost every continent—they are very adaptable, even capable of surviving brackish salinities.
These introductions may have made anglers happy, but they are considered pests in many places that they have been released—and their inclusion in this set of mostly Japanese fish is mainly due to the massive damage they have wreaked in Lake Biwa. They can be adaptable feeders, primarily eating invertebrates and small fish but will not be choosy—another reason they can cause so much misery where they are introduced (to the local wildlife anyway). The Yujin model gives a length of 40cm, which seems to be the largest size available.
This model measures 5.2cm long, giving a scale of 1:8. Like the Largemouth Bass, the Bluegill has a very complex colouring, in both the figure and the real fish. The overall colours of the fish is a light yellowish-green, fading from darker on the dorsal margin to white at the belly. There are dark vertical bands along the sides which extend about halfway down the body. Interspersed between these bands are thinner light-green bands that extend all the way to the belly. The fins are uniformly dark green; mine has the fins painted quite thick, so that they do not appear translucent like many Yujin fish fins. The head is a flat light green except for the white lower jaw. My model has a strange black mark on the upper lip, but I don’t know if this has any basis in reality. The key colouring of a Bluegill—the blue or black spot on the trailing edge of the operculum—is painted a very bright blue or turquoise, with a black trailing edge; from photos that I have looked up, this seems a bit exaggerated, but does give a nice dash of colour!
Overall it is a very bright figure—and a nice break for the dominance of the browns and greys of the Series II models. The base that this one is on is the brown large pebbles. Bluegills and their similar relatives do not show up much as figures; I am aware of the Replica Toy Fish 3″ figure (there are several small centrarchids), but that may be it. There may also be other models, such as porcelain or glass figures, but I don’t keep up with those. Edit – Toy Fish Factory also included a bluegill in their first new box. The Yujin, and RTF, are both better.
Starting on the 14th of January, 2024, I migrated my first Yujin Freshwater Fish Pictorial walkaround post from the Animal Toy Forum to this blog, with the intention of moving all species’/figures’ walkarounds here. The initial post contained a lengthy explanation of the series (both the original and updated) that I don’t think should be repeated each time! For those details, the post can be seen at the first post. Then we can just get to the fish. Most of the details and writing will come from the original post, although I may supplement/add where appropriate.