Today I again decided to explore my entomological roots and again used a random number generator to decide which figure to review. It landed on number 241, which in my Excel file is the current location of the Miyama stag beetle (Lucanus maculifemoratus) that was produced by F-toys for the 2011 release of their Insect Hunter line. This species occurs in northeastern Asia, from the Korean peninsula to Russia and Japan. There are roughly seven subspecies, but like all large showy beetles, taxonomists sometimes go overboard with subspecies designations.
This figure is 4.5 cm long, not including the mandibles and legs. The maximum length for the Japanese subspecies (L. m. maculifemoratus) is listed at 7.8 cm, but this F-toys figure probably falls within the 1:1 range. Many Lucanus species have very large size ranges, between a minor male and extreme major male, as well as differences in size ranges geographically. If you are into 1:1 or 1:2 figures, this could go either way.
F-toys beetles always fall nothing short of spectacular in their detail. This particular figure is articulated: the mandibles and legs move, and there is movement at the prothorax-mesothorax juncture. I should point out that not all F-toys figures are articulated. The paint application is fantastic and the texture is realistic. I wanted to take pics on a plastic log, but the figure blended in too well, hence this rock.
This species is VERY commonly made. Like many large, familiar scarabaeoid beetles, this one very popular among Japanese manufacturers. I have 23 figures of this species, and I know I do not have every version by F-toys, Sega, or Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. Companies like F-toys and T-TARTS release insect sets almost every year, and they have the tendency to duplicate species and sculpts, so if one is not careful, you can end up with a lot of the same species and a lot of duplication in design. I actually have stopped collecting duplicated sculpts by these two companies. In fact, in 2019 I didn’t get either of their releases! The first time in a while!
F-toys figures can be challenging to get after they are released, and eBay and the Japanese auctions are the best options. Because there are so many versions of this species, there are a lot of options out there at varying sizes and costs, so if you want one, there is something for everyone. Most collectors are unlikely to have this species, unless it falls in your taxonomic interests or you are a completist for a company (Kaiyodo, for example, has made this figure at least twice). But if you like what you see here, I can recommend it.
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