Before I start this Blogpost, I must again thank @Kenc and the folks at Toymany for donating this review sample. It is very much appreciated. As with other Toymany set reviews, this is a general overview to introduce the animal toy community to the set and does not prevent others from doing more in-depth reviews of individual figures.
Mandarin Dogfish, Kitefin Shark, Japanese Angelshark, and Roughskin Dogfish (Plush Sharks Vols. 2-4 by Qualia)
5 (3 votes)
Review and images by Alopias superciliosus; edited by bmathison1972
I appreciate Shark Week on the Animal Toy Blog far more than I do the actual shark week programming on Discovery because the reviews on the Blog are more in line with what Shark Week should be and once was: an educational look at a fascinating group of animals, as opposed to over-dramatized, fear-mongering pseudo-science.
Porbeagle Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.8 (5 votes)
The porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) is a mackerel shark of cold waters. The origin of its common name is unknown. One theory is that ‘porbeagle’ is a combination of ‘porpoise’ and ‘beagle’, in reference to the shark’s tenacious hunting behavior. Another is that it is a combination of the Cornish words porth (harbor) and bugel (shepherd).
Leopard Shark, 1996 (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.8 (4 votes)
My next Shark Week review is another blast from the past, the 1996 Wild Safari leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata). Since the release and retirement of this toy, better leopard sharks have come along by Safari and Papo, but this oldie is still worth taking a look at.
Great White Shark, 2016 (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.5 (4 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
It’s Shark Week on the Blog once again and for today’s subject, we’ll be looking at the magnificent and feared great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), a species that needs no introduction, being prominently featured in many games, movies, books and toys.
Thresher Shark (Marine Life by Papo)
4.8 (6 votes)
Review and images by Alopias superciliosus; edited by bmathison1972
I’m happy to be back for my third Shark Week with the Animal Toy Blog, and this year I will be contributing two reviews! First up, arriving just in time for Shark Week, Papo’s newly released thresher shark.
Thresher sharks are a fascinating family of mackerel sharks easily distinguished by their incredibly long upper caudal fin lobes.
Angular Roughshark (Return to Isle of Jaws by Discovery Science)
4 (5 votes)
Today it’s my contribution to the Shark Week posts, and just like last year, it’s a very unusual species from the Discovery Science set “Return to Isle of Jaws”. As before, I haven’t actually see the show of the same name, but it did lead to a whole box set of shark figures.
Scalloped Hammerhead (BJ Toy Company)
4 (3 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
For Shark Week this year, I’m covering this charming plush hammerhead from BJ Toy Company. I acquired it back in 2009 when I visited the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee. And it ended up coming in rather handy when my suitcase got lost on the flight back home.
Great White Shark, 1995 (Sea Animals 1:32 by Schleich)
4 (5 votes)
Shark Week is back, and this year also marks the 50th anniversary of Jaws, so to kick off a week of toy shark reviews we’ll start by looking at Shark Week’s headlining shark species and the star of Jaws, a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias).
Cute Spider (Tarlin)
5 (3 votes)
Last year I reviewed a fun novelty set called Cute Silkworm by Tarlin. The set included four stylized figures of silkworm moths representing the ecdysis process. In 2025 they reissued that set with a slightly different color for the moths (light beige rather than pure white). Later in 2025 they produced another ‘Cute’ set, and the focus of today’s review, Cute Spider!
Hippopotamus (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (8 votes)
Now having two pygmy hippopotamus reviews under my belt I figured it was time to check the other hippopotamus species off my review list, the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). This species has been reviewed a few times and is so widely familiar that it needs no introduction from me, so let’s dive on in.
White Bullhead Catfish (unreleased 3″ figure by Replica Toy Fish)
4.3 (3 votes)
Here we are, the end of the line, in every sense of the phrase. I have been reviewing the fish from Replica Toy Fish for what seems like forever (but has only been about 8 months), all from my personal collection. The very first post was the 6″ channel catfish, possibly the most popular figure and the first to go out of production, well before the line closed up for good.