Another frenzy of figures! As usual, kind of all over the place. Dinosaurs, fish, weird invertebrates. And all from different companies. For the first time in a while, I think these are also all figures that I currently display! That doesn’t always happen! I also just realized that every one of these figures is from a different Japanese series. Which might indicate just how many Japanese models I have!
Kaiyodo Dinotales Special Release White Allosaurus
First up, yet another Kaiyodo Dinotales figure! This time, it is the original sculpt of their Allosaurus figure, originally released with their second Dinotales series (number 025). BUT! This is not the figure from that set (the original is green). Instead, as was done occasionally, Kaiyodo reissued the Allosaurus as part of some kind of promotion in a different paint job. And it is a very striking (if unlikely) colour. The figure was originally sculpted for about 2001, which probably explains why it is clearly inspired by the ‘Ballad of Big Al’ design for the species. I don’t normally go for paint scheme variations, but for a little while they could sometimes be found for reasonable amounts in auctions–that is how I came across this one, and it is very cool. Never really sure why a number of Dinotales repainted specials tend to go with a white pattern, but it looks neat. I definitely recommend getting one if the opportunity ever arises!
Playmates Dinosaur King Triceratops
Next up, another dinosaur from another line we’ve seen before, a Triceratops from the Playmates Dinosaur King figure series, the first series to be exact. As with other models from the series, it hews very close to the depiction of the ‘realistic’ model in the show (although I think there are ‘friendly versions’ of some too, including the Trike. I do know that there are a lot of other figures based on Dinosaur King, and that the Triceratops has been done many time–so this colour scheme is very common in Japanese toys and figures. As always, an enjoyable and colourful line of prehistoric animals, and one that was never made as available as it should have been–they bridge nicely between basic toys and higher quality small models. It’s not like it’s difficult to find Triceratops figures, but one from the Dinosaur King series would still be pretty distinctive.
Favorite Co Cambrian Creatures Hallucigenia
Next we have another prehistoric figure, this time another figure from the Favorite Co Cambrian Creatures series. This one is the distinctly spiky and weird looking velvet worm relative Hallucigenia, item number FP-203. For a period of time known for weird-looking animals, Hallucigenia is certainly one of the better known, and also among the better represented. Favorite did a really excellent job with this one, making sure to give the head it’s correct size and eye placement (instead of the bulbous end, sometimes with huge eyes). It is overall a very soft figure, which make the back spines a little too similar to the legs but as a toy that makes sense (and unlike the original fossil, there’s no mistaking up from down!) These are of course still relatively widely available, especially through Japan but other sellers bring them in as well. Good addition to a prehistoric invertebrates collection.
Yujin Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 2 AND Book 2 (revised) Grass Pufferfish
Staying in the water–but freshwater now!–we have a pair of Grass Pufferfish figures from the Yujin Primary Freshwater Fish Pictorial Book 2, number 30 in that series. This time, we have two versions, the original release (less spots!) and the revised version (darker colours and lots of spots!). Sometimes I try to get the variants of the Yujin fish models, but I would guess that having both of these was incidental. I know for sure that I had the revised one first, from a large job lot auction. I probably got the earlier-released one later as part of another lot, trying to complete the series. For fans of fish figures, either one would be a great addition–in general, we tend only to see porcupine puffers as figures, and others are usually marine as well, so a nice freshwater one is welcome. There are other grass puffer figures out there, all from Japan…and all currently out of production. But I don’t think it’s too hard to track down a Yujin one; the durable PVC and numerous releases means that there are likely lots in good shape out there if you’re looking!
Colorata Endangered Fossil Fish Box (1, 2 and 3) Queensland Lungfish
Finally, sticking with two versions of the same freshwater fish figure, we have the two versions of the Queensland lungfish from the Colorata Endangered Fossil Fish box collections. We saw the version included with the second (and third, current) release in a post about that whole set here but now I can show how they changed. Unlike some of the figures in the different releases, the lungfish had only small changes (the arowana and arapaima saw especially notable change). The original is a slightly duller brown with yellow belly, and no spots on the underside of the tail. The revision see the paint darkened along the body with the belly muted to more of a peach tone, and lots of spots at the tail. The original lungfish is actually one of my first ‘primitive fish’ figures ever, having purchased it as an individual figure (along with the original Chinese sturgeon) was back when the set first released in about 2003/4–I would guess that only a Kaiyodo coelacanth made it into the collection first. I eventually did get the whole set…then the whole Revised version in 2011…then the revised revised version again in 2014! So I have a couple of each, although the 2004 version is no longer in production. They are excellent models, and I highly recommend them (and the set), and would be great for displays, toys (off the pegs…) and for Cretaceous dioramas even! The size is pretty good for that. There have been a number of Australian lungfish figures, all from Japan (and one Yowies) but the Colorata is the only one currently in production, so it makes the search easier.
