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FigureTales

Vault Tales 96 Kaiyodo Dinotales Anomalocaris

The first superpredator? Maybe. This may be the most glorious version out there. This post is going to go back to the Kaiyodo Dinotales, a series that I've spent quite a bit of time discussing. Hardly surprising, since I have at least one of every model...and there are a lot of models! This Anomalocaris is from the Dinotales 2 series, number 046 in the run. The series as a whole seemed to be tougher to find, having first showed up…

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April 2, 2020
FigureTales

Vault Tales 95 Kaiyodo Capsule Aquarium Bronze Whaler Shark

There are not enough shark figures. Of most species. Like this one. I am once again revisiting a figure from Kaiyodo (a company that has come up in this blog many times already), but I think this is the first one from the Capsule Aquarium series (I did discuss the tiger shark before, but it's from the CapsuleQ line). The Capsule Aquarium sets, if I understand correctly, are meant for public aquaria--of which Japan has several (and, yes, only in…

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March 30, 2020
FigureTales

Vault Tales 94 Colorata Japanese Pilchard

It's a wee little fishy! This post is going to go back to the Colorata figures well (I do have a lot of them). This time, it's another figure from the Saltwater Fishes box set, a Japanese Pilchard. Clearly this was a set that was influenced by species commonly encountered in some way--for the pilchard (and other, related sardines) that would of course be as a food animal. But at least this figure celebrates the living animal! As with the…

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March 26, 2020
FigureTales

Vault Tales 93 Shapeways Kosmoceratops

A highly detailed 3D printing For this post we're going to look at another figure produced through Shapeways. This time it is a Kosmoceratops sculpted by noted artist David Krentz. I don't know if he has added more, but for a while he was putting up small 1:72 dinosaur models, and since no one at the time was making one, I decided to add this species to the collection that way! I purchased mine in 2011 and it can still…

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March 23, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 92 Customized Replica Toy Fish Amur Pike

The original northern pike (left) with the Amur pike repaint Today's figure is another fish from the defunct Replica Toy Fish Company, but more than that, it is another custom paint job of one of the RTF figures. Last time I turned a brook trout into a bull trout, this time I turned a northern pike into an Amur pike (AKA blackspotted pike). Like the majority of the small RTF fish, the northern pike came out in about 2010. I…

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March 19, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 91 Kaiyodo National Museum Futabasaurus & Skeleton

(Side note--I've been doing this for almost a year, and have decided to change up the format. I'll say about the same things, but I'm just going to go with paragraphs now!) A pretty purple plesiosaur perfectly perched...precariously? The alliteration got away from me, it's actually on an acrylic peg of course. Today's figure (well, figures) are continuing the Kaiyodo theme, with a pair from the Kaiyodo National Museum gashapon series--a set of capsule figures with a natural sciences theme.…

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March 16, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 90 Kaiyodo Dinotales Arsinoitherium

Who makes it? More Kaiyodo Dinotales! From Series 7, just like the previously discussed Dinotales Elasmosaurus. It is 116A, meaning that it is also among the A-line variants like that Elasmosaurus. Again, I only picked up one variety of each animal. When did it come out? I haven't discovered a different date since last time...so 2008-ish? Easily the most dynamic Arsinoitherium figure I know of, or have. Still available? Only in after markets like auctions. As always, these are limited…

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March 12, 2020
FigureTales / Run the Set

Vault tales Run the Set 89 Innovative Kids Groovy Tubes Mythical Beasts

What is this? Another Run the Set already!? Exciting! This is a bit of a weird departure. I don't often discuss fantasy or mythical animals here, as I don't generally collect them much now--but I would take advantage of unique sets when they appear. For example, as you can see from the photo of the box, it was super discounted! And it has some interesting models--plus a book and a game. A very simple, lame game. Only $10! I'd have…

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March 9, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 88 Schleich German Shepherd puppy

Who makes it? This is a Schleich figure, item number 16343. I'll be honest, this one's going to be brief...! When did it come out? It was first released in 2006 It's a puppy! Still available? Nope. It was discontinued in 2015 Where can it be found in my displays? It is not. It's actually my son's, and it's in his cabinet. He's got such shiny eyes! How does it fit in the collection? In general...it doesn't. I don't do…

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March 5, 2020
Clades & Grades / FigureTales

Vault tales 87 – Clades – Protosuchia

It's been a long time since the Random Number Generator picked a clade instead of a figure, but here we are. And while as a group it's a little more in my normal wheelhouse...it's not exactly a group with a lot of figures! As with many groups and their listings in my personal database, sometimes the groupings are more convenience than truly taxonomic. But this time around, it's sort of valid? Protosuchia, a group of early Mesozoic crocodyliformes. As a…

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March 2, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 86 Furuta ChocoEgg Series 6 Meerkat

Who makes it? Made for the Furuta ChocoEgg series 6, I think by Takara. Number 24 in the set. When did it come out? It was released in 2002. Meerkat from the front! Still available? Like many of these sets, these were available as short promotions. So no, not available (new) anymore. Where can it be found in my displays? I have a whole cabinet full of Japanese figures, and of course this is among them. How does it fit…

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February 27, 2020
FigureTales

Vault tales 85 Starlux Nothosaurus (2nd version)

Who makes it? French company Starlux. It's part of their second series, item number FS40095. When did it come out? This particular model was released in 1981. It seems more vintage than that...the whole line has that same look. There's a bit of a sinister face on this guy. Still available? Unfortunately no, although there were rumours of a revision of the Starlux figures in the early 2000s. But I don't think that happened. Where can it be found in…

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February 24, 2020