Insects Collection - Special (Hayakawa Toys)

[bmathison1972]

This is a review of the complete set of insects as part of the 'Special' release of the Insects Collection by Hayakawa Toys. Hayakawa releases these figures in various sets, from a few to many, often marked as being 'Special', 'Deluxe', etc. This particular set contains 28 different figures representing ~20 species. Only six of the figures are not beetles, and of the beetles only one is not a scarabaeoid.

The larger figures are marked with 'Hayakwa Toys' (misspelled, maybe for space considerations) and the year (2004) on the underside. The packaging includes illustrations with Japanese and English names (with several errors in the latter, probably lost in translation). There are no scientific names, so all of the names presented below are my identifications based on the morphology of the figures and/or the common names supplied.

None of these species are unique and they have all been made much better once or (sometimes) several times by gashapon-style manufacturers (Kaiyodo, Yujin, Takara, Sega, etc.). They range from 20-60 mm in length (total length, including horns and all).

On to the critters:

Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma. It wouldn't be a set of Asian beetle figures without at least one of these, and this set has three: a large and small male, and a female:



Hercules beetles in the genus Dynastes. There are four figures, one large and one small each of D. hercules (left) and D. neptunus (right):



A few miscellaneous rhinoceros beetles. From left to right, Megasoma elephas, Xylotrupes gideon, and Eupatorus gracilicornis:



Atlas beetles. Large and small figures of Chalcosoma caucasus:



Stag beetles, from left to right: Prosopocoilus giraffa, P. inclinatus, and Lucanus maculifemoratus:



Stag beetles in the genus Dorcus. From left to right, D. curvidens, D. hopei and D. titanus. Unless the features are good, Dorcus can be hard to discern from figures; that last one may even be a Lucanus...



Some miscellaneous stag beetles. From left to right, Hexarthrius parryi, Odontolabis femoralis, and Allotopus rosenbergi:



Some miscellaneous insects. The cerambycid beetle appears to be based on a Anoplophora species. The large dragonfly is most-certainly based on the biddie, Anotogaster sieboldii. The smaller dragonfly is too generic in toy form, although the illustration on the back is suggestive of Boninthemis insularis or maybe Crocothemis servilia. The cicada is very generic but is labeled as the brown cicada (Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata) which would be great, as I do not know of any other figures of adults (Kaiyodo did a couple nymphs):



lastly three orthopteroids. The mantis is not further identified but probably meant to be the giant Japanese mantid, Tenodera aridifolia. One of the grasshoppers is labeled as the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria; the slant-faced grasshopper is most likely based on Acrida cinerea:

[Jetoar]

Thanks to share these images Blaine, I dont know this collection  .

[bmathison1972]

Thanks to share these images Blaine, I dont know this collection  .

from what I remember in 'recent acquisitions' I think a few people have some (sauroid and Hercules beetle come to mind, maybe stars too)

[stargatedalek]

I only have the cicada Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, but I do have a bootleg of the Hexarthrius parryi. It came in a set of "paint your own animals" along with a salamander and some common lizard molds, I hope I still have it. This was back when the Dollarama used to sell bootlegs of good things, which however I may dislike bootlegging I must admit is preferable to now days where they are bootlegging the same Jasmin and Imperial dinosaurs again and again with nothing else on the shelves.

That slant faced grasshopper is a real temptation, I'll have to keep an eye out.

[brontodocus]

They look great! Now that Blaine mentioned Hercules beetle, I think I remember having seen photos of this set when they were still in their blister package - didn't Hercules beetle show photos of this set when it was still in package? By the way, it's always nice to see a figure representing a female rhinoceros beetle to show the extreme sexual dimorphism!

[bmathison1972]

I have re-imaged these figures for Postimage (with some taxonomic corrections, too).

[Halichoeres]

Interesting about Hayakwa/Hayakawa. The latter returns approximately 1,000× as many hits on Google. Not that that makes it correct, but if it's wrong then the misspelling is very common indeed. Is it a transliteration problem, or are they two separate companies?

[bmathison1972]

Interesting about Hayakwa/Hayakawa. The latter returns approximately 1,000× as many hits on Google. Not that that makes it correct, but if it's wrong then the misspelling is very common indeed. Is it a transliteration problem, or are they two separate companies?

The first is correct. I had to do some snooping too and besides the correct spelling is on the underside of the larger figures

[Halichoeres]

Interesting about Hayakwa/Hayakawa. The latter returns approximately 1,000× as many hits on Google. Not that that makes it correct, but if it's wrong then the misspelling is very common indeed. Is it a transliteration problem, or are they two separate companies?

The first is correct. I had to do some snooping too and besides the correct spelling is on the underside of the larger figures

Interesting! I have a dinosaur set in which the two largest figures are stamped "Hayakawa," but I suppose I'm not sure the two are related. These insects are certainly more realistic.

[bmathison1972]

Interesting about Hayakwa/Hayakawa. The latter returns approximately 1,000× as many hits on Google. Not that that makes it correct, but if it's wrong then the misspelling is very common indeed. Is it a transliteration problem, or are they two separate companies?

The first is correct. I had to do some snooping too and besides the correct spelling is on the underside of the larger figures

Interesting! I have a dinosaur set in which the two largest figures are stamped "Hayakawa," but I suppose I'm not sure the two are related. These insects are certainly more realistic.

I double-checked a couple and the insects are 'Hayakwa'. I wonder if it is abbreviated because of their size? The largest beetle, the large Chalcosoma, is 40 mm not including appendages.

[bmathison1972]

Editing the title of this post; I think @Halichoeres was right all along, this should be 'Hayakawa' toys.