Shrimps and Crabs Collection (Yujin/Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)

[bmathison1972]

This is a review of the complete sets of the Shrimps and Crabs Collection, originally released by Yujin and then re-released by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. after the latter bought the former. I wish I knew the years of release for these sets. If anyone knows, please chime in. I bought mine first as a complete Yujin set, and then later individually bought the Takara additions.

The original Yujin set included:

1. spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi
2. Alaska king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus
3. red-claw crab, Chiromantes haematocheir
4. blue crab, Portunus trituberculatus
5. coconut crab, Birgus lato
6. red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii
7. blue-banded hermit crab, Pagurus samuelis (with one shell)
8. anemone hermit crab, Dardanus pedunculatus
9. shrimp, Palaemon paucidens
10. mantis shrimp, Oratosquilla oratoria
11. SECRET A: red swamp crayfish (green form)
12. SECRET B: Japanese crayfish, Cambaroides japonicus

After Takara T-A.R.T.S. bought Yujin, they released it with the following changes:

1. removed 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 (above)
2. Added the following:
A. fiddler crab, Uca tetragonon (male)
B. slipper lobster, Ibacus cilatus
C. SECRET A: fiddler crab (female)
D. SECRET B: red swamp crayfish (albino) [but same sculpt as SECRET A in the Yujin set]
3. Added a second shell to the P. samuelis figure.

In all there are 13 species. Like most gashapon manufacturers at the time, the species are Japanese/southeast Asian. Also, like their contemporary Choco Q figures by Kaiyodo and Furuta, assembly is required for all of the figures. Despite their rather small size, they have amazing detail. The PVC is very firm and possibly more fragile (much like the Yujin Insects of Japan series), so care is recommended when assembling (especially with such think and delicate legs and antennae on some!

At the time of their release, many of these species were unique or rarely made. However, at the time of this writing all but three of them have since been made by other companies.

On to the species:

1. spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi
This species is popular and commonly made, including by Chap Mei, Colorata, Epoch, Kaiyodo (three times!), Kitan Club, and even Play Visions.



2. Alaska king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus
This is another commonly-made species, also by Kaiyodo (twice), Epoch, Little Critterz, Nihon Auto Toy, and also by Play Visions.



3. red-claw crab, Chiromantes haematocheir
At the time of the original Yujin release, this might have been unique (Furuta released one in the third series of Choco Q Animatales). It has also been made by Wing Mau and Kaiyodo. Kaiyodo is releasing a large figure next year as part of their Sofubi Toy Box series.



4. blue crab, Portunus trituberculatus
Until very recently, this figure was a unique species. However, in 2014 Kaiyodo released a zoea-stage larva as part of their Microcosmos set. Still, two other members of the genus and a few other members of the family Portunidae exist in toy/figure form.



5. coconut crab, Birgus lato
This species is surprisingly not commonly made. Kaiyodo made one for their Okinawa Figure Collection and Colorata released one recently this year (although I do not have that one yet...).



6. red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii
This species is commonly made and in multiple color forms. Interestingly this is the one species that is not native to Asia; it was introduced from the United States. Kaiyodo released red and blue versions of this species as part of the Choco Q Animatales series. Takara T-A.R.T.S. released a large figure, comparable to their large beetles, and Yujin release a very small figure as part of Gacha Edition depicting various critters in captivity.



7. hermit crab, Pagurus samuelis
This was, and continues to be, a unique species. Mine is from the original Yujin set, so it only has one shell option.



8. anemone hermit crab, Dardanus pedunculatus
This is the smallest figure in the set and remains a unique species, to my knowledge. Love the symbiotic relationship depicted in this figure!



9. shrimp, Palaemon paucidens
This species is also unique, although Kaiyodo has released freshwater shrimp in other genera.



10. mantis shrimp, Oratosquilla oratoria
This is another species that surprisingly gets overlooked by figure/toy manufacturers. The only other one I know of from a formal company is the very large figure by AAA.



11. Japanese crayfish, Cambaroides japonicus
This native crayfish species is another one that is made several times and in both brown and blue forms. I have three other sculpts of this species (two by Kaiyodo, and one by F-Toys) and all three come in blue and brown forms. To my knowledge, this Yujin figure was not released in other colors.



12. fiddler crab, Uca tetragonon
The two Takara T-A.R.T.S. figures here were unique until Kaiyodo released one relatively recently in their Capsule Q Japanese Crabs Collection.



13. slipper lobster, Ibacus cilatus
At the time, this was the figure I was most excited to get. The only other one I am aware of is by Epoch.