The spectacular Utahraptor by Toyway, based on the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs series, is a sleek, slender, rather mean-looking figure. The anatomy is accurate (except for the lack of feathers, but we’ll get to that in a moment), so this is one of the first ‘raptor’ figures to break away from the trendy but erroneous vision put forward by Jurassic Park. Most notably, the hands in the Toyway Utahraptor are true to the fossils. The wrist joint directs the hands backwards and the palms face each other in a ‘supinated’ position. The tail is extremely long, slender and held stiff. The arms and legs are lean (skinny seems like too harsh a term) but the sculpture is easy on the eye and quite believable.
Feathers were not included on this figure or in the dinosaur as it appears in the Walking With Dinosaurs TV series. Although there is no direct evidence for feathers in this species, it is probable, based on our knowledge of it’s very close relatives, that Utahraptor sported a covering of feathers. The decision to omit feathers was probably more related to the practicalities of animating them than anything else. The colour of the skin is true to the series, quite like a large predatory cat with yellow skin and black stripes. The belly is paler and he extremities are grey with the claws highlighted in black. The mouth is closed so that no teeth are visible and the eyes are evil-looking red.
The posture is static and not particularly dynamic: the tail is held out directly behind and the head faces straight forwards, so there is no lateral ‘motion’ in the figure at all. Time seems to take its toll on the hard plastic used to make WWD figures, and this is a particular problem in the two-legged figures because the plastic deforms and bends over time, so the figures struggle to stand unassisted.
This figure is long (about 25cm) but due to the diminutive amount of plastic used in the model, the toy came accompanied by an additional figure – a Laellynasaura – but that’s a topic for a future blog entry.
The WWD figures are no longer in production so they are difficult to find. They were predominantly released in the UK so they most frequently can be found on Ebay UK, but sometimes on Ebay US
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Please tell me … Where can I get one of there?
Only really Ebay and other such sites: http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=1&pub=5574654142&toolid=10001&campid=5337005359&customid=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg
[…] much like its far smaller kin. This predator has appeared in toy/model form several times, from the original WWD merchandise to the most recent rendition from Rebor [not yet reviewed on the dinotoyblog – any takers? […]
Buena figura, me encantaria adquirirla de algun modo, pero no se donde pueden venderla en España
This could have been the start of a series of “Goth Dinos.” The eye make-up, black lipstick, black nail polish…
Es una figura bastante buena, el inconveniente es que cuando la compré no se mantiene de pie, lo mismo puedo decir de otros terópodos de la famosa e inolvidable serie de televisión de la BBC “Caminando entre Dinosaurios” como el Laellynasaura, Allosaurus y Tyranosaurus (de este mejor olvidarse) puede ser que sea un error de fabricación o que los enviaron de forma defectuosa a España.
Este dinosaurio junto con otros de la serie es un preludio de los animales prehistóricos y que darían lugar a una serie de dinosaurios y animales prehistóricos vanguardistas, que ahora como se vé se están realizando en todas las fábricas y series de dinosaurios, como por ejemplo Safari, Papo, etc.
Such a cute dino. 🙂
very cool. Too bad it can’t no longer be found. 🙁
It’s good- it’s got a good pattern like the one in the series but the skin is not really detailed with the scales you see on others.
Very nice. I’m impressed with the great paint job it has. 🙂
Great!
But unfortunately i`m in germany.
looks like Robert Smith from the Cure
Wow!!
But i never found it here in Italy… :,(