As promised, or should I say threatened, we’re continuing on with my series of Jasman toy reviews. This time we’re looking at a curious little fellow, it’s an ornithopod of sorts, but one of questionable identity. Apparently this figure has been advertised as Maiasaura, Brachylophosaurus, and Iguanodon. I’m tagging it as Brachylophosaurus because that’s what it resembles the most. If that’s what you want it to be then it does make this a rather unique figure. I’m not aware of any other mass produced Brachylophosaurus toys out there.
It say’s a lot about the quality of your product when you can change out the genus name three times without any real issue. None of this is to say that this is a bad toy; it’s actually one of the better Jasman dinosaurs we’ll be looking at. For your sake I’m trying to space out the really bad ones. Despite the identity crisis it’s just nice to see a large ornithopod toy marketed to the masses, one that isn’t a Parasaurolophus. It’s also easily one of the better looking toys in the range.
If this toy is indeed a Brachylophosaurus then it’s lacking the flat bony shelf that should be present on the back of the head. Of course if it’s a Maiasaura then it’s missing the spiky crest present in that genus, and if it’s Iguanodon it’s missing the thumb spikes among other things. It can’t really win no matter what it is, which makes reviewing the accuracy difficult. In overall proportions and posture it’s not a bad ornithopod though. The spine is properly curved, tail stiff despite poor musculature, and it’s standing in a quadrupedal stance unlike what we see in most toys of this age and quality. Cheeks are present too but the beak is absent. The hindlimbs possess three toes and the forelimbs have four independent digits that should be encased in a fleshy pad, but this really isn’t bad for a cheaply made toy from 1997.
Unlike the sad, terror stricken face of the Parasaurolophus this toy has a rather cheery expression with bright and vibrant yellow eyes, cute fleshy cheeks, and a little smirk on its face. It’s striding forward proud and confident that it won’t be a meal for a tyrannosaur anytime soon. A slight bulge between the eyes and nostrils round out the face and give the impression of a resonating sac of sorts.
Once again the scales look like cracked, dry earth but the lime green paintjob makes it less jarring. The scales terminate at the knees, elbows, tail and underside, and are replaced by wrinkled skin; a fleshy ridge runs down the back and tail. Gray splotches are painted along the body and the green paintjob lightens to white on the underside.
Considering the company that produced it and its 21 year age this really is not a bad representation of a modern looking ornithopod. It has the typical accuracy issues you would expect but it’s greatest failing is its inability to represent any particular genera. Somewhat shockingly I don’t think this toy would look out of place on a shelf with other ornithopods. It’s large (6″ tall, 16″ long) and aesthetically inoffensive. If you’re a fan of ornithopods, maybe seek it out? Huh, didn’t think I would be saying that in a Jasman review. Maybe we’ll make it through this after all.
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Nekem megvan a Toy Major verzióban.
Őszintw leszek Jasman verziónál jobban tetszik a Toy Majoros.
I don’t have an interest in collecting retro toys much (although I do enjoy them for what they are), but these are odd enough to be right up my alley. This one in particular is adorable.
I have a smaller version (marketed as Maiasaura) with a nice rusty reddish-brown paint job. It came in a two-pack with a generic small theropod that was labelled Procompsognathus – can’t help but think they came out around the time of the first Jurassic Park novel.
Toy Major made an eerily similar Brachylophosaurus and it was reviewed in this blog.
Do you have a link? I searched Brachylophosaurus on this blog and nothing came up except for this review. Can’t even find one on Google image search.
I am sorry, but I couldn’t find it myself either. I assume it was removed,because I remembered reading it here and looking at my shelf at the same time smiling. The TM Brachylophosaurus has either the same camouflage or very similar to this or the purple top with some red stripes on it with bright belly. I have two of the latter. But the head isn’t separately attached to the neck and the hooves are not painted.
Toy Major copied(or bought manufacturing licenses) of several companies dinos,like the infamous U.K.R.D. I have got two or three Jasman toys with their TM counterparts and also UKRD’s(I should update my database about my figures,it is surely needed).
Brachylophosaurus is one of a number of non-created hadrosaurs that deserve more attention from toy companies.
I have this one with a slightly different paint job:
I believe you’re right that this is the closest thing to a Brachylophosaurus that’s ever been made, so I had to have it. It just wouldn’t do to have a gap in my hadrosaurm collection.
I seem to have messed up the image embed. I’ll try once more and then give up: <img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5504/29540949414_87dee65947_k.jpg"
I didn’t put the measurements in the review (I’ll have to fix that) but I think yours is the smaller version. From what I understand that’s the one that was marketed as a Maiasaura and then Brachylophosaurus while the large version I have was marketed as an Iguanodon. Possibly because of the Disney film “Dinosaur”.
You’re right! Mine is about the size of the Safari Edmontosaurus.
This one is quite large, 16″ long.