Review and photos by Bokisaurus, edited by Suspsy
Having previously reviewed the Tsukuda Hobby Styracosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex, I figured it is time to conclude the trilogy and add one more figure to the list, at least for now. This time we will take a dive into the prehistoric ocean and take a look at good old Elasmosaurus!
Elasmosaurus is perhaps the most famous member of its family. In the early days of prehistoric toys, almost all of the long-necked marine reptile figures were called Elasmosaurus. It is only recently that other species were added to the list. Tsukuda’s version is perhaps the most beautiful and elegant of all 13 figures in the collection. I find it simply stunning despite its age. Like the other figures, it is rather large at 1:30 scale; it measures a good 13 inches stretched out.
The head is beautifully sculpted. The signature glass eyes are yellow and make a nice contrast to the dark blue skin. The mouth is closed, but the teeth, which are all individually sculpted, are visible and nicely painted. The nostrils are placed on the top of the head, just in front of the eyes. There are subtle wrinkles around the jaw area, and there is also what appears to be loose skin around the area just below the jaw.
Like many plesiosaur figures, this one is smooth all over its body with hardly a hint of texturing besides a few wrinkled areas. The neck is held high in a regal, swan-like pose, although not to the extreme commonly seen in other plesiosaur figures. The neck is also nicely muscled and not too thin. This figure bares an unmistakable resemblance to the Invicta version both in pose and colouration. The blue body and the way the head and neck are posed makes it look like a larger, more detailed version of it.
The body is robust and looks about right shape-wise. There is a slight hump on the back just after the neck connects with the body. The flippers are unique in that they are not shaped like any other plesiosaur’s. For starters, the flippers are huge and rounded in shape, more like a seal’s than a marine reptile’s. And just like a seal, there are clear groves that looks more like webbings on all four flippers. The rear flippers are larger and more fan-like than the front ones and the tail is short and stubby. The blue body is overally unremarkable. The underside is painted white, the only other colour to be found on this figure. The seams are visible both on the body and also on the two front flippers.
Despite some inaccuracies, this is a pretty good representation of a plesiosaur, much better than some of the later figures. Of the 13 Tsukuda figures, this one ranks as one of the rarest of them all. It shares this distinction with the equally beautiful and perhaps even rarer Dimetrodon. Both these figures are hard to find and when they do show up, can command high price. I was lucky enough to come across this one and acquire it many years ago.
In closing then, the Elasmosaurus is one of the best figures the Tsukuda collection has to offer. Despite its age, it remains a pretty good representation of the animal. The simple and elegant design is stunning and always commands attention. Despite the flood of more recent, more accurate plesiosaur figures, this one remains one of my all-time favourites. If you are lucky enough to find one at a reasonable price, I highly recommend adding it to your collection.
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