Kaiyodo: New for 2023

[Flaffy]

"Collaboration with Kaiyodo, a figure maker with a worldwide reputation for modeling living creatures, has been decided 🎉

A total of 5 types of biological reconstructions and skeletal models of dinosaurs that appear in #恐竜博2023 , including Zulu, will be available in full color only at the venue! !

■ Dinosaur Expo 2023 Official Capsule Figure
■ Price: 500 yen each (tax included)
※ Stock is limited 🦖"




Maip:





Zuul:





Tyrannosaurus:



Zuul Skeleton:





Gorgosaurus skeleton:





Special metallic jade coloured box set.


28cm Articulated Tyrannosaurus

[Flaffy]

Well well well, Kaiyodo kicking off the year with something good!

Zuul and Maip are likely going to be easy purchases for me. The rest I have zero interest in. A shame they didn't do an in-flesh version of the Gorgosaurus. The Tyrannosaurus is a completely unecessary addion, and looks to be a lazy repaint of the 2019 expo sculpt?


@brettnj

[Faelrin]

Thanks for the heads up about this. I think this is the website for the event?

https://dino2023.exhibit.jp/

Date seems to be from mid March to June.

[Halichoeres]

Interesting that the Zuul has similar coloration to the Safari Ltd one. No Dino Dana connection here, I presume. That and the Maip are interesting but don't really fit in my collection for scale reasons. I don't generally collect skeletons either. The Tyrannosaurus is stinking up the joint and prodding people to spend more even if they don't want it. Some past expo sets (e.g. 2016) have had four figures. They're sold from capsule machines, so including the Tyrannosaurus increases the most probable number of tries needed to get the full set from 8.3 to 11.4. (That's assuming they are equal in rarity, if they aren't that jumps even higher.)

[ceratopsian]

The Zuul colours reflect the Arbour and Evans book on the animal, published by ROM in 2018, @Halichoeres. Presumably predates Dino Dana?  I would go for the Zuul, including the skeleton. But not the others.

[ceratopsian]

I've only just noticed - the group photo is copyright Royal Ontario Museum as well as copyright Kaiyodo.  Loaning material?  Involved in some way?

[bmathison1972]

I've only just noticed - the group photo is copyright Royal Ontario Museum as well as copyright Kaiyodo.  Loaning material?  Involved in some way?

Most likely produced in conjunction with a specific display/exhibit at the ROM. Wouldn't be surprised if figures were sold via the ROM in addition to Japan

[ceratopsian]

According to their website, the ROM has a "T. rex: The Ultimate Predator" exhibition starting 11 March.

I've only just noticed - the group photo is copyright Royal Ontario Museum as well as copyright Kaiyodo.  Loaning material?  Involved in some way?

Most likely produced in conjunction with a specific display/exhibit at the ROM. Wouldn't be surprised if figures were sold via the ROM in addition to Japan

[Faelrin]

By the way how does that Zuul fair with the newest paper on it from last year?

Edit: The green color has been a thing since it was described in 2017. Like I recall these illustrations from back then:



Edit 2: @brettnj is already taking orders for these. Message him if not already on his mailing list and you want some of these. Just placed an order for the Zuul skeleton and green skin covered one.

Edit 3: Very curious to see how this little one compares with the bigger Safari Ltd figure released last year. Will be fun to have both on display.

[Flaffy]

By the way how does that Zuul fair with the newest paper on it from last year?

Edit 3: Very curious to see how this little one compares with the bigger Safari Ltd figure released last year. Will be fun to have both on display.

*BASED ON HENRY SHARPE'S 3D MODEL*
Link to diagrams: https://twitter.com/Paleoartologist/status/1600553764762816513

- Incorrect dorsal armour placement and count.
- Incorrect dorsolateral osteoderm count. Missing 3(?), should be at least 20.
- Quite a few osteoderms could probably be made larger & wider to reflect fossil material.
- Potentially insufficient ventrolateral osteoderms it seems, should at least have 11. Will have to wait for more angles.
- Potentially missing 5th digit
- 4th digit shouldn't have a claw

✓ Captures the proportions nicely, small head and all
✓ Correct neck osteoderm count and placement
✓ Ridge above the eyes captured nicely
✓ More plausible ventrolateral osteoderm reconstruction than Safari's
✓ More plausible limb armour reconstruction than Safari's


I guess in summary; Kaiyodo has better proportions, while Safari has better maunus anatomy. Both have issues with osteoderms, each with it's pros and cons. In the grand scheme of things, the osteoderms are a relatively minor issue. I'm willing to bet 99% of Ankylosaur models have osteoderms inaccuracies, and I don't blame the sculptors as they're an absolute pain in the behind to draw, much less sculpt. But the list is just for information & interest only.

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy Ah bummer it wasn't quite based on the new paper's reconstruction then (assuming it was sculpted afterwards). But well it is still nice to see another Zuul model on the market after all this time.

[Halichoeres]

The Zuul colours reflect the Arbour and Evans book on the animal, published by ROM in 2018, @Halichoeres. Presumably predates Dino Dana?  I would go for the Zuul, including the skeleton. But not the others.

Oh, thank you, that makes sense!

And thanks for that breakdown, @Flaffy. I don't know how long it takes to manufacture these, but given how recent the last Zuul paper was, I think it's a good bet the prototype was sculpted before it.

[ceratopsian]

Brett forwarded this link - I can't work out whether Japan is getting the actual Zuul fossil or not.

https://www.fashion-press.net/news/99577

[postsaurischian]

 Larger pic ot Zuul.



 ... and there are shiny blackish variants.

[ceratopsian]

Shiny dark green I imagine as they are described on the box as jade coloured.

[postsaurischian]

Shiny dark green I imagine as they are described on the box as jade coloured.

Good eye .

[stargatedalek]

Brett forwarded this link - I can't work out whether Japan is getting the actual Zuul fossil or not.

https://www.fashion-press.net/news/99577

Those YuGiOh card sleeves are rather tempting, not gonna lie.

[ceratopsian]

Big screen!!

Shiny dark green I imagine as they are described on the box as jade coloured.

Good eye .

[Concavenator]

Where and when can you actually get these? Will these be very limited? The Zuul interests me.

[Flaffy]

Where and when can you actually get these? Will these be very limited? The Zuul interests me.

Contact @brettnj . However, since these are special limited edition Expo figures, their supplies will be considerably more limited and exclusive than your average Kaiyodo release. Depending on how Brett sorts the sourcing for this batch of expo figurines, it may come down to a first come first serve basis. So if you'd like to get one then message Brett asap.