PNSO : New for 2023

[SRF]

After this trio I hardly dare to ask PNSO to do more theropods, but Carcharodontosaurids are probably the least interesting ones to me. I really hope PNSO gives us some more Tyrannosaurids as well this year. The last one was released over a year ago, even before the Acrocanthosaurus.

And yes, we need some more Abelisaurids from PNSO as well.

[Duck]

I agree, but for some reason I'm ok with lipless Carcharodontosaurids, but lipless Tyrannosaurids just look wrong to me somehow. That being said I do still really hope they do some more theropods this year, just not any more Carchs.

[Stegotyranno420]

I agree, but for some reason I'm ok with lipless Carcharodontosaurids, but lipless Tyrannosaurids just look wrong to me somehow. That being said I do still really hope they do some more theropods this year, just not any more Carchs.

Agreed. Lipless spinosaurids also look more natural, and cheekless ornithschians...don't even get me started haha.

[Sim]

I too would like more theropods from PNSO.  I've not enjoyed the three carcharodontosaurids in a row, I only really liked the Giganotosaurus.  PNSO has made excellent tyrannosauroids and I'd like more from them such as Gorgosaurus, Daspletosaurus horneri, Bistahieversor...  More than those though I'd like a Dilophosaurus, Herrerasaurus, Ceratosaurus and deinonychosaurs such as Austroraptor.

I would also like PNSO to make more non-theropods too.  I've really liked some of their ceratopsids and would like more, especially now that Safari seems to have stopped making them.  I'd like a Chasmosaurus, Pentaceratops, Medusaceratops, Centrosaurus brinkmani aka Coronosaurus, Achelousaurus, Utahceratops...

No more allosauroids for the near future, please.

[Duck]

Mapusaurus has been my favorite dinosaur since childhood and I love it, but man I wish they'd make some other stuff at this point.

[Joel1905]

I agree, but for some reason I'm ok with lipless Carcharodontosaurids, but lipless Tyrannosaurids just look wrong to me somehow. That being said I do still really hope they do some more theropods this year, just not any more Carchs.

Agreed. Lipless spinosaurids also look more natural, and cheekless ornithschians...don't even get me started haha.

Based on the most recent studies, cheekless Ornithschians carry more validity. See Nabavizadeh 2022. It's more a case of your brain being so used to cheeks, that a departure from that doesn't look right. Cheeks are actually a mammalian adaptation for suckling, not to keep food in their mouths. Also Ornithischeans didn't have flexible tongues, which is another argument against cheeks, as without the ability to use their tongues to manipulate plant matter, that plant matter would get stuck between their cheeks and teeth and decompose on their mouths.

[stargatedalek]

Macaw's don't exactly suckle... They do have highly articulate tongues though, so that I can see more point in.

[Sim]

Ornithischians did have flexible tongues according to study done on them, here's a summary of this: https://blog.everythingdinosaur.com/blog/_archives/2018/06/22/tongue-tied-dinosaurs.html

[Renecito]

  @Sim I'm happy to help you. 

[GojiraGuy1954]

After this trio I hardly dare to ask PNSO to do more theropods, but Carcharodontosaurids are probably the least interesting ones to me. I really hope PNSO gives us some more Tyrannosaurids as well this year. The last one was released over a year ago, even before the Acrocanthosaurus.

And yes, we need some more Abelisaurids from PNSO as well.

I hope they improve. Their only decent Tyrannosaurs are the Zhuchengtyrannus and Yutyrannus

[oscars_dinos]

After this trio I hardly dare to ask PNSO to do more theropods, but Carcharodontosaurids are probably the least interesting ones to me. I really hope PNSO gives us some more Tyrannosaurids as well this year. The last one was released over a year ago, even before the Acrocanthosaurus.

And yes, we need some more Abelisaurids from PNSO as well.

I hope they improve. Their only decent Tyrannosaurs are the Zhuchengtyrannus and Yutyrannus

^ I gotta agree, Wilson has the big scales issue, Andrea has a broken leg, and the tarbos oversized clown feet kill it for me. Happy to see pnso perfecting its craft and being more consistent

[Sim]

If I'm remembering right from posts in the controversial opinions thread, Andrea's leg is fine.  And the Tarbosaurus doesn't have feet that are too big.

[CARN0TAURUS]

Love this pose, almost like lunging to catch something...the scheme is so pleasant too...fantastic!

[Stegotyranno420]

Might get this over the Giganotosaurus for my birthday. It will be a good stand in for Giganotosaurus as they are similar enough. Infact there appears to be more difference with Meraxes than these two.

Spoiler

if the ML spino or a large sauropod is not available by that time

[close]

If these were released around the time i first joined the forum(12) then i would have been overjoyed

[oscars_dinos]

If I'm remembering right from posts in the controversial opinions thread, Andrea's leg is fine.  And the Tarbosaurus doesn't have feet that are too big.

can you link that if its not to much trouble id like to read up on that

[Paleo Flo]

Love this pose, almost like lunging to catch something...the scheme is so pleasant too...fantastic!

Indeed the best of the last three Carchas!

[Faras]

Mapusaurus
Got a feeling they'd release a Tyrannotitan/Concavenator to make me rearrange displace again



IMHO it's one of the best prehistoric theropods: proper apex predator bulk, highly active pose, impressive musculature, eye-catching paints and complex colour patterns.









The figure stands surprisingly well (support from stand is obviously needed in the long run as most of weight falls on the right leg). Its whole body shows proper tension for lunging pose - bent neck, forelimbs clutching to the chest, tight calves, tail swiping right. Visible lifelike musculatures for active poses don't always show up on PVC toys, so I adore the efforts. New paint patterns is refreshing compared to usual stripes, dark dots on thighs fit better with skin than spiked lines on belly (though stripes that match stretching and folding of skin would be impossible in this price range).

Now lets talk about flaws... This figure has a slight underbite, probably due to long throat piece (as you can see in pics, the whole lower jaw is more forward than joint sockets). Front teeth clap together, bits of pink gum are visible on both sides with closed mouth.









Teeth are not so well painted as Giga or Meraxes, though the mouth did get an extra layer of red wash. Personally I feel an open mouth matches the pose better, so overbite doesn't bother me too much.

Could use more care for paints on claws and behind legs.




Comparison with new Giga:

Mapusaurus is notably bigger.





Mapu has bigger scales. Giga's details are shaper (camera focus was on Mapu in all pictures, yet Giga's scales are still clearer).







The heads. Giga clearly has better teeth and articulated jaws. Note that Giga's barely visible throat seam (inside of mouth, third pic) that bends into throat muscles, while Mapu has simplified straight seam. Mapu's mouth looks somewhat bloodied due to red wash.






Overall mould/build quality is higher for Giga cept for its distorted (vertical view) tail. Giga has an attractively calm walking pose, complex yet "bit boring" paints. Mapu's dramatic pose and new paint design makes it more attention grabbing.

Ranking of Carchas
Just my opinions

Overall:
Mapusaurus > Giganotosaurus ≥ Meraxes = Acrocanthosaurus > Carcharodontosaurus

Details:
Giganotosaurus > Mapusaurus > Meraxes > Acrocanthosaurus > Carcharodontosaurus

Pose:
Mapusaurus > Giganotosaurus = Meraxes = Carcharodontosaurus > Acrocanthosaurus

Musculature and skin:
Mapusaurus > Giganotosaurus > Carcharodontosaurus = Meraxes > Acrocanthosaurus

Paint design:
Acrocanthosaurus ≥ Mapusaurus > Meraxes > Giganotosaurus > Carcharodontosaurus

Jaw articulation:
Giganotosaurus > Meraxes > Mapusaurus > Acrocanthosaurus > Carcharodontosaurus

Teeth:
Giganotosaurus > Meraxes > Acrocanthosaurus > Mapusaurus > Carcharodontosaurus

[Bread]

I am usually the one to not dislike simplistic poses; if anything I encourage them. However, I find it too boring and lazy for PNSO to produce two therapods, part of the same family, that have nearly exact same poses. Otherwise I do consider these two to be their best therapods.

[SRF]

That's a very helpfull post @Faras, thanks for the comparisons. I might get the Mapusaurus somewhere down the line, it's a nice figure. The Giganotosaurus is also very good, but seeing them side by side, the Mapusaurus is hilariously more cheap than the Giga. I like the pose of the Mapu a lot better as well. It looking down really gives the feel of a large animal.

I don't agree with others that the only decent Tyrannosaurs from PNSO are the Zhuchengtyrannus and the Yutyrannus. Every figure PNSO has released in the last few years is "decent" to say the least. Some (I would even say most) of them are very good or even great.

[Sim]

If I'm remembering right from posts in the controversial opinions thread, Andrea's leg is fine.  And the Tarbosaurus doesn't have feet that are too big.

can you link that if its not to much trouble id like to read up on that

It's spread over several pages, starting here: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=6880.1560