Animal Adventures/ANIA by Takara Tomy

[DinoToyForum]

This line of articulated cartoon-like toys has been distributed under two different brand names (and two styles of packaging). On Japanese packaging this line is called "Animal Adventures", but on English packaging it is called "ANIA". I presume the latter is derived from "Animal Adventures". Takama recently reviewed a couple on the Dinotoyblog, which it how we came across the confusion relating to the brand name. Anyway, I thought it was interesting enough to bring the conversation out of the Reviewers Board and onto the public forum. Here are the two that have been reviewed:

Tyrannosaurus rex:


Futabasaurus:


Does anybody own any of the others?

[Takama]

I plan on purchaseing more of these in the neare future.

But i found the Polly bag that the t.rex came in and lol and behold.

It says Ania

[DinoToyForum]

I plan on purchaseing more of these in the neare future.

But i found the Polly bag that the t.rex came in and lol and behold.

It says Ania

"lol and behold"

Yeah, the ones distributed in the USA must be the ANIA ones. Here is one in the boxed English packaging: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomy-ANIA-Plesiosaur-New/152813138858

Unusual that yours was in a loose bag.

[Joey]

I don't have any of the prehistoric animals by Takara in the Ania range, the only figure I have by Takara is the baby Sperm whale which I'm pretty sure isn't even in the Ania range, but I do plan on getting the Feathered Tyrannosaurus to have as a 1:40 scale Nanuqsaurus.

[ITdactyl]

I have the pteranodon with coelocanth.  Local toy shops have the original set in boxes with a prominent Takara-Tomy logo, and also those in plastic bags with card seal (labeled "Animal Adventures").

[sauroid]

i have the baby mammoth (and im sure a few others too).

[RobinGoodfellow]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130140542@N03/albums/72157691861929185

[Halichoeres]

These images are from toyanimal.info. They used to be in my collection thread until the whole Photobucket thing,
but luckily I had used them on TAI.

[Fembrogon]

I don't have any yet, but I'm planning on purchasing some in the near future. I'll happily contribute more reviews then.

[Fembrogon]

I completely forgot about following up here.



As you can see, a couple of months ago I got a large shipment of these figures; so I can start preparing some reviews for them (I recall someone calling dibs on Spino, however). They're nice figures, overall; but I think a lot of them could be a bit more interesting with their sculpts or articulation.

[IrritatorRaji]

so I can start preparing some reviews for them (I recall someone calling dibs on Spino, however).

I think that was me (I then I hit the good ol' writers block)
I can probably finish my review now that I haven't actually written anything in a while

[Vidusaurus]

This is a really weird collection to me because it's obviously making use of some pretty up-to-date theories (quadrupedal Spinosaurs) but also has a bald Jurassic Park-style raptor, fat-headed Carnotaurus and generic misshapen lump of an Ankylosaurus. No idea what's going on here but some of them (Spino, Brachiosaurus, mammoth) look good enough that it makes me wonder why the rest of the line isn't up to scratch.

[Fembrogon]

I think it just further goes to show how much of a shadow the Jurassic Park franchise casts on dino pop culture; the raptor here is obviously inspired by Stan Winston's design, and I'd say the rex, Triceratops, and even the Brachiosaurus are guilty of the same. Spino has the grace of a novel new discovery, which has picked up pretty well in some circles (the Japanese toy companies seem to have been particularly quick on the uptake).
Is the Ankylosaurus really that bad? I rather like it, but I guess I'm not familiar enough with Ankylosaur anatomy.