Safari Ltd - new for 2015

[sauroid]

...If anything,it's the Takara T. rex that's clearly based on another model.Aside from having feathers,the Takara one is modeled after the Michael Trcic sculpted 1/24 scale Tyrannosaurus statue from Favorite Co.

cool info. thanks.

[Patrx]

The pose is very similar to the Trcic model, but the design and color of Takara's rex are based on this image by Seiji Yamamoto for the 2012 Tokyo Dinosaur Kingdom expo:

The Takara figure was made for the event. In any case, I'm afraid I don't see much similarity to the new Safari Yutyrannus, either.

[John]

The pose is very similar to the Trcic model, but the design and color of Takara's rex are based on this image by Seiji Yamamoto for the 2012 Tokyo Dinosaur Kingdom expo...
The Takara figure was made for the event. In any case, I'm afraid I don't see much similarity to the new Safari Yutyrannus, either.

Imagine how much nicer the Takara set would have been if Yamamoto had done the sculpting for them like he did for many of the Dino Tales line for Kaiyodo.
And for a more similar model (because there are only so many ways to do a certain species if you want it to come out right) look to the recent small Kaiyodo Capsule Q Museum Yutyrannus.

[Patrx]

The pose is very similar to the Trcic model, but the design and color of Takara's rex are based on this image by Seiji Yamamoto for the 2012 Tokyo Dinosaur Kingdom expo...
The Takara figure was made for the event. In any case, I'm afraid I don't see much similarity to the new Safari Yutyrannus, either.

Imagine how much nicer the Takara set would have been if Yamamoto had done the sculpting for them like he did for many of the Dino Tales line for Kaiyodo.

Takashi Oda made a very nice resin version of Yamamoto's rex for Favorite Co. I don't know who did the sculpting for Takara's set, but they seem a little disappointing next to similarly-sized figures by Yamamoto for Kaiyodo.

Kaiyodo's Yutyrannus is an amazing figure Fortunately, it looks like Safari's new figure will be amazing as well!

[Concavenator]

Look...here it says the Wild Safari Yutyrannus is going to be released in November...the 11th to be exact 
http://toyfall14.mapyourshow.com/6_0/show-features.cfm?startrow=28&endrow=36&CFID=53835049&CFTOKEN=ed6e2dd9fa77495e-617ABD5F-5056-9271-4E6981C1FC548B31

[DC]

There is a review process at the Carnegie that is very detailed and time consuming.  That is why the T rex was a year later than expected.  Safari would like to release more often but Carnegie is committed to making sure the figures are as accurate as the fossil evidence allows.   They are not likely to go beyond the evidence. There is a balance between the Safari and Carnegie neither is always happy with the other.  I know Forest was ready for feathered dinosaurs well before Safari felt the public was ready for them.  Each release is a negotiation.  The current Safari ltd management is much more progressive than they were 20 years ago as the Wild Safari line shows.   

[Daspletodave]

The Carnegie Museum has a reputation to uphold, so that lengthy review process does not surprise me. I'm sure they take public taste into consideration as well - a fully feathered T-Rex figure would probably get boycotted by the public at large, who prefer the time honored "Jurassic Park" version of T-Rex.
What does surprise me is the continued production of awful Carnegie figures like the kangaroo posed Parasaurolophus for instance. Fully half of the present Carnegie line-up (of 43 figures in the online catalog) need to be retooled.
At their present release rate of 1 figure a year that should keep them busy for 20+ years!

[amanda]

You miss the point about not speculating. The public would not need to boycott a feathered Rex because the museum will not make one since there is no fossil evidence to support a fully feathered animal. Speculation, even if logical, won't be enough considering their thoughts on it.

[Daspletodave]

I did not miss the point, dear Amanda. I was merely commenting about public taste, and using a feathered T-Rex as an example.
The point is that these are toys. If they don't sell, they stop making them. Period. Regardless of what the evidence shows.

[loru1588]

You miss the point about not speculating. The public would not need to boycott a feathered Rex because the museum will not make one since there is no fossil evidence to support a fully feathered animal. Speculation, even if logical, won't be enough considering their thoughts on it.

I'm with Amanda on this. The cost of re-tooling on a toy can be prohibitive especially when dealing with speculation. An example is why Battat has not yet re-released the former MOS series. I have given them a list of changes I'd like to make on some of the masters for new tooling. It's all about money, you can't make everyone happy ( lord I know about that!! ) but, to invest in a toy just to have it shot down by the scientific community because you were trying to please the opinions of the fans is not going to make you money if your goal is for scientific accuracy. I've done my best to avoid the "cool factor" on my sculpts ie: feathers , quills, dewlaps, pouches, spikes, etc. simply because the evidence is not there on the particular animal I am sculpting. If speculation ruled why not put manes on ALL extinct cats because todays male lion has a mane. Get it?

[Raptoress]

You miss the point about not speculating. The public would not need to boycott a feathered Rex because the museum will not make one since there is no fossil evidence to support a fully feathered animal. Speculation, even if logical, won't be enough considering their thoughts on it.

I'm with Amanda on this. The cost of re-tooling on a toy can be prohibitive especially when dealing with speculation. An example is why Battat has not yet re-released the former MOS series. I have given them a list of changes I'd like to make on some of the masters for new tooling. It's all about money, you can't make everyone happy ( lord I know about that!! ) but, to invest in a toy just to have it shot down by the scientific community because you were trying to please the opinions of the fans is not going to make you money if your goal is for scientific accuracy. I've done my best to avoid the "cool factor" on my sculpts ie: feathers , quills, dewlaps, pouches, spikes, etc. simply because the evidence is not there on the particular animal I am sculpting. If speculation ruled why not put manes on ALL extinct cats because todays male lion has a mane. Get it?

I completely agree with you there. People have gone way overboard with feathers to the point that every dinosaur someone wants to depict is covered with feathers, whenever the evidence is there or not. my opinion is that dinosaurs were incredibly diverse. Some had feathers, and some didn't. Some had quills, some didn't. Don't understand the need to depict every species with these features. I only like to depict my dinosaurs with these features if there is solid evidence for it being so.

[amanda]

Well, this could lead back into **that** conversation. But this wasn't quite the angle I was speaking from just here. Carnegie says they will not produce toys with speculative features just to be "cutting edge". The prefer rock solid (hahaha) evidence of some sort. Hence, I would not expect them to make a feathered Tyrannosaurus Rex. It has nothing to do with the general public's perception on that end. The just have a name and reputation backing these and have their particular way to go about the reconstructions. I don't debate the right or wrong of it, since I am not on their board making those decisions, see?

[amanda]

Although one could say that their most recent Spinosaurus was mostly conjecture, and we see now where that got them....

[Hermes888]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

[amanda]

You would have to ask them why they chose that direction.

[Gwangi]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

Touché!

[John]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

Touché!

I'm not sure Hermes888 was intending to shoot down the Carnegie Velociraptor as just plain wrong.It sounds like a legitimate question as to if the wings were not done as we usually see in reconstructions because of lack much speculation.There is a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to the feathers.If you'll notice,the body proportions of the Velociraptor are spot on,so I don't think there was any laziness going on with it.

[Gwangi]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

Touché!

I'm not sure Hermes888 was intending to shoot down the Carnegie Velociraptor.It sounds like a legitimate question as to why the wings were not done as we usually see.

I don't know if I should respond to this or the original post I was about to respond to. I'm not certain what Hermes meant with his comment but my interpretation is that he was pointing out a mistake with the Carnegie Velociraptor which would make sense in this conversation where people are discussing their reputation and penchant for accuracy and tendency to avoid speculation. Not starting a feather debate here.

[John]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

Touché!

I'm not sure Hermes888 was intending to shoot down the Carnegie Velociraptor.It sounds like a legitimate question as to why the wings were not done as we usually see.

I don't know if I should respond to this or the original post I was about to respond to. I'm not certain what Hermes meant with his comment but my interpretation is that he was pointing out a mistake with the Carnegie Velociraptor which would make sense in this conversation where people are discussing their reputation and penchant for accuracy and tendency to avoid speculation. Not starting a feather debate here.

I changed the post after I realized I misunderstood the posts above,and edited it rather than put another new post up after it so I don't clutter this thread up.

[amanda]

Is that why the primaries are missing on the Velociraptor?

Touché!

I'm not sure Hermes888 was intending to shoot down the Carnegie Velociraptor.It sounds like a legitimate question as to why the wings were not done as we usually see.

I don't know if I should respond to this or the original post I was about to respond to. I'm not certain what Hermes meant with his comment but my interpretation is that he was pointing out a mistake with the Carnegie Velociraptor which would make sense in this conversation where people are discussing their reputation and penchant for accuracy and tendency to avoid speculation. Not starting a feather debate here.

Pointing out what you perceive to be a mistake. The exact level of feathering is not a done deal for this animal. Perhaps the museum had it's reasons to see a different possibility. It cannot be a mistake if there are unknowns surrounding it. It is a different interpretation. You could say it was a less popular or less likely interpretation. Wrong implies that a known fact is left off or done wrong. Not that a probable supposition is interpreted differently.....