Favorite Co. Ltd. Softmodels

[brontodocus]

Actually, Hirokazu Tokugawa is well known for the great efforts he puts into accuracy of his models and he also produces reconstructions for museums, a short look at his blog reveals what level of quality his work is. You may like or not like his work on the Favorite Tarbosaurus but we should at least assume that he did his homework well. The skull shape of Tarbosaurus is actually quite different from Tyrannosaurus in being quite low and less wide at the rear (limiting binocular vision), with less pronounced supraorbital bosses and a less massive mandible. I can see all this in the figure (except for the width of the head which cannot be estimated correctly from a lateral view). I have to check it when I get the figure but it even looks as if the number of teeth was correct! I am happy about the fact that he made a vinyl figure that is actually identifiable. When I first saw a photo of it, it was on his facebook page and I immediately thought "hey, that's a Tarbosaurus!". The main reason for the shortness of its teeth is (apart from it being reconstructed with lips) that Tarbosaurus actually had relatively short teeth, at least in comparison to Tyrannosaurus. I have to say it may well become my favourite Favorite _{(wow, was that antanaclasis?)}.

[postsaurischian]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit .}

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

The Allosaurus looks pretty cool in those pics..a definite improvement over the previous one, the the hands still bug me a bit and it's a little on the thin side now whereas the older one was more robust.  I'll still get him though.

[stoneage]

2012 "soft model"  Tarbosaurus 
(special museum model)

Is the Tarbosaurus available to buy anywhere?

[tyrantqueen]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit}

I'm guessing that was aimed at me So, what you're saying is, if an artist is a member of the forum, it's not "nice" to say anything constructive about their work, but it's okay to say things behind their backs when they're not forum members...? Oh well, I guess it's not important, seeing as he is not a very active member, and speaks very little English anyway.

Just because he's a forum member doesn't exemplify him from criticism. And since this work is on the 'net, it's going to be open to all sorts of opinion, good or bad. Isn't that the reason why people post their work online, to get feedback? This is a discussion forum, and I am going to state my honest opinion. I don't like the head. It's too "chunky" and the teeth are poorly detailed and painted.

[postsaurischian]

Is the Tarbosaurus available to buy anywhere?

It's only available at the Gobi exhibition in Osaka.

I'm guessing that was aimed at me

It wasn't aimed at you. You didn't use the 'Yuck' smiley.

[mmfrankford]

Yeah I used the actual word "yuck" for the velociraptor on the 2013 thread. I know where you had directed your comment on this thread, I just wanted to state that I am nuts for the new figures and did not mean to bash an amazing artist. 

[stoneage]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit}

I'm guessing that was aimed at me So, what you're saying is, if an artist is a member of the forum, it's not "nice" to say anything constructive about their work, but it's okay to say things behind their backs when they're not forum members...? Oh well, I guess it's not important, seeing as he is not a very active member, and speaks very little English anyway.

Just because he's a forum member doesn't exemplify him from criticism. And since this work is on the 'net, it's going to be open to all sorts of opinion, good or bad. Isn't that the reason why people post their work online, to get feedback? This is a discussion forum, and I am going to state my honest opinion. I don't like the head. It's too "chunky" and the teeth are poorly detailed and painted.

I think we have to consider the merit of the criticism before we can consider it constructive.  Chunky means short and thick but the head of Tarbosaurus is long and thin.  I'd much rather listen to Brontodocus, who is much more knowledgeable.  If he says it's one of his favorite Favorites, that's good enough for me.

[Simon]

I love Tokugawa's work, though I do not like his "lipped" theropods.  I will get this one once it pops up on JAUCE, although I agree with the criticism of the teeth being cartoonishly even and short.  I can live with the slightly generic head.

If I could get my hands on all his sculpts I'd get them all.  Just like Kazunari Araki's dinos.  Not all of them may be based on the most up-to-date data, but all of them are collectable in my eyes.

[tyrantqueen]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit}

I'm guessing that was aimed at me So, what you're saying is, if an artist is a member of the forum, it's not "nice" to say anything constructive about their work, but it's okay to say things behind their backs when they're not forum members...? Oh well, I guess it's not important, seeing as he is not a very active member, and speaks very little English anyway.

Just because he's a forum member doesn't exemplify him from criticism. And since this work is on the 'net, it's going to be open to all sorts of opinion, good or bad. Isn't that the reason why people post their work online, to get feedback? This is a discussion forum, and I am going to state my honest opinion. I don't like the head. It's too "chunky" and the teeth are poorly detailed and painted.

I think we have to consider the merit of the criticism before we can consider it constructive.  Chunky means short and thick but the head of Tarbosaurus is long and thin.  I'd much rather listen to Brontodocus, who is much more knowledgeable.  If he says it's one of his favorite Favorites, that's good enough for me.

Brontoducus' opinion, though it has merit, is not fact.  Perhaps it's more of a personal taste thing, but the detailing on the figure just seems sloppy overall. I'd prefer it if the details were crisper and sharper.
Btw, does anyone know how anatomically accurate that posture is? Would it be possible for theropod to raise its spine up like that?

[stoneage]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit}

I'm guessing that was aimed at me So, what you're saying is, if an artist is a member of the forum, it's not "nice" to say anything constructive about their work, but it's okay to say things behind their backs when they're not forum members...? Oh well, I guess it's not important, seeing as he is not a very active member, and speaks very little English anyway.

Just because he's a forum member doesn't exemplify him from criticism. And since this work is on the 'net, it's going to be open to all sorts of opinion, good or bad. Isn't that the reason why people post their work online, to get feedback? This is a discussion forum, and I am going to state my honest opinion. I don't like the head. It's too "chunky" and the teeth are poorly detailed and painted.

I think we have to consider the merit of the criticism before we can consider it constructive.  Chunky means short and thick but the head of Tarbosaurus is long and thin.  I'd much rather listen to Brontodocus, who is much more knowledgeable.  If he says it's one of his favorite Favorites, that's good enough for me.

Brontoducus' opinion, though it has merit, is not fact.  Perhaps it's more of a personal taste thing, but the detailing on the figure just seems sloppy overall. I'd prefer it if the details were crisper and sharper.
Btw, does anyone know how anatomically accurate that posture is? Would it be possible for theropod to raise its spine up like that?

When we discussed the velociraptor earlier, you said"I hate how it looks as though the artist tried to cram in a many details as possible."  Now its not enough detail?  What is sloppy about the detail, explain?

[tyrantqueen]

Thanks for clearing that up !

The figure is awesome and I'm very happy (and lucky) to have it !!
Tokugawa is an amazing artist and forum member, too.
It's not very nice to 'yuck' at his sculpts, _{..... but each must live as he sees fit}

I'm guessing that was aimed at me So, what you're saying is, if an artist is a member of the forum, it's not "nice" to say anything constructive about their work, but it's okay to say things behind their backs when they're not forum members...? Oh well, I guess it's not important, seeing as he is not a very active member, and speaks very little English anyway.

Just because he's a forum member doesn't exemplify him from criticism. And since this work is on the 'net, it's going to be open to all sorts of opinion, good or bad. Isn't that the reason why people post their work online, to get feedback? This is a discussion forum, and I am going to state my honest opinion. I don't like the head. It's too "chunky" and the teeth are poorly detailed and painted.

I think we have to consider the merit of the criticism before we can consider it constructive.  Chunky means short and thick but the head of Tarbosaurus is long and thin.  I'd much rather listen to Brontodocus, who is much more knowledgeable.  If he says it's one of his favorite Favorites, that's good enough for me.

Brontoducus' opinion, though it has merit, is not fact.  Perhaps it's more of a personal taste thing, but the detailing on the figure just seems sloppy overall. I'd prefer it if the details were crisper and sharper.
Btw, does anyone know how anatomically accurate that posture is? Would it be possible for theropod to raise its spine up like that?

When we discussed the velociraptor earlier, you said"I hate how it looks as though the artist tried to cram in a many details as possible."  Now its not enough detail?  What is sloppy about the detail, explain?

Detail is not something that is identical when applied from artist to artist. I might like one style, and dislike another. The scales seem too smooth and "blended" over. I also think the insides of the mouth and the teeth could have been improved.

I'm afraid you're just going to have to agree to disagree with my opinion.

[Bokisaurus]

Finally got some of the new figures! They are larger than their predecessors and hollow
You can't compare the two set as they are truly very different in style and design and material from each other.It will be like comparing orange and apples
I really like the figures, and really admire the artist. My only complain is that they are hard to get in the US! If you really want the figures, your best bet is to get one of those sets (A, B, C), I think mine was B, for $99 (it comes out to less than $20 a figure).
Here they are
[



My only complaint about this Spino is that it looks very thin! Other than that, really beautiful model!


Okay, for all you feathered T-Rex Fan, this one is for you! 








Plesios are about the same size, but the new one is fuller.
[

Head comparison
]

[Jetoar]

Kinto have done amazing figures, but i like the older version of the plesiosaur  .

[Arioch]

Pretty sweet models but this one takes the cake. A mostly accurate T. Rex at last! It just needs an slightly beefier tail, but Im not gonna complain.

[tanystropheus]

Are these bases on the theropods detachable?

[mmfrankford]

Yes they are.

[Himmapaan]

Pretty sweet models but this one takes the cake. A mostly accurate T. Rex at last! It just needs an slightly beefier tail, but Im not gonna complain.

I think the tail looks pretty beefy, actually. Certainly more so than most, at least.

If by 'mostly accurate' you mean a feathered T. rex, there is also this and this.

[Arioch]

Pretty sweet models but this one takes the cake. A mostly accurate T. Rex at last! It just needs an slightly beefier tail, but Im not gonna complain.

I think the tail looks pretty beefy, actually. Certainly more so than most, at least.

If by 'mostly accurate' you mean a feathered T. rex, there is also this and this.

Oh, didn't know those (I've been out of the loop for a while). Rather pretty, but the Kinto one is still more accurate, specially regarding the skull. I like how the others look a more avian , though.

About the tail.... well, if that depression near the base is the caudofemoralis, seems like its sticking a bit too much. But something tells me that its just the "outdated" way of depicting laterally compressed theropod tails.

[H.Toku]

Thank you for all one's impression to Tarbosaurus!

I welcome various impression, and it is pleased for me that my works lead to discussion.

For the leading to discussion, It is one of important elements that the model is academic.
On the Tarbosaurus, I discussed with a paleontologist who has been studying on dinosaurs from Gobi. He gave me various advices.
One of them, the shape of the pads of foot.

Of course, it is very difficult to use all of theories and studies into one model. But I want to try more scientific work.