Schleich - new for 2019

[Shonisaurus]

Don't worry, I'm not offended. I was a little unsure of the tone though and so opted for what I hoped was a neutral response.

I freely admit that there are members on here that have a better grasp on the routines and practices of the various manufacturers than I do and look forward to what else Schleich may have in store, given the upturn in the quality of some of their  recent product.

As somebody else said - 2019 is a great year to be a collector (and conversely therefore a bad one if you have any ambition to increase you bank balance!).

Totally in agreement with you it will be for those of us who are collectors this year 2019 a year in which we will have to spend a lot of money and we will have to give up many things (at least in my case). Everything is for the dinosaurs.

[leidy]

Ended up buying Schleich's new Spinosaurus on sight.  It's tremendous, although I still find the revised interpretation of Spinosaurus a very awkard looking animal.  I don't feel like it's the last word on this animal and I hope more complete material will come to light.   

One thing that surprised me about this figure is the stubby tongue. This makes sense the more I think about it, but it looks a bit odd.  In the versions I saw, it was painted an unnatural shade of red.  I've been trying(with limited success) to find a good photograph of a gharial revealing its tongue for comparison, and they must be significantly diminished because in many photos they appear virtually non-existant. 

Pose is relatively naturalistic and well balanced, all things considered.  (I've tried sketching new-look Spinosaurus over the past few years, and it's a real challenge to find interesting poses that seem to work).  Overall dimensions and proportions are accurate to the revised model,  the sail may be just a bit off, but no more-so than other recent figures.  Arm and leg articulation in line with current thinking.  Musculature seems well judged and anatomically sound.  Skull is carefully observed from known fossil material, moving jaws interlock nicely.   

Excellent variety of skin detailing progressively transitioning from hardened scales to careful wrinkling in appropriate areas.  Molding and reproduction is on the soft side.  The sculpt is absolutely top tier, and probably comparable to figures Papo have been putting out, but Schleich either aren't capable or (I suspect) don't favour that same level of sharpness.  It's a bit more blunt edged.   

Highly recommended!

Also picked up their 2018 T.rex, which is a bit loose with proportions but has its own thing going on and a lot of satisfying details.  Reminds me of some of those 1980s/early 90s reconstructions before everyone started doing a version of the JP T.rex.  I had to have it. 

[Sim]

[...]
One thing that surprised me about this figure is the stubby tongue. This makes sense the more I think about it, but it looks a bit odd.  In the versions I saw, it was painted an unnatural shade of red.  I've been trying(with limited success) to find a good photograph of a gharial revealing its tongue for comparison, and they must be significantly diminished because in many photos they appear virtually non-existant. 
[...]

I think I've read that the tongue of crocodilians isn't able to move freely and is instead fully attached to the lower jaw.  If I'm remembering right, there was a paper last year that suggested something similar might be the case for a lot of dinosaurs, excluding at least some ornithischians and some of the more birdy theropods?

In any case, I really dislike it when dinosaur figures with an articulated jaw have their tongue lifted up so that when the jaw is closed one can still see the tongue raised.  It makes an articulated jaw kind of pointless.  This is the most annoying thing about Schleich's new Spinosaurus, for me.  I find this is even worse in CollectA's Ceratosaurus, as its tongue looks raised too far outward, so mouth open or closed it's tongue doesn't look good.

Personally, I think dinosaur figures would tend to look better without the tongue being raised whether there's an articulated jaw or not.  I generally find tongues sticking up look unappealing, with the ugliest being that of CollectA's 2018 Mapusaurus which looks raised outward to a very unrealistic degree.  At least with that figure its tongue can be hidden by closing the mouth.

[leidy]

[...]
One thing that surprised me about this figure is the stubby tongue. This makes sense the more I think about it, but it looks a bit odd.  In the versions I saw, it was painted an unnatural shade of red.  I've been trying(with limited success) to find a good photograph of a gharial revealing its tongue for comparison, and they must be significantly diminished because in many photos they appear virtually non-existant. 
[...]

I think I've read that the tongue of crocodilians isn't able to move freely and is instead fully attached to the lower jaw.  If I'm remembering right, there was a paper last year that suggested something similar might be the case for a lot of dinosaurs, excluding at least some ornithischians and some of the more birdy theropods?

In any case, I really dislike it when dinosaur figures with an articulated jaw have their tongue lifted up so that when the jaw is closed one can still see the tongue raised.  It makes an articulated jaw kind of pointless.  This is the most annoying thing about Schleich's new Spinosaurus, for me.  I find this is even worse in CollectA's Ceratosaurus, as its tongue looks raised too far outward, so mouth open or closed it's tongue doesn't look good.

Personally, I think dinosaur figures would tend to look better without the tongue being raised whether there's an articulated jaw or not.  I generally find tongues sticking up look unappealing, with the ugliest being that of CollectA's 2018 Mapusaurus which looks raised outward to a very unrealistic degree.  At least with that figure its tongue can be hidden by closing the mouth.

It's an area I haven't given much thought to in the past.  Crocodillian tongues certainly don't seem to be mobile, they just lie there in the lower jaw.  Bird tongues on the other hand can be crazy. 

Those CollectA figures you cite look like the tongues are too long to lie flat in the jaw.  I would imagine a carnivore with a very narrow jaw(such as Spinosaurus) would be in danger of slicing it off were the tongue that long.   

[Concavenator]

Everything Dinosaur said they would be unveiling more new releases in about 10 days.

Brace yourselves, the Diabloceratops is coming!

[SidB]

Yes! Sooner rather than later.

[Shonisaurus]

Then, within ten days, more news of Schleich dinosaurs I hope it is not just Schleich's diabloceratops and we will surprise that mark with other figures equal or better than this year's spinosaurus.

[Takama]

The Ceratopsian Is Diabloceratops



Also the LONG Rumord Plesiosaurus is finally being released to the world


A baby Pachycephalosaurus Dracorex


And a Juvinile Giganotosaurus


Images VIA Everything Dinosaur Facebook page

[MLMjp]

And a Juvinile Giganotosaurus

I can believe it, a Giganotosaurus that actually looks like a Giganotosaurus. Why these sub-adult theropod are always miles better than their adult counterparts?

The Plesiosaurus is just an extremely cartoony-loking Nessie.

[DragonRider02]

Wow finally a marine reptile from Schleich.
Too bad it looks like a cheap bathtub rubber toy!

But that Diablo and Dracorex look pretty cool! I can't wait for better photos!

[DinoToyForum]

Hey, they all look pretty good!

Except for the Plesiosaurus. Such a lazy sculpt doesn't deserve a place next to those other models. I agree, if I didn't know better I would think it was a cheap bath toy, squeaky dog toy, or Chinasaur.
e.g. 

Image by @Pilkington (from DTF V1 here)

Oh well, at least it's another marine reptile to add to my collection. I suppose it doesn't matter how bad the toy is when you're addicted.

[ceratopsian]

Bad luck on the Plesiosaurus!  The Diabloceratops will almost certainly join my herd.

[Jose S.M.]

Most of them are really nice! A little bit of disappointment that they chose Dracorex over a proper Pachycephalosaurus. The Diablo looks great, does it have a leg raised? I think I still like the Safari one better but it's a great piece for Schleich. The number of good and worth to get Schleich pieces is increasing fast.

[suspsy]

Good thing the Plesiosaurus has a bendable neck so you can get it out of that swan pose. Don't care at all for those big scales, though!

[Patrx]

I actually like a couple of these! But, I already have a better Dracorex and a better Diabloceratops, and no need for duplicates.

[LeapingLaelaps]

That Plesiosaurus is so... Bad

[Megalosaurus]

I really like that Dracorex and Diabloceratops.

[terrorchicken]

I love all of  them! (except for Nessie there)

[DinoToyForum]

Good thing the Plesiosaurus has a bendable neck so you can get it out of that swan pose. Don't care at all for those big scales, though!

The bendable neck must be the reason why it looks so thin and weedy, like a stretched piece of playdoh, any thicker and it might be too thick to bend.

[suspsy]

Good thing the Plesiosaurus has a bendable neck so you can get it out of that swan pose. Don't care at all for those big scales, though!

The bendable neck must be the reason why it looks so thin and weedy, like a stretched piece of playdoh, any thicker and it might be too thick to bend.

Strange that Schleich didn't go with an elasmosaurid that has, you know, a truly long and thin neck!