Gallimimus from the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia is the largest known ornithomimid at around 6 metres/20 feet in length and 450 kg/1000 lbs in mass. It is also arguably the most famous thanks to its appearances in the Jurassic Park franchise. But there really haven’t been very many toys of it, just as there haven’t been very many ornithomimid toys, period. Schleich is the first company to take a stab at a modern rendition of the “chicken mimic.”
Released in 2023, this is a fairly big toy measuring 22 cm long and 9.5 cm tall. It is sculpted in a crouching stance with its left leg bent sharply and its right one extended back. The head is turned slightly to the left and the tail is swinging to the left as well. The right arm is raised and bent at the elbow while the left one is lowered with the tip of the wing touching the ground to provide support for the toy. Unfortunately, both feet are slightly warped, meaning that while the toy does stand up, it falls over very easily if pushed on its right side. Now granted, ornithomimids, with their long and skinny legs, don’t exactly lend themselves well to stable, freestanding toys. Indeed, the only existing ones thus far that can stand without being sculpted in a tripod pose or mounted on a base are the ones by Mattel, and we all know how badly they score in the accuracy category. Nevertheless, this Gallimimus looks rather awkward and uncomfortable posed this way.
The main colour here is dark grey, as it’s used for the plumage covering most of the Gallimimus’ body, with a slightly darker shade on the tail. The legs are yellowish-brown with dark grey wash and very dark grey claws. The wings on the arms are light grey with very dark grey for the hands and red streaks on top of the forearms. Another red streak runs down the length of the throat. The head is splashed with light grey, the eyes are glossy black, and the bill is yellowish-brown with grey wash. Looks alright on the whole, I reckon.
The detailing is once again what we’ve all come to often expect of Schleich: okay, but definitely not in the same league as other prehistoric toy companies (I don’t think I need to list them by this point). The bill is grooved and pitted. The plumage on the neck and torso is sculpted to appear shaggy, more like that of a kiwi than a bird of prey. The larger feathers on the wings feature visible vanes and the hands are scaly. Finally, the legs are covered in large, irregular scales, and they look rather crude. Indeed, the Tarbosaurus I reviewed previously boasts better sculpting detail than this Gallimimus.
And now let’s discuss this toy’s accuracy. Hooooooooo boy. The head looks decent in profile, but the snout is too broad and the eyes appear too small. Similarly, the tail appears to be slightly too short. The legs are definitely too short, particularly the feet, and they look out of place compared to the rest of the toy without any feathers on them whatsoever. And speaking of feathers, the wings on the arms look sloppy and unfeasible. It would have been better off either having bigger wings or no wings at all.
And then there are the hands on this poor Gallimimus. For sakes of Pete, Schleich, what the blue blazes is the deal here? The hands are tightly clenched together as though the animal is trying its best to make fists. And since the claws are painted the exact same colour as the hands, they end up looking like lumps of charcoal. I don’t understand the decision to sculpt them like this at all. There’s no two ways about this, those hands look straight up bad.
And so it is that I find myself somewhat conflicted over this toy. On the one hand, the awkward pose, the featherless hind legs, the grotesque hands, and the mediocre sculpting detail make it quite impossible for me to say that it’s a good toy. It’s not. On the one hand, it’s still an ornithomimid covered with feathers and goodness knows the world badly needs more toys like that. Indeed, for all its shortcomings, this is nevertheless one of the most accurate Gallimimus toys to date (not that there’s very much competition) and the only one I know of that’s currently in production and not by Mattel. Hopefully, this review has helped you to make up your mind one way or the other. And hopefully there will be more ornithomimid toys from other companies in the future. Like I said, the world badly needs them.
One thing I am most definitely not conflicted about, though, is my heartfelt gratitude to the fantastic folks at Happy Hen Toys for this review sample. The Schleich Gallimimus is currently available on their website, along with all the other 2023 toys. Cheers!
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The legs are okay, I just feel like the transition is too abrupt. Looks like something took a pair of shears to the Galli.
Interesting figure for sure, I actually saw one in person while shopping and I have to admit I couldn’t get myself to buy the poor figure haha!
Great review of this awkward figure, it’s sad that after all these years that the AAA model still stands out.
Mostly agree, but I don’t see why unfeathered legs is a problem, just look at modern ostriches, even their flanks and underside of their wings are unfeathered.
Also worth pointing out, the pose is quite similar to that of the Wikipedia restoration by Steveoc,probably inspired by it: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gallimimus_Steveoc86.jpg
I don’t think unfeathered legs are a problem but the “cracked earth” scales don’t do the figure any favors. Should have just left the skin bare, like an ostrich.
Interesting. It would take less modification to get the figure to assume that pose as it’s half way there.
I wonder how likely that posture was in real life though? To my eye, a more vertical posture makes more sense but that could just be that I am used to seeing it in art/restorations.
regarding the feathers on the legs, I agree featherless is fine, even sensible, but I think the feathers should have gone down further to cover the thighs fully, so just the lower legs are featherless.
I still like the AAA Gallimimus much more.
You’re not sure what else bothers me about the toy? Did you skip over the sections about the hands and the other inaccuracies?
I was replying to Fembrogon. I wasn’t directing my comments towards you. That’s why I clicked on ‘reply’ under Fembrogon’s post.
Ah, gotcha.
Boy, do I wish I could like this figure more than I do; but it’s such an awkwardly-produced figurine I struggle to endorse it. I’m pleasantly surprised to see Schleich tackle this genus semi-seriously, and I’m definitely glad to see another “ostrich dino” toy on the market – but results like this aren’t really doing any favors.
well, it could be made to stand more upright by heating and bending the feet downward a bit at the base of the ‘shins’ (which I guess are actually the metatarsals)….Schleich’s plastic deforms well under heating and tends to stay where you set it, rather than springing back like many plastics.
Then you could either glue it to a base or rig up some kind of wire support to make it stand on its two feet….you may even get lucky and the figure will balance on its two feet, but that’s not likely. The head will be looking somewhat upward as a result, if that bothers you, you could heat and bend the neck a bit.
Not sure what else bothers you about the figure but most problems can be solved with a bit of sculpy and acrylic paint. It’s a nice sized figure…..too bad Schleich made it.
As a general rule for me, if a toy needs gluing, reshaping, sculpy-ing, etc., that’s a clear sign of problems and plenty of reason to be be bothered by it.
I don’t think it’s AWFUL, but it’s not nearly good enough to make me want it.
Find the Battat figure, if you can.
I hardly see how it’s any better Schleich’s, one would be better off either getting no Gallimimus figure at all or the LEGO one for the sake of its unique functionality.
The Battat Gallimimus is superior on every front. Bodily proportions like head size, leg length, actual fingers, etc. The only thing it doesn’t have are feathers and feathers alone don’t save this Schleich figure. But yeah, if you want an accurate Gallimimus neither of them suffice and you’re better off with nothing.
Unfortunately, this is the most accurate Gallimimus out there for now, and ornithomimids in general have been sadly overlooked.
For one, I’m satisfied with the toy but I do understand the criticism, though I strongly disagree with Tarbosaurus being any better from a technical standpoint and that one doesn’t even have the advantage of having only alternatives that are even worse, as we are all well aware the PNSO version exists.
Your review is fair but I am not conflicted. This is one of the year’s worst and most disappointing figures. Not that I had high hopes that Schleich would pull if off but they do manage the occasional nice figure, I was hoping this would be the one for 2023. I want a feathered Gallimimus but not like this. I’ll hold out for better. It will come, eventually.
quite the pose Schleich opted for. They should have given the figure an optional football helmet. Blue 38. Hut. Hut.