Lambeosaurus (Bullyland)

Buy on

Buy on

One of two releases by Bullyland for 2014, this new Lambeosaurus is a lovely addition to their line. I picked up mine as a souvenir from a museum shop in Germany, which reminded me how much more meaningful it can be to select and purchase figures in person. I suppose those days are behind us now, but at least it has become easier to find whatever figure you want in the digital age.

I’m pleased Bullyland selected Lambeosaurus because I’ve always been fond of this hadrosaur. There aren’t too many representations of this genus out there, although the number has been growing in recent years, with offerings by CollectA (reviewed here) and Geoworld. However, I wouldn’t go quite as far at the Reddit community who regard this crested dinosaur as the very best dinosaur there ever was or will be!

Anyhow, the first character of this figure that struck me was its large size – it is 25 cm long – bigger than I anticipated. Compared to the prices of the other smaller figures I saw in the shop it seemed good value for money to me. The quadropedal posture is noteworthy because the right hindlimb is positioned entirely off the ground. It still stands stable. The general similarity between this and the Invicta Lambeosaurus invites direct comparison and I wouldn’t be surprised if the older model provided some inspiration for the new one. Both are elegant and graceful figures, with a low-slung neck, arched back, and a dynamism to their posture. An almost dainty appearance for what is, after all, a nine metre-long hulk of an animal.

There are no points of articulation in this figure. While articulated jaws aren’t so bad, I was never convinced by the awkward articulated limbs and body parts in some of Bullyland’s other recent figures (e.g. the 2010 Iguanodon) As such, I appreciate the more traditional solid model approach used here. Not that I have anything against action figures, I just think there isn’t much space for (or point in) finding a middle ground.

There are three hoof-like digits and a reduced digit V on each hand, which is correct, and there are three large digits on each foot. This is also correct, but in addition there’s an additional tiny digit on the outside of the foot of the Bullyland model, in the position of digit V, which was absent in the living creature (please correct me if I’m wrong!). So, the anatomy isn’t completely without error. The legs also look a little spindly for a multi-ton critter, but who knows.

The texture is typically ‘Bullyland’: quite rough-looking and relatively crude, but perfectly acceptable from a distance. Fossil evidence has shown that hadrosaurs were scaly creatures so it works here. The colour of the figure is pleasantly unusual with bold blues and yellows, and a striking blood-red crest. The head crest of Lambeosaurus lambei, the species to which this Bullyland model clearly belongs, with its backwards-facing prong, has always reminded me of a mitten. For this reason I’ll end my review by giving this figure a good old ‘thumbs up’. Good work Bullyland, this is a solid figure and I highly recommend it. More like this, please!

Available soon from Amazon.com