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Post by brontodocus on Jan 20, 2011 0:26:52 GMT
That makes these Nature's Wonders figures even more intersting. I'm afraid I'm doomed to hunt for these now, too. ;D
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Post by bmathison1972 on Jan 22, 2011 1:27:50 GMT
OK, just got these on eBay. They are the insect collector's version of 'Chinasaurs' (we need to create an arthropod version...). But, what they heck they are kinda neat. I like the scorpion and centipede. And I never turn down an insect set with a heteropteran (in this case, a pentatomid), because they are so uncommon among toys. LOL [a href=" "][/a][/url]
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Post by bmathison1972 on Jan 28, 2011 21:01:56 GMT
Sabarudo Beetles, I recently bought a set of beetles by Subarudo (?-they were sold as Takara; maybe a collaboration?). They are copywrited 2006 and apparently are already retired. There are four 'basic' figures: Allomyrina dichotoma, Dynastes neptunus, Allotopus rosenbergi, and a Prosopcoilus sp., probably P. inclinatus (I assume the last--they were not named). Each contains a part of a fifth, 'secret' figure that when assembled is Dynastes hercules. These figures are similar to Colorata, as they are kinda soft (not as soft as Colorata) and are assembled except for their legs (although the elytra are not permanently attached and may be opened or removed). They are better quality than Colorata, though, and they are BIG; very big by Gashapon standards. The Dynastes hercules is 20cm in length! They are as big or bigger than life-sized! These species have all been done by Colorata (and/or others). This is my eighth name-brand A. dichotoma, joining Colorata, Yujin (Insects of Japan and King of Beetles), Kaiyodo/Furuta, Rement, CollectA, and Wild Republic.
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Post by brontodocus on Jan 29, 2011 12:45:40 GMT
Nice new acquisitions, Blaine! The "chinabugs" could be worse. Of course the Sabarudo beetles are much cooler, though. The Dynastes hercules chase figure reminds me of the Kabaya Dinosaur collection where you needed to get all figures of the series to receive complete the "Seismosaurus". No wonder there are so many japanese figures of Allomyrina dichotoma. There is even a 4d Master anatomy model available (about as huge as the D. hercules anatomy model I posted earlier). And it reminds me that I have another one which I bought used some time ago but I don't know anything about the manufacturer: It's soft and the elytra cannot be lifted but can pivot around a vertical axis (strangely, the same is true for the head) . It's also a little bigger than life size, approx. 90 mm.
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Post by bmathison1972 on Feb 15, 2011 23:46:50 GMT
I recently got a set of six crabs by a company called Wing Mau (never neard of them). The line is called 'Aquatic Museum' and has six species of crabs. There are three species of fiddler crab: Uca crassipes, U. arcuata and U. lacteal. There is also the mud-flat crab (Chasmagnathus convexus), the red-claw crab (Chiromantes haematocheir), and the light-blue soldier crab, Myctyris longicarpus. The U. crassipes looks a lot like U. tetragonon (previously done in both male and female by Takara in the second release of the Shrimps and Crabs collection initially released under Yujin) but they are apparently in different sub-genera. The U. lacteal was previously done by Epoch. The C. haematocheir was previsouly done by both Yujin (in the first release, only, of the Shrimps and Crabs collection) and Kayiodo (Chocoegg Animals Series 3). The M. longicarpus was mis-labeled on the paper inserts as 'Uca arcuata'. This is most-certainly a misprint on behalf of the company, as the figure is clearly modeled after a Myctyris and not a female Uca. M. longicarpus was previously done by Cadbury (Yowies Series 3). These are the first examples I have seen of Uca arcuata and Chasmagnathus convexus! Each figure sits loosely on a hexagonal base with a habitat scene on it (land or land and water). The figures are not premanently attached to the base nor is there any mechanism for securely affixing them. The six bases can be connected together to form one large 'habitat platform' for lack of a better term. The figures themselves are single pieces, hard-bodied but with softish legs. An interesting collection and worth acquiring for anyone into arthropods or aquatic animals.
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Post by totoro on Feb 15, 2011 23:48:42 GMT
Wow, those are beautiful! I just found this thread and I'm tripping out over some of these amazing models!
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Post by postsaurischian on Jun 25, 2011 23:06:25 GMT
TAKARA / TOMY A.R.T.S. Mystery Creatures Encyclopedia Scorpions - Set of 6 (yes - I'm missing the secret figure )Parabuthus transvaalicus ..... Liocheles australasiae ..... Androctonus australis ..... Pandinus imperator ..... Isometrus maculatus ..... Leiurus quinquestriatus .....
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Post by brontodocus on Jun 26, 2011 7:32:20 GMT
Ah, you got them already! I ordered mine less than a week ago, very nice set. The secret figure is Pandinus cavimanus, which seems to be the same figure as the Pandinus imperator, only with a more brownish black coloration. I didn't buy the secret figure either.
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Post by postsaurischian on Jun 26, 2011 13:09:57 GMT
Good to know . So I don't really need the secret figure as well.
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Post by bmathison1972 on Jun 26, 2011 21:24:01 GMT
Nice, my scorpions too are 'in the mail'. I also like that whole Natural Treasures series. I really need to find a way to get the arthropods. I have the Cheirtonus scarab but none of the others from that series....grrr.....LOL.
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Post by postsaurischian on Jun 30, 2011 20:45:37 GMT
The 3 arthropods of the Safari Venomous Creatures toob : Brown Tarantula --- Fat-Tailed Scorpion --- Giant Centipede
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Post by bmathison1972 on Jul 1, 2011 22:51:13 GMT
Yes, I am planning on that Toob as well. I get most of my stuff from T.G.Y. and waiting for their CollectA and Bullyland to come in. The CollectA came in this week, so one Bullyland's green huntsman is available, I am going to get them all at once The 3 arthropods of the Safari Venomous Creatures toob : Brown Tarantula --- Fat-Tailed Scorpion --- Giant Centipede
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Post by bmathison1972 on Jul 20, 2011 18:13:21 GMT
Got my scorpions this past week--they are really nice! Surprising scorpions are not more common among the Gashapon figures...
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Post by brontodocus on Jul 20, 2011 20:40:25 GMT
Mine also arrived last week! Yes, scorpions seem uncommon as gashapon figures, let alone small and obscure species like Liocheles australasiae - although I've read that they are not too uncommon as pet scorpions nowadays.
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Post by brontodocus on Oct 20, 2011 22:41:33 GMT
Ranina ranina (Linnaeus, 1758); Red Frog Crab. Kaiyodo / The Study Room. Carapace length*width = 28*29 mm, scale approx. 1:3 - 1:6. Once again, thanks to postsaurischian. This one is not really an arthropod but usually included in Panarthropoda together with arthropods, lobopods, and onychophorans: Echiniscus sp., an armoured water bear. Figure by Agatsuma Entertainment, length 43 mm without base, scale approx. 100:1 - 200:1. I've been searching so long for this figure after I first saw it that I nearly thought it was just my imagination and didn't really exist.
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Post by sbell on Oct 20, 2011 23:20:14 GMT
I love that tardigrade--I've seen it before, but only in pictures. The only one I've seen on ebay was ridiculously expensive though, and I have limits.
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Post by brontodocus on Oct 20, 2011 23:30:42 GMT
Well this one actually was from ebay and, yes, it was the most I've ever spent on a gashapon figure - $30. Since it's been some years since I saw the last one pop up at ebay (and of course missed it) I didn't want to risk going without it again. Shortly after that, another seller had another one for even more and that one's gone as well. By the way, the rest of the set has some really amazing figures, too, like the predatory tunicate, Megalodicopia hians!
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Post by sbell on Oct 21, 2011 1:31:16 GMT
Well this one actually was from ebay and, yes, it was the most I've ever spent on a gashapon figure - $30. Since it's been some years since I saw the last one pop up at ebay (and of course missed it) I didn't want to risk going without it again. Shortly after that, another seller had another one for even more and that one's gone as well. By the way, the rest of the set has some really amazing figures, too, like the predatory tunicate, Megalodicopia hians! I've seen that whole set on Japanese auctions. The whole set is great, but if you thought your one figure was expensive... I have to say, Takara Tomy (the company that makes the figures with plastic circle bases) has some great variety. I am quite pleased with my carnivorous plant set!
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Post by postsaurischian on Oct 21, 2011 7:48:38 GMT
It's Agatsuma, not Takara in this case. So would you say it was luck, getting the whole set for $44,- ;D? Can't wait for my "Bärtierchen" Sorry, I'm using the German name for Echiniscus sp. because it's just too lovely.
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Post by brontodocus on Oct 21, 2011 9:49:38 GMT
Yes, the design of the bases is also quite different from Takara Tomy A.R.T.S, here they are oval and 80 mm long at the base. Since my tardigrade came with its original box I see that there are indeed ten figures altogether plus two secrets and I understand the seller we got them from that only the secrets were not included in our two sets and that these two were merely different colour variants of the Tsuchinoko and Alligator Snapping Turtle which are included in the basic set in their regular colours. So we wouldn't really be missing anything!
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