One of many first dinosaur toys I ever purchased as an grownup collector was the 2008 Carnegie Assortment Giganotosaurus. I received mine from Ithaca’s Museum of the Earth round 2010 and it has stood as the only consultant of the genus in my assortment ever since (not counting Jurassic World toys). Many glorious Giga figures have been launched through the years however as somebody that’s not terribly within the genus however very a lot a fan of the Carnegie mannequin of it, I by no means felt compelled to get one other. Then Haolonggood introduced their Giganotosaurus. A burly trying, impressively massive, lipped mannequin that got here in three engaging paintjobs. I made a decision it was time to lastly get a brand new Giga, however I’m nonetheless preserving my Carnegie mannequin!
Haolonggood’s Giganotosaurus measures 14” (35.5 cm) lengthy and stands 4.5” (11.43 cm) tall on the hip. It’s marketed as being 1/35 in scale and to be that scale it must be scaled down from an animal measuring 41’ (12.49 meters) in size, which is throughout the proposed vary of size estimates for Giganotosaurus. The determine is posed striding ahead with solely the guidelines of the correct foot touching the bottom. Thus far, the determine appears fairly secure. Not like my PNSO Carcharodontosaurus and Tyrannotitan, which can not stand with out assist rods anymore. The tail regularly droops off and to the correct in an natural vogue.
The form of the cranium seems largely correct to a current illustration by Dan Folkes however there are different drawings, by different artists, the place it doesn’t match up fairly as properly. Nevertheless, loads of older reconstructions make the cranium too lengthy and that’s not the case right here. For Giganotosaurus, we have now fragmentary cranial materials from just one particular person, and jaw materials from two, so it is perhaps greatest to not get too pedantic right here. It’s value noting that the chin on the determine is angled inward considerably, whereas on the fossils it’s extra squared off.
Giganotosaurus has excessive neural arches and in some reconstructions (take a look at Favourite’s) you’ll discover a steep incline from the bottom of the neck to the dorsal vertebrae above the shoulders. That’s hinted at right here however not dramatically so, partially as a result of the neck and physique are so muscular and bulked up. The arms are appropriately small and strong, the legs are lean and muscular, and the ft are properly padded. The claws are finely sculpted and sharp. The torso is barrel-like, and the tail is thick at its base with a gradual petering out in direction of the tip. Evaluating it to the 18 12 months previous Carnegie mannequin actually drives dwelling how a lot bulkier theropod reconstructions have gotten through the years.
Turning our consideration to the finer particulars, the scales on the pinnacle are largest alongside the snout and lips and regularly get smaller as we transfer upwards and again from the snout. Pronounced ridges run over the nasal and lacrimal bones. They begin out with fantastic scalation after which transition to massive, keratinous buildings over the forehead. From there, some bigger scales encircle the orbits. Clusters of enormous scales are additionally sculpted alongside the again of the mandibles.
Contained in the mouth, the enamel are finely sculpted, sharp, and blade-like. The tissue on the within seems moist and fleshy, with ridges and nasal passages on the roof of the mouth, and ridges alongside the decrease jaw, beneath the quick, muscular tongue.
On my copy, the lips seal properly collectively, however I’ve seen some examples the place there’s a slight hole between the closed lips. My copy has a unfastened decrease jaw and can keep closed however simply drops when jostled. Each copy I’ve seen or examine has a noticeable seam across the nape and a niche the place the jaw is articulated that’s so massive you possibly can shine a lightweight by means of it. High quality management points like this appear ample with this determine, with others together with small paint defects and white sealant seen between seams.
Over the physique we get scale element that’s so fantastic that it virtually seems non-existent, making the determine really feel virtually easy, significantly alongside the tail. I contemplate this a great factor, since we all know from pores and skin impressions that dinosaur scales had been individually moderately small. Bigger scutes run down the fingers and toes. Wrinkles and pores and skin folds are sculpted the place applicable, equivalent to alongside the neck, across the decrease torso, and alongside the limb joints. Cascading wrinkles run between the hips and thighs in arching vogue that’s considerably weird, however I can’t say that I don’t prefer it. All bodily orifices are current, and the cloaca has a bulge which may recommend this mannequin represents a male.
The Haolonggood Giganotosaurus is available in three distinct colours. Put merely, Guan Sheng is brown, Lin Chong is blue, after which the third is a inexperienced “particular colour version” that has no identify. For me, the blue Giga has too many black and white squiggles that I typically dislike on HLG figures, and the inexperienced one was a bit too blotchy with its patterning. The brown model appeared essentially the most naturalistic and refined in order that’s the one I went with.
Guan Sheng has a normal brown base colour over a lot of the physique, with a tan underside. Orange is mixed in alongside the snout and peach highlights are painted over a lot of the throat, underside of the neck, alongside the decrease edges of the flanks, over the internal thigh and groin, and beneath a lot of the tail. Darkish brown blotches are painted over the face, and the crests are edged in blue.
Darkish airbrushing over the midline of the again give’s option to a smattering of darkish speckles and blotches over a lot of the toy’s sides. These darkish speckles add loads of realism and enchantment and look much more naturalistic than squiggles. The brown dorsal colour varieties broad stripes operating down the legs and alongside the tail. These alongside the tail tip are given an additional darkish wash. Beginning on the knees, the legs transition over to darkish grey, and the fingers are darkish grey too. A lighter wash over these surfaces brings out the finer particulars.
The enamel are white with a shiny pink gloss that makes them seem bloody and moist. The tongue and inside floor of the mouth are shiny, pink, and with a smattering of pink. The eyes are yellow with black pupils. The claws are darkish brown, virtually showing black. My description of the coloration and try to maintain it transient does the determine no justice, and there’s loads of refined variations in tone that I didn’t even contact on however I’m going onto my third web page of this overview, so I feel I’m executed!
The Haolonggood Giganotosaurus is an impressive determine that lastly received me to interrupt down and add a contemporary Giga to my assortment. After all, being one of many few (solely?) trendy Giganotosaurus figures with lips is all it is going to take to persuade most collectors to get it, and I in all probability might have lowered this overview right down to “it has lips” and known as it a day. However the determine will not be with out its flaws, largely within the high quality management division. Though they weren’t sufficient to show me away from this determine I feel they’re a transparent signal that Haolonggood must take just a little bit extra time with their merchandise. On this case, they really destroyed the primary batch of Giganotosaurus solely to launch a mannequin that’s nonetheless flawed! I extremely advocate the mannequin all the identical, and I doubt I’ll be shopping for one other Giganotosaurus for at the very least one other decade.
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