Kaiyodo CAPSULE AQUARIUM FIGURE COLLECTION 3

Kaiyodo CAPSULE AQUARIUM FIGURE COLLECTION 3, all 13 types, 2011.3
01. Scleropages formosus (Red)
02. Scleropages formosus (Gold)
03. Lethotremus awae (Red)
04. Lethotremus awae (Green)
05. Enchelycore pardalis
06. Pterois volitans
07. Carcharhinus brachyurus
08. Pseudocarcinus gigas
09. Carettochelys insculpta
10. Spheniscus humboldti
11. Phoca largha
12. Orcinus orca
13. Balaenoptera musculus (Skeleton)
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They're amazing! I would love to see the figures together with a ruler Some of them are very tempting for my collection! :)

So special

Some are going on my wish list

Again great work with penguins. Here it is also correctly represented the Humboldt and no way of confusion with a South African. Japanese companies are always scientifically accurate but we already know it.

I don't recall where but I know I alluded to this in another post, but only slightly and generically. And I don't think I asked the ultimate question...

When I first discovered that Kaiyodo resumed  producing animal figures after its several years break (and started my years long search for a source in Japan so I could afford to buy the new ones (due to their ridiculously inappropriate high eBay prices), one thing I noticed immediately was that among the many extraordinary aquarium figures that were made while I wasn't aware it was happening, a handful were sculpted in a very clearly un-Kaiyodo-like, sometimes stylized, more simplistic toy-like manner.

That made me nervous since I saw a disproportionate amount like that upon my first eBay search and scroll. Luckily it was only a small percentage of those I'd missed.

The two Lethotremus awae above were among these, along with, from memory, the sawfish, manatee, one of the swimming penguins, the Sunshine Aquarium divers and eels, diving sea lion, and cuttlefish. several from set 5, and maybe another or two.

But with all of the discussion of Kaiyodo's quality, I've never seen this discussed anywhere.

Dirk (or anyone), do you know if these were sculpted by someone else or otherwise what accounts for the difference in style? Was it a marketing effort to test appeal to young children?

Brettnj wrote:

Dirk (or anyone), do you know if these were sculpted by someone else or otherwise what accounts for the difference in style? Was it a marketing effort to test appeal to young children?

Oh, you are very sensitive to model style. I think the reason you said different styles is because they are different prototypers, like this set, a total of 7prototypers participated in the design of this set.

What is a prototyper? Which set are you referencing?

And yes, very sensitive, for better or worse...

Brettnj wrote:

What is a prototyper? Which set are you referencing?

And yes, very sensitive, for better or worse...

The prototyper means figure designer. I checked the information, there are 7 different prototypers in Kaiyodo CAPSULE AQUARIUM FIGURE COLLECTION 3.

I've often wondered what percentage of figures Matsumura Shinobu sculpted since we (or I, at least) only ever hear his name.

I had no idea though, that so many others were involved.

I still don't quite get why some of the ones I mentioned are so different, but I appreciate the information.

Brettnj wrote:

I've often wondered what percentage of figures Matsumura Shinobu sculpted since we (or I, at least) only ever hear his name.

I had no idea though, that so many others were involved.

I still don't quite get why some of the ones I mentioned are so different, but I appreciate the information.

Matsumura Shinobu sculpted 3,4,12 in this set. He is one of the most famous animal designers in Kaiyodo.

He--very surprisingly to me--sculpted the two (one sculpt) I note as stylized.

The good thing to learn is that there are so many talented sculptors.

It's awesome that you have access to and share this information. Again, thanks for doing so.