Mojo 2013 Giant Panda arrived!

Another figure I received from James was the 2013 giant panda. Mojo is still a young brand building its range, so these best known animals are also needed.
I suspect James told me that the panda was a gift for my niece once it is her favorite animal but I think she has already many toys!
The figure follows the top quality Mojo is presenting and the matte finish works very nice with this black and white figure. You'll see it better when one of our good photographers make a walk around of it.
I added a picture of a real animal on top as Susanne did with the penguin. I had already many pandas, even the last Schleich which I like, but ended giving them all to my niece. So, the comparison picture is with a unknown Yolanda/AAA giant panda baby that my niece gave me. Mojo's is more or less the same size as Schleich, quite smaller than WS Safari panda.
Until now it is my favorite giant panda together with new Schleich.

I hope soon to have the chance of showing the 3rd and last figure of these I received from James. Thanks again to James and Mojo's team.

Wow, it is absolutely stunning. I love this Panda! Great job Mojo, and congrats Roger.

congrats roger.. cant wait for SUY Panda..

Indeed the matte finish is very welcome. Personally I think it works very well on their Black Bear, so it's good to hear they'll continue the style :) The model is very fine and look to resemble it's nature rolemodel very well. Pandas indeed are naturally cute

Thanks Paige, Nando and Carola! As I comment often, cute animals don't need extra cuteness. You'll love it!

What a cute teddy;-) Congrats my friend

A beautyful model again

I love the way he SITS, - no animal can SIT as a panda can ! Like he has been sitting there for hours, thinking deep thoughts, and intends to keep sitting for a looong time 

Perhaps a little more accuracy in the paintwork would be a plus ? 
The pandas have this sharp edge between black and white, it is another typical feature...
Mojo can do it, just look at the beautyful face 

Great addition!!! Congratulations! It's lovely panda, one of my favorites too!!!

Nice Panda! Thank you for posting.

I must admit I don't like the matte finish at all. Some of the older Mojö's (Hippo, African Buffalo, Black Bear, horses and last year's sea animals) are all very delicate and already have some scratches and marks because of that matte finish. All of the Papo and Safari Ltd. animals I have are scratch&marks free, I wish I could say the same about this exciting brand.
I wish they'd use the paint they used on the Seal or Elephant, otherwise I'll have to say goodbye to Mojö.

Thanks everyone! Susanne, it is just a sample, maybe the regular production will be better. Though, this is not bad at all!
Andreas, a Qinling panda would be better for you.

Wonderful sculpt! It is very classical -- very balanced, restrained, and still. I like it a lot. Thanks for the pictures Roger!

The issues that Susanne and Bojan mention are concerns for me as well. It would be nice to see finer paintwork. And the matte paint does seem to scratch easily. The Hippo and the Black Bear get marks so easily. I've been pretty successful so far in keeping the Hippopotamus -- one of my all-time favorite models -- mostly scratch free. But it feels like it's only a matter of time.

A beautyful model again:!(o)):    

I will buy it. i's a lot of panda in it, even more than cuteness.

The work with this figure is really fantastic. Congrats:cheers:          

Thanks Florian, Phillip, Jean-Luc and Scott!

scot(t) wrote:

Wonderful sculpt! It is very classical -- very balanced, restrained, and still. I like it a lot. Thanks for the pictures Roger!

The issues that Susanne and Bojan mention are concerns for me as well. It would be nice to see finer paintwork. And the matte paint does seem to scratch easily. The Hippo and the Black Bear get marks so easily. I've been pretty successful so far in keeping the Hippopotamus -- one of my all-time favorite models -- mostly scratch free. But it feels like it's only a matter of time.

Scott, I understand what you mean but this is a sample and the close up is showing exactly the worst part of the figure. Curiously, when I watched the figure in real, I thought immediatly that one of the persons that would love it was you. I don't know if it is the pose, the beautiful face or even the relatively small size. There is something that remembers me the wolverine that I know you love a lot.
But if I know collectors and children, this figure will have a huge acceptance.
Distorting a little Pege's comment which I agree, this panda is cute just like a real panda and not cute like a cartoon. I hope someone get it and take better pictures, mainly to show how the bottom of this figure is also very detailed.

Well well well, I have a few things to say and I don't know if I will be the bad boy of the topic  

About the model itself I agree with PeGe, it is more panda than cute and I appreciate but it seems the head is too big IMHO or is it the pics ? This "too" big details disturb me... I don't know what to think.

About MÖJO painting I've just take a look at my models. I have no problems with the black models but have a few on the hippo and lions. I guess you are right but I'm not sure it has something to do with the matt finish  

Roger wrote:

Thanks Florian, Phillip, Jean-Luc and Scott!

scot(t) wrote:

Wonderful sculpt! It is very classical -- very balanced, restrained, and still. I like it a lot. Thanks for the pictures Roger!

The issues that Susanne and Bojan mention are concerns for me as well. It would be nice to see finer paintwork. And the matte paint does seem to scratch easily. The Hippo and the Black Bear get marks so easily. I've been pretty successful so far in keeping the Hippopotamus -- one of my all-time favorite models -- mostly scratch free. But it feels like it's only a matter of time.

Scott, I understand what you mean but this is a sample and the close up is showing exactly the worst part of the figure. Curiously, when I watched the figure in real, I thought immediatly that one of the persons that would love it was you. I don't know if it is the pose, the beautiful face or even the relatively small size. There is something that remembers me the wolverine that I know you love a lot.
But if I know collectors and children, this figure will have a huge acceptance.
Distorting a little Pege's comment which I agree, this panda is cute just like a real panda and not cute like a cartoon. :DI hope someone get it and take better pictures, mainly to show how the bottom of this figure is also very detailed.

Thank you for the thoughts Roger! I find your reflections to be really encouraging. We all know that models often look just different enough in person to make a substantial difference in how appealing we find the model to be. Your comparison of the Panda to the Wolverine really reinforces what I already like about the Panda from the pictures. And you're exactly right: The Panda's face is my favorite part (as with the Wolverine). And I do prefer modestly sized figures. I think you've convinced me to get it. I'm excited to see it in person!

I am sorry for not quoting but thanks for all your comments!
Scott, I am not promoting the figure but I am sure people will have a better impression with the figures in their hands!
Christophe, I made the same question often, pictures are all giving the impression that the head is too large. Seeing it in real I have the same impression. Though, the body is curved down with back touching the ground giving a curled pose to the animal, so, body looks smaller and consequently head looks larger. When I see pictures of real pandas sitting in similar poses, all of them look to have larger heads then when I see pictures of standing pandas. Maybe the head is a little large but I am not sure once the pandas of this nominate species have larger heads than those of other subspecies.

Congrats Roger!

bojan wrote:

Nice Panda! Thank you for posting.

I must admit I don't like the matte finish at all. Some of the older Mojö's (Hippo, African Buffalo, Black Bear, horses and last year's sea animals) are all very delicate and already have some scratches and marks because of that matte finish. All of the Papo and Safari Ltd. animals I have are scratch&marks free, I wish I could say the same about this exciting brand.
I wish they'd use the paint they used on the Seal or Elephant, otherwise I'll have to say goodbye to Mojö.

I have good news for collectors, I just got this news from James. Mojo again is listening to collectors AND will improve the paint quality this year!!! They working on it now and within next two months Mojo animals will have new different paint-more durable than current one. They may become slightly less matt but surely will not be "glossy".

Good news, Anna. Thank you, but does that mean they will repaint the older models as well or only the non-released yet?

Thank you Anna for this good news

bojan wrote:

Good news, Anna. Thank you, but does that mean they will repaint the older models as well or only the non-released yet?

All animals I think. But it's going to take some time until they reach shops because so far older paint type is "on shelves". I think if the new paint will be use in factory within next 2 months we can expect to find new versions in shops for 6-7 months probably

I looked again and sort of agree that the head is oversize. It could be better with a smaller head!! :

Thank you again, Anna. Any news from Mojö is very welcome, since they don't post anything anymore on their FB page and their website is practically dead.