Safari Ltd Okapi: Design change - Why did they change it?!

Hello folks

When Safari first brought out the Okapi model back in 01-02 (I cant remember) I remember being excited because it was one of the first major new Okapi models from any of the current manufacturers. Safari had a photo of it on their website and so did many other mail order sites at the time. I loved the pose, the legs etc - I thought it was great.

Unfortunately when it finally arrived in my hand I was somewhat disappointed as the model was changed and did not look like the one I saw on-line. This was strange and I have never seen it happen before but Safari must have decided on a last minute change which is a shame because I really do not like the current Okapi model, I much prefer the original design. The photo is of an actual model so it would be interesting to find out if Safari produced many of the original design and then changed it or if it was changed before full scale production. I wish I had the original model! I have messaged the current director of Safari Ltd, Ramona Pariente through face book and would like to know what she makes of it.

Whatever the case it is a shame because I love the original design. The picture of the original model is a photo so that version must exist somewhere.....

I thought I would share it with you because it is one of the big disappointments I had with a model when I was younger and I don't think I have ever gotten over it! :)

What do you think of the original and current designs?

ORIGINAL DESIGN:

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REVISED MODEL:

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oh I much prefer the old version! Thanks for this Numaan, I never knew about it!

very interesting. Makes you wonder why they did change it.

Good that you brought this out to the open, i never saw the earlier version before!
But you can see that this is a painted sculpt, so this was probably used for the first advertisings and sales.
My version is like yours too, and i like it, but i think the version with the bended legs looks nicer too!

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WILLYBACOMAN wrote:

My version is like yours too, and i like it, but i think the version with the bended legs looks nicer too!

Yes the original version is really nice, the face is much nicer than the current one and the legs and pose. You cannot believe how annoyed I was when I got the model ten years ago in the post. I was expecting to find the one in the photo above but instead I got a completely different pose. Oh well, at least there is the new Wildlife Wonders model to look out for which is stunning.

ORIGINAL DESIGN:

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God! I´m in love with original version! It looks so good! Much better!

Then you really wonder why they decided to change the model into the later version, as we can see, that most of us like the older model more...

WILLYBACOMAN wrote:

Then you really wonder why they decided to change the model into the later version, as we can see, that most of us like the older model more...

Maybe the version with bended leg is more expensive in production. They should have added one more production step: bending the leg :)

Kiryuha wrote:

WILLYBACOMAN wrote:

Then you really wonder why they decided to change the model into the later version, as we can see, that most of us like the older model more...

Maybe the version with bended leg is more expensive in production. They should have added one more production step: bending the leg :)

You could be right, but the rest of the okapi is slightly different too. The head is lower and the face is much nicer and its neck etc. Why Safari did this to us we will never know. Its one of those injustices.....