Yujin Freshwater Fishes (Mostly second releases)--walkarounds

This figure is the Barred Mudskipper, Periophthalmus argentilineatus , number 29 from the second series. This is the second Yujin goby, this time as the representative of the mudskipper subfamily (Oxudercinae, family Gobiidae) in the series. This is a very widespread species, in estuarine and brackish coastal regions along the Indo-Pacific oceans. This means that they range from southern Africa through the Red Sea to Oceania and Australia, north along the coast of China to Korea and the southern islands of Japan, and then further east across several Pacific localities. A map through Fishbase also indicates that they may occur in the more equatorial/sub-tropical Pacific coastal regions of the Americas, making this the most naturally widespread figure in the Yujin series! With a range like this, I’m honestly surprised that they have not been divided taxonomically into many separate species or subspecies (at least, ones that have held up to scrutiny). Mudskippers are of course famous for their ability to leave the water during lower tides to wander along mudflats, mangrove swamps and other tidal environments to hunt, even climbing trees using the pelvic-fin suction cup. They are also found in aquariums; although I’m not sure of the species, I actually successfully kept a vivarium with mudskippers and other estuarine animals for a while, and they are as fun to watch as the sound (catching the crickets before the archerfish could shoot them, for example!). The Yujin model gives a length of 9cm, although most sources referred to them as 19cm.

This model measures 6cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:2 (1:3 with the longer, more frequently seen length). This is another very complex-patterned fish, possible the hardest to describe yet! It is a variety of shades of brown, darker on the dorsal margin fading to very light brown and then white on the belly. There are numerous black bars across the back, each of which has ragged markings and tend to sweep anteriorly from their origin on the dorsal column. On top of all of these are two irregular rows from the pectoral fins to the base of the tail which are very thin, very vertical, and very light crème colour. On top of the head, along the cheeks and where the ‘neck’ would be, are a scattering of crème coloured dots. A dark band extends across the cheeks from above the upper lip to the pectoral fin. The body itself is a great sculpt of a resting or calm Mudskipper, with a big, bulbous head and a body tapering to a point at the tail.  The dorsal and caudal fins are sculpted in a yellow plastic, but they are lying flat, indicating that the Mudskipper is not threatening or fighting (as opposed to the Amur Goby, whose raised fins are a more aggressive pose). The pectoral fins look like the others, but are in the position of propping up the fish, as they would when walking. The head appears to be sculpted to show the gills filled with water, so the Mudskipper can crawl on the beach or trees; this or it just has really big cheeks! The pelvic fins are more separate than in the Amur Goby, which makes sense as these fish do not tend to ‘stick’ to surfaces the same way .This is another Yujin fish without any base at all; seeing as it is in a walking pose, this makes sense, although it would have been neat to see it on a branch or something.

There are a few other mudskipper figures out there, but like the goby they are generally different species, again from Yujin and Kaiyodo.

Pictures:
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I refer to this one as the bowhunting tournament pose--a hole in it, tossed on its back...but it's easy to see the detail that Yujin puts into every side of the models (and can often see the numbers in the photos).
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This mudskipper is as a brackish fish also interesting for my zoo :)

These last two are also fabulous but mudskppers are incredible creatures! Incredible creatures, said I, as a reference to Safari... much more incredible than piglets!

Roger wrote:

These last two are also fabulous but mudskppers are incredible creatures! Incredible creatures, said I, as a reference to Safari... much more incredible than piglets!

Tell me about it--we were lucky to get a couple of Safari Incredible Creatures fish this year (Grouper and Largemouth Bass) but I'd really like to see some of the really 'Incredible' ones--like a mudskipper, polypterus, African butterflyfish, something like that. More on par with the Flying Fish (a brilliant IC figure) than the goldfish (because booorrring)!

This figure is the Grass Puffer (AKA Sunafugu, meaning Sand Puffer in Japanese), Takifugu niphobles , number 30 from the second series. This is the only pufferfish in the whole series, a family of immediately recognizable fish well-known for taking in air or water to make themselves much larger, as a defense mechanism. They are also well-known as a bad idea for a delicacy, and the toxin in some of their organs is decidedly and immediately lethal if improperly prepared! These are smaller puffers, found from Japan through the Koreas and China to Vietnam. They are primarily marine, but appear to come in to brackish or even far upstream freshwater environments, possibly as a means to remove or weaken parasites. They are predatory fish, using their strong beaks to consume invertebrates including shelled molluscs. The Yujin model gives a length of 12cm, but apparently can reach up to 25cm.

This model measures 5.5cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:2 (1:5 with the longest possible length). The Grass Puffer is in a normal swimming pose, uninflated at moving forward. It has a basic crème colour body, with a light brown dorsal colouring that breaks into light brown dots along the sides. Over the head, from the eyes to the beak, the dorsal surface is a light olive green. There are two dark brown bands across the dorsal surface, one behind the eye and one roughly midway between the first band and the dorsal fin. There is a tiny dark brown blotch at the base of the dorsal fin and a small blotch at the base of the tail. The fins are translucent orange or yellow. The beak is well defined on the all-white mouth (mine appears to have a paint chip!) with the mouth slightly open. The eyes are big and bulbous, with green pupils on dark backgrounds. This is the last Yujin freshwater fish with a base, in this case a brown gravel one with a plant. There are definitely other Grass Puffer models out there, as always made by Japanese companies—at least, for sure by Kaiyodo (I have one). For puffers and their relatives overall, puffers are sort of popular due to their familiar appearance and cartoony look (despite being nasty predators!) and get made as all sorts of toys, from bath toys to models and figures.

Pictures:
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I refer to this one as the bowhunting tournament pose--a hole in it, tossed on its back...but it's easy to see the detail that Yujin puts into every side of the models (and can often see the numbers in the photos). This is also the only other double I currently have in the set, and once again I could not get the peg out, so it is fortunate I have the spare to photograph from underneath!
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Lovely puffer fish :)

Truly wonderful and informative walkarounds, the only problem is that you've made me want to get this set... too bad I don't have $300 lying around doing nothing!

re: your comment on the Langsdorf's goldfish- it is not in either of the Yujin goldfish sets. The feral comet is not either, they do have a comet but it is a different sculpt. They don't have a common. The figures from the goldfish sets are slightly larger.

once again, thanks for making me drool! (and goldfish aren't boring! though they really don't seem to fit a line named 'Incredible Creatures')

pipsxlch wrote:

Truly wonderful and informative walkarounds, the only problem is that you've made me want to get this set... too bad I don't have $300 lying around doing nothing!

re: your comment on the Langsdorf's goldfish- it is not in either of the Yujin goldfish sets. The feral comet is not either, they do have a comet but it is a different sculpt. They don't have a common. The figures from the goldfish sets are slightly larger.

once again, thanks for making me drool! (and goldfish aren't boring!  though they really don't seem to fit a line named 'Incredible Creatures')

Hey, no problem--it's been fun (and only one left..in my collection...soon!).

And I guess goldfish are alright, but I have been keeping freshwater fish since I was 12 or so, and goldfish are just so common! I've kept things from all over the world, and goldfish were usually feeders! I've had a lot of predators...

sbell wrote:

Roger wrote:

These last two are also fabulous but mudskppers are incredible creatures! Incredible creatures, said I, as a reference to Safari... much more incredible than piglets!

Tell me about it--we were lucky to get a couple of Safari Incredible Creatures fish this year (Grouper and Largemouth Bass) but I'd really like to see some of the really 'Incredible' ones--like a mudskipper, polypterus, African butterflyfish, something like that. More on par with the Flying Fish (a brilliant IC figure) than the goldfish (because booorrring)!

I agree about the flying fish, a good example of how a figure faces correctly the concept.
I defend that Safari split the Incredible Creatures in two distinct collections. One with these piglets and similar cute creatures in a collection of large soft figures more oriented to young children. Then, another that gives justice to the name of the series showing really incredible creatures with unusual features and when possible, real sized once it is very interesting to sensory rooms or as educational toys. I like fish of this year although choices could be better.

This figure is the Starry Flounder (or inn Japanese, Kawagarei, among other names), Platichthys stellatus , number 31 from the second series—and, sadly, THE LAST FIGURE IN THE SERIES! Which means that until/unless I guess the two missing ones, or some other versions of some of the figures, this is the end of the walkarounds (there will be some follow up with Series II models by scale and such). I may also eventually throw in some Yujin fish from the other Saltwater Series, but I don’t know when!

Of all the fish in the collection, the Starry Flounder may be the most distinctive. This is a ‘right-eye flounder’, meaning that as the fish grows into adulthood, the eyes tend to move over to the right side of the body (juveniles are born with eyes and body shape like a normal fish); sometimes the right eye moves to the left side of the body. They are predatory fish, eating fish, molluscs, crustaceans and even brittle stars. Like all flounders, the Starry Flounder is a master of camouflage, blending into the substrate to wait for prey and ambush it. Starry Flounders are important game fish as well as being commercially important to fisheries. They are found throughout the Northern Pacific, on both sides, meaning that they extend from Korea and Japan across to Alaska down the coast of Canada to the US Pacific. This Starry Flounder is an unusual one for the Freshwater series, given the flounders are usually thought of as marine animals. While they are generally marine, and potentially deep water marine, they can be found inshore and even in estuarine environments. They will, however, move far upriver, as much as 120km, possibly for breeding or at least growing into adults. So, the Starry Flounder can be part of the Freshwater Series, why not? The Yujin model gives a length of 55cm, but most other sources I found gave a maximum size of 91cm.

This model measures 6cm long, giving a scale of roughly 1:9 (1:15 using the length of 91cm). The Starry Flounder is in a flat pose—kind of boring, but as it is one that does not have a base, there was not much else that they could really do (unlike the Colorata halibut, which has a base and is in an undulating pose). Starting with the bottom, this fish is clearly a full grown adult, with no colour (it fades away after they transform) except some pink washes highlighting the sculpting around the head and lateral line. The muscle tissue is visible as white chevrons on the slightly darker-white background. The only ‘ventral’ fin, the left pectoral, is sculpted as an impression on the body, painted grey and white. The ‘top’ surface is far more colorful, of course. Like many flatfish, the Starry Flounder can be quite variable in its patterns, so they appear to have gone all out! The body is a mixture of dark brown and olive-green, with numerous white markings along each edge (the original dorsal and ventral surface). On either side of the lateral line are a series of white circles from the gills to the base of the tail fin. The pelvic and ‘dorsal’ pectoral fins are a translucent orange. The dorsal and anal fin, as well as the tail fin, are also dark orange, with thick black bars along them. Yujin did a really good job with this, as these markings on the fins are (apparently) a reliable species identifier. The eyes, of course, are well done--big a bulbous, and placed very assymetrically, with the 'travelling' eye near the original 'top' of the head, as it should be. When it comes to other Starry Flounder figures, I can’t find any; even among other flatfish there do not appear to be a lot of them. I mentioned the Colorata one (from the Saltwater Fishes box), and there is a Kaiyodo ‘food fish’ set with a different flounder (it might be a Starry, but I couldn’t definitively find its species). There are also strap and magnet figures from Yujin, which may be the same figure as the Freshwater Fishes one, but I don’t know for sure (the eel, for example, is completely different but not as good).

Pictures:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I refer to this one as the bowhunting tournament pose--a hole in it, tossed on its back...but it's easy to see the detail that Yujin puts into every side of the models (and can often see the numbers in the photos).

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Very interesting fish again :)

So with no fish left to walk around, I only have a couple other clean ups. This post will be the papers that were included. They are really small, even IRL, and I often need a magnifying glass to read them. At least, what I can read, as the vast majority is of course in Japanese.

The Series I second release paper is a horizontal blue one. The fish are pictured with their name. Any information is on the back.

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As can be seen, it is missing some info--not only the specials, but even the 'juvenile' Barramundi version.

The Series II is vertical, and on a black background. The text is even smaller as one side has the figures and their information, and the back has a nifty map with the locations of all of the fish (in Japan). Again, the special salmon egg is not included.

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It is entirely possible that the secret figures that I have (the arowana and salmon egg) have their own info papers; if so I will put them up as well!

It seems the most interesting fish figures were reserved to the end. I really hope you keep offering us these walk arounds, they're just brilliant!
We're working at this moment the Play Visions on Toy Animal Wiki, much probably, after it, we'll work related companies like Yujin. :)
I know PV are not comparable with these, but, if you collect their fish sets, it could be very opportune if you had the chance of presenting them to us.
Thanks again for all information you're sharing with everyone!

Roger wrote:

It seems the most interesting fish figures were reserved to the end. I really hope you keep offering us these walk arounds, they're just brilliant!
We're working at this moment the Play Visions on Toy Animal Wiki, much probably, after it, we'll work related companies like Yujin. :)
I know PV are not comparable with these, but, if you collect their fish sets, it could be very opportune if you had the chance of presenting them to us.
Thanks again for all information you're sharing with everyone!

The only fish set I have from PV is the eels/sea snakes set--it's a great set, although at some point one of them appears to have been chewed by something (worse, I used to have two, so it wouldn't have been so bad, but now I just have the one!).

I will keep adding, although this series is done for me (like I said, until I get the two, or some variants, that I don't have).

sbell wrote:

Roger wrote:

It seems the most interesting fish figures were reserved to the end. I really hope you keep offering us these walk arounds, they're just brilliant!
We're working at this moment the Play Visions on Toy Animal Wiki, much probably, after it, we'll work related companies like Yujin. :)
I know PV are not comparable with these, but, if you collect their fish sets, it could be very opportune if you had the chance of presenting them to us.
Thanks again for all information you're sharing with everyone!

The only fish set I have from PV is the eels/sea snakes set--it's a great set, although at some point one of them appears to have been chewed by something (worse, I used to have two, so it wouldn't have been so bad, but now I just have the one!).

I will keep adding, although this series is done for me (like I said, until I get the two, or some variants, that I don't have).

Oh, I thought you had the tropical fish once we need some help to identify them. :)
Looking forward to see your updates.

Although I don't have them yet, I just wanted to mention that, thanks to Brett and some timely YAJ auctions, I will be adding to this thread eventually! I will even have some First release-Second release comparisons!

But for now, I wait...

sbell wrote:

Although I don't have them yet, I just wanted to mention that, thanks to Brett and some timely YAJ auctions, I will be adding to this thread eventually! I will even have some First release-Second release comparisons!

But for now, I wait...

Sean, these are good news! Waiting is just our hobby!

This figure is the Willow Shiner (or in Japan, Honmoroko), Gnathopogon caerulescens , number 18 from the second series. Yes, I was able to chase one down (actually, two one from release 1, one from release 2!) so I only have one more species, number 20, the Carp, to chase down.

The Willow Shiner is a medium-sized minnow, part of the carp family. This species is endemic to Lake Biwa in Japan, but has been released in other waters as they are popular food fishes. Unfortunately, this popularity lead to overfishing in Lake Biwa, leading the Japanese environment ministry to list them as critically endangered. And also driving up the prices of the fish to luxury-food levels, which probably didn’t help. They are mid-water hunters, feeding on plankton, insects and other small swimming organisms. The Yujin model gives a length of 14cm, which is close to the 15cm I found elsewhere.

This model measures 5cm long, giving a scale of 1:3. The two models are similar but not exactly the same in colour—this is the first time I have had the same model from both releases to compare. The Second release version is lighter overall, with a light, shiny copper dorsal colour with a distinct cream coloured side and belly. The lateral line is marked by a thin green stripe from the gill to the base of the tail, this line is bordered top and bottom by the cream colour. Most fins are nearly transparent, with light brown along the fin rays. The pectoral fins are an exception, being somewhat translucent but painted a dark brown overall. The scales are large and deeply sculpted. The eyes are large and light golden, with big black pupil.

The First Release figure is very similar, with some subtle differences. First, the dorsal colouration is a much darker copper colour, and extends all the way to the lateral line. The sides and ventral surface are a little darker. The green lateral line stripe is a darker green than the Second Release, and does not extend to the base of the tail. All of the fins, including the pectoral, are the transparent material, with dark brown along the fin rays. The eyes are more silvery, with the same dark black pupil.

Overall, the differences are subtle but become clear. The paint job on the second release model is more defined and detailed, and this may be true of the two lines overall (I only have one other to definitively compare at this point). The First Release version came to me on the brown gravel-with-plant base; the Second Release is on the same base, but the gravel is painted in various colours.

I am not aware of other Willow Shiner models; if they do exist they would likely be from Japan. Possibly from Yujin again, as a strap figure or something!

Pictures (In the order described above, second release then first):
SECOND RELEASE VERSION
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FIRST RELEASE VERSION
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COMPARISONS (First Release on the left, Second on the Right):
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Wonderful fish :)

Nice to see your walk arounds again! Those are again very nice figures and unusual species in this hobby. Thanks for your descriptive and educative comments and great pictures! I hope you can get the missing carp.

Thanks. Let me know if the pictures stop working or anything--I'm having trouble seeing them now. Which is odd!

And it is nice to see less 'noticeable' fish like the shiners get some figures--they're important parts of the ecosystems, not everything can be a sport fish or food (although I guess the shiner is one...)

They are both very, very beautyful

I am now in the realm of ‘versions’ of Yujin fish figures. This means that most won’t require much in the way of species descriptions (after, perhaps, this one) or company information. So there will be a bit less description, and more comparison photos (sort of like the Willow Shiner, except they were combined together in one post because I received them at the same time). The original Red Asian Arowana walkaround can be seen on the third page of these walkarounds..

So now, the fish!

This figure is the Se-Kin Dragon Arowana AKA Malyasian Golden Highback Arowana, Scleropages formosus (although some researchers have split up the species into four, and the Gold Malaysian variety may belong in [i[S. aureus[/i] if the species are valid—and most researchers are not yet convinced).  The figure is number 14 from the first series, second release—I think. It isn’t always clear, and I didn’t receive the papers to confirm, but it appears right. This variety (species?) is in most ways like the previous Red Asian Arowana, but is found only in waters of Malaysia. The Highback name comes from the pattern on the dorsal surface—where the scale colour does not ‘cross the back’ (in which case, this would be a cross back), leaving the dorsal black or silver. In this variety the ‘Golden’ part of the name comes from the shiny gold colour of the scales. Like all Asian arowana, these are considered endangered, although captive breeding is done in many parts of Southeast Asia. The Gold Crossback varieties are especially popular as the color and shine is considered a good omen for wealth—which means that they are highly sought after, but most varieties are quite rare.

Most aspects of the model are the same as the Asian Red Arowana. It is about 7.2cm long, giving a scale of 1:13. The main difference is colour—instead of reds, the scales are more of a greenish-gold or silver colour. The front margins are dark grey, and the posterior margins of some are more yellow. Along the dorsal row of scales, the colour is primarily the dark grey colour with a silver posterior border (hence the Highback variety). This colour extends across the top of the head. The fins are all somewhat translucent, with reddish washes. The cheeks are the same yellowish-gold colour as the scales. The base that I received is different from the other Asian Arowana, being the coloured-gravel—with-plant style. I am never sure if these are the ‘correct’ ones or not (again, I didn’t get the paper for this one).

Like the Red Asian Arowana, this model is a two-part model, with a head that separates behind the opercula.

In comparing the two figures, the most obvious difference is the different colours. The Malaysian Gold Highback is a nice departure from the far more common red varieties that are seen by most figure makers. The only other difference between the models is the curve at the tail—in the Red Arowana model, the caudal fin is in a straight line with the dorsal fin, pointing straight back. In the Gold Highback, the tail is distinctly curved to starboard compared to the rest of the body. I doubt that Yujin would have made two different sculpts for the model (without making more significant changes—and I do know from an upcoming figure that re-using sculpts is definitely something that Yujin did). More likely it is a variation in the molds—or maybe it is actually from the First Release (since there is no easy way of knowing).

PICTURES: [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

COMPARISONS (Red variety on the left, Golden Highback on the Right):
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(note that the Red Arowana is actually a crossback, with the red extending over the dorsal scales (mostly)--I learned things doing this!)

And yes, at one point I was asked to compare all of the arowana figures that I have together—now that I have this one too, I will possibly try and do that sooner rather than later.

That's another fabulous arowana, these fish are magnificent!
It took more time than usual to your pictures upload and I hope they stay here for a long time once it is a honour to visit this thread with all these figures and pictures.
I would also be great to see all your arowanas actually.

Roger wrote:

That's another fabulous arowana, these fish are magnificent!
It took more time than usual to your pictures upload and I hope they stay here for a long time once it is a honour to visit this thread with all these figures and pictures.
I would also be great to see all your arowanas actually.

I will try and do that--I received a few different ones in the last week, so this would be a good time to do it!

And I think the time issue may be with the image host (Dropbox)--the site appeared to be down earlier, and things weren't syncing correctly. Fortunately, I have them saved myself! SO if they get lost, I will always have them somewhere!