CollectA 88715 Smilodon: A walkaround by Kikimalou

With the wooly mammoth, the smilodon is one of the most famous prehistoric mammals. It is commonly known as the saber-toothed tiger, although it was not closely related to tigers or other modern cats. Smilodon lived in the Americas during the Pleistocene epoch (2.5 mya–10,000 years ago). Three species are recognized today: S. gracilis, S. fatalis and S. populator.

Smilodon was more robustly built than any extant big cat, with particularly well-developed forelimbs and exceptionally long upper canines adapted for precision killing. Scientists debate whether Smilodon had a social or a solitary lifestyle. It probably lived in closed habitats such as forests and bush, which would have provided cover for ambushing prey. Smilodon died out at the same time that most North and South American megafauna disappeared, about 10,000 years ago.

In the toy universe, smilodon is a very popular citizen and many brands produced at least one saber-toothed tiger.
This one is the second CollectA's smilodon and no doubts it is a ”great leap forward”. I’m not a specialist but I can’t see a flaw in this model, the coat is convincing and it has a forceful personality. As a smilodon fatalis it would be between 1:13 and 1:15 scale. It would be 1:16 scale as Smilodon populator.

I can't understand my lack of excitment with this figure. I also don't see anything wrong with it, I don't know if teeth are enough flattened and maybe the facial expression is not very feline but we don't know how it was indeed.
The piece is pretty and have a good level of realism. I have no doubts it is a big step forward when compared with previous smilodon and I like it better than the good old friend from Safari. Maybe I am enough satisfied with my Mojö smilodon and I am not needing another despite considering this cat a good addition to any collection.
Fabulous presentation as always, Christophe!

Thank you Rogério . Maybe one day I will buy the Mojo smilodon and I still can't understand why nobody here made a walkaround of this superstar...

I'm very pleased with this model and I agree the comparison is a bit cruel for the safari Ltd. Seriously I can't see it with the same eyes now.

Amazing! Thanks Christophe!

It is a wonderful model, and your pictures are perfect as always
Ceratinly in the top among smilodon models !!!
The mouth could be more open, but they surely did not open their mouth wide all the time

As you say, it is an immense improvement from the previous CollectA one, which I never even considered to get

It is hard to raise real excitement about a Smilodon model, because there are so many of them, and many are so great...the two from Safari : Missing Link and the old Carnegie are probably still my favories. But then, I do have a bit of a taste for the slightly stylished models

Thankyou for yet another great walkaround, dear Christophe

Thank you for great walk around Chrsitophe! Very nice model indeed!
It looks much more alive and convincing than the Safari ltd version, but i'm definately not smilodon specialist.
The only thing that doesn't appeal to me is the painting-the dots look too regular, not like on animal but more like polka dots on a skirt or dress.

Nice kittie :)

Kikimalou wrote:

Thank you Rogério . Maybe one day I will buy the Mojo smilodon and I still can't understand why nobody here made a walkaround of this superstar...

Susanne did it, although it is merged with other figures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] :)
I think the CollectA figure matches better your taste once it is a more delicate figure, Mojö's is quite robuste and powerful looking what may look slightly cartoonish. We have Karolina's version that is also another beautiful figure.

SUSANNE wrote:

It is a wonderful model, and your pictures are perfect as always
Ceratinly in the top among smilodon models !!!
The mouth could be more open, but they surely did not open their mouth wide all the time  

As you say, it is an immense improvement from the previous CollectA one, which I never even considered to get

It is hard to raise real excitement about a Smilodon model, because there are so many of them, and many are so great...the two from Safari : Missing Link and the old Carnegie are probably still my favories. But then, I do have a bit of a taste for the slightly stylished models  

Thankyou for yet another great walkaround, dear Christophe

I wouldn't ellect the Carnegie as the best although it is clearly the most remarkable smilodon figure of ever.

Roger wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

Thank you Rogério . Maybe one day I will buy the Mojo smilodon and I still can't understand why nobody here made a walkaround of this superstar...

Susanne did it, although it is merged with other figures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] :)
I think the CollectA figure matches better your taste once it is a more delicate figure, Mojö's is quite robuste and powerful looking what may look slightly cartoonish. We have Karolina's version that is also another beautiful figure.

SUSANNE wrote:

It is a wonderful model, and your pictures are perfect as always
Ceratinly in the top among smilodon models !!!
The mouth could be more open, but they surely did not open their mouth wide all the time  

As you say, it is an immense improvement from the previous CollectA one, which I never even considered to get

It is hard to raise real excitement about a Smilodon model, because there are so many of them, and many are so great...the two from Safari : Missing Link and the old Carnegie are probably still my favories. But then, I do have a bit of a taste for the slightly stylished models  

Thankyou for yet another great walkaround, dear Christophe

I wouldn't ellect the Carnegie as the best although it is clearly the most remarkable smilodon figure of ever.  

To myself, the Carnegie & Missing Link Smilodonts are by far the best in morphology and scientific accuracy

When I look at the new 2015 Collect A Smilodon, I see a figurine that is decent looking with great aesthetics,  but it's forelimbs appear to long to me and not quite thick enough.
    I still think that it's a great improvement in all ways to the previous 2009 Collect A figure.  That Smilodon was ridiculous looking to me.

Roger wrote:

Susanne did it, although it is merged with other figures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] :)
I think the CollectA figure matches better your taste once it is a more delicate figure, Mojö's is quite robuste and powerful looking what may look slightly cartoonish. We have Karolina's version that is also another beautiful figure.

Ok ok... Susanne... Please... Stop merging your walkarounds  

Karolina's model is on my absolute want list    Yes I prefer less hardy models    Seriously, the Mojo is also interesting in a different style but I'm not in love with the shoulders and paintings.

smilodoncalifornicus wrote:

When I look at the new 2015 Collect A Smilodon, I see a figurine that is not nearly stocky enough in it's frontal regions.  I dont think the forelimbs on this figure are thick enough.  It's  limbs are shaped more like a modern cat's and they also appear to long to me.  I am not a fan of its Saber teeth either and the head doesnt look cat-like enough..The Mojo figurine in my opinion, has the best Saber teeth of all Smilodont figurines.

I still think that it's a great improvement in all ways to the previous 2009 Collect A figure.  That Smilodon was ridiculous looking to me.

I think it is a matter of personnal taste About sabertooth cats I am more on Mauricio Anton style and I know you prefer Charles knight drawings. I think the Mojo is a bit too much Bodybuilded and I prefer more dynamic muscles. nevertheless, both of them are true to skeletons.

Kikimalou wrote:

Ok ok... Susanne... Please... Stop merging your walkarounds  

Thankyou for trusting me to be able to do it, -  but I never merge topics after the first time, when Gwaine's topic vanished into thin cyberspace

I mean you merged your walkarounds not the topics

Kikimalou wrote:

I mean you merged your walkarounds not the topics

Ahhh
Well, they were not really meant as walkarounds, just "Additions"

SUSANNE wrote:

Kikimalou wrote:

I mean you merged your walkarounds not the topics

Ahhh
Well, they were not really meant as walkarounds, just "Additions"

They serve perfectly as walk arounds, your pictures are very good and if they were in different topics, they could enrich our "database" of walk arounds. I agree with Christophe that it is better that each group of pictures should be in its own topic despite the fact that when they're shown together, they are also available to everyone.

Wonderful walkaround
And very nice model. One of the best (for me - the best one) major brand models till now :)
I`m also not an expert of smilodons ...maybe only the neck it look`s a bit short to me ..

Great walkaround

Thank you LeeAnn and Kosta  I will name it "Shortneck"

Kikimalou wrote:

Thank you LeeAnn and Kosta  I will name it "Shortneck"

Hahahaha

costicuba wrote:

Wonderful walkaround
And  very nice model. One of the best (for me - the best one) major brand models till now :)
I`m also not an expert of smilodons ...maybe only the neck it look`s a bit short to me ..

Yes,  the neck is very short on this figurine.  Smilodon had a comparatively long and powerfully built neck according to Paleo experts.  This CollectA figure's neck is a bit short I think.

Like this? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Melekh wrote:

Like this? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Yes, that is quite impressive. Also that figure has beautifully curved knife like sabers

Kikimalou wrote:

Roger wrote:

Susanne did it, although it is merged with other figures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] :)
I think the CollectA figure matches better your taste once it is a more delicate figure, Mojö's is quite robuste and powerful looking what may look slightly cartoonish. We have Karolina's version that is also another beautiful figure.

Ok ok... Susanne... Please... Stop merging your walkarounds  

Karolina's model is on my absolute want list    Yes I prefer less hardy models    Seriously, the Mojo is also interesting in a different style but I'm not in love with the shoulders and paintings.

smilodoncalifornicus wrote:

When I look at the new 2015 Collect A Smilodon, I see a figurine that is not nearly stocky enough in it's frontal regions.  I dont think the forelimbs on this figure are thick enough.  It's  limbs are shaped more like a modern cat's and they also appear to long to me.  I am not a fan of its Saber teeth either and the head doesnt look cat-like enough..The Mojo figurine in my opinion, has the best Saber teeth of all Smilodont figurines.

I still think that it's a great improvement in all ways to the previous 2009 Collect A figure.  That Smilodon was ridiculous looking to me.

I think it is a matter of personnal taste  About sabertooth cats I am more on Mauricio Anton style and I know you prefer Charles knight drawings. I think the Mojo is a bit too much Bodybuilded and I prefer more dynamic muscles. nevertheless, both of them are true to skeletons.

I respectfully do not agree about the Mojo figure.  I don't think its too stocky.  The CollectA figure's forelimbs are MUCH to long and much to slender for a Smilodon. The figures neck is also much to short.  Look at this:

Paleontologist Julie Meachen-Samuels of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham talking about Smilodon's forelimbs:
“I found that they had exceptionally thick humerus cortical bones—much thicker than any non-saber-toothed cat living or extinct,” said Meachen-Samuels, who used a digital X-ray machine to analyze the limb bones of Smilodon specimens from California’s La Brea Tar Pits in 2010.

The CollectA Smilodon to me is not true to skeletons according to this Paleontologist's findings.
There is nothing stocky about the CollectA's forelimbs on that figurine...they are very slender and long, more like a modern extant cats are.

I believe just about 95% of all Smilodon figurines made, are not scientifically accurate at all.

smilodoncalifornicus wrote:

I respectfully do not agree about the Mojo figure.  I don't think its too stocky.  I don't even think its stocky enough in certain areas.  The Mojo cats limbs are too long according to fossils and its forelimbs still not built thick enough.  The CollectA figure's forelimbs are MUCH to long and much to slender for a Smilodon.  Look at this:

Paleontologist Julie Meachen-Samuels of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham talking about Smilodon's forelimbs:
“I found that they had exceptionally thick humerus cortical bones—much thicker than any non-saber-toothed cat living or extinct,” said Meachen-Samuels, who used a digital X-ray machine to analyze the limb bones of Smilodon specimens from California’s La Brea Tar Pits in 2010.

The CollectA Smilodon to me is not true to skeletons according to this Paleontologist's findings.
There is nothing stocky about the CollectA's forelimbs on that figurine...they are very slender and long, more like a modern extant cats are.

I believe just about 95% of all Smilodon figurines made, are not scientifically accurate at all.

I understand your point but I'm not convinced. Talking about bones and talking about muscles is not the same thing.

Human beings are human beings, same skeletal but with big differences in muscles and shapes.

Some are looking like thin people without big muscles, some with very big muscles, some with more fat than muscles, some...

A marathon runner has a different body than a sprinter.
A weightlifter has a different body than a Body-builder.
A boxer has a different body than a Greco-Roman wrestler.

A Body-builder has a different body than a Greco-Roman wrestler. The body-builder has big static musculature and the Greco-Roman wrestler has a dynamic musculature. The shape is completely different.

IMHO a smilodon isn't a body-builder, no animal can have a body-builder musculature. A smilodon is not hunting like a sprinter or a weightlifter, it was an animal who needed to ambush preys and firmly hold them in place for the killing. The best analogy for me is the Greco-Roman wrestler. Greco-Roman wrestler have a dynamic musculature, powerful but not inflated like body-builder one.

Paleontologist Julie Meachen-Samuels is talking about exceptionally thick humerus cortical bones, not about stocky forelimbs. A thick humerus cortical bones means that smilodon had powerful muscles, not necessarily stocky. Elephants have thick bones, it doesn't mean they have Schwarzenegger body shape.

The other constant reference is the bear like shape. Let's talk about brown bears, grizzlies or polar bears: Powerful animals, hunters, with big bones, very strong forelimbs AND thick fur.

Remove the thick fur and change for a lion fur, far less thick (exept for the mane   ), bears haven't a body-builder body, they have a dynamic musculature, very powerful but not stocky.

Carnegie or Mojo smilodon are looking as stocky has a polar bear with thick fur but they have short smooth coat. Each time I look at them I think there is something weird.

The CollectA is maybe not perfect but the forelimbs are more powerful than those of the CollectA lion for example. I prefer this one to the Carnegie and even more to the Mojo. Even if my favorite is still the Kaiyodo one