Kaiyodo colour variations / special editions

This week i was willing to trade one of my both dall´s porpoises. So i search for both and i saw that they had different colours. I look in my book and...., good for a specie collector, both colour variations are subspecies. They represented the dalli-type and the truei-type.
My new green dove represented the female version.
And the new snake i dont know.

You have other examples?

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Very Interesting, I never noticed these variations. Thank you Andreas

Variations are VERY common with Kaiyodo, and almost every set has at least one example! Sometimes it is done to highlight color variations, sometimes it's for different species, sometimes for different genders.

bmathison1972 wrote:

Variations are VERY common with Kaiyodo, and almost every set has at least one example! Sometimes it is done to highlight color variations, sometimes it's for different species, sometimes for different genders.

Of course Kaiyodo made a lot of official variations, I don't speak about those, I only mean who noticed the porpoises and doves variations. It means there are probably far more "less official" variations that I thought.

My figures are from a serie called B-Pal special collection

Keeping in mind I only have arthropods, here are some. These are from Bug of the Day, some images have non-Kaiyodo figures (in which case I will indicate which are Kaiyodo).

1. Triarthrus trilobite. Original and a re-release:

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2. Psychopyge trilobites. Two color variants (2 and 3 in this image):

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3. Dorcus hopei pupae (2-4 here), showing color changes as it matures:

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4. Calappa lophos. Not entirely the same sculpt, but very similar for different releases:

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5. Prosopocoilus dissimilis. Two sets of Kaiyodo duplicates here. Numbers 2 and 3 are from the Capsule Q Museum set of stag beetles; 4 and 5 are from the original Choco Q Animatales set:

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6. Pterygotus. Again, not the same but a very very similar re-release:

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7. Scolopendra subspinipes (Toxic Animals set):

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8. Sasakia charonda. Figures 3 and 5 represent male and female from the Midsummer Night Feast set:

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9. Cambaroides japonicus. Figures 2 and 3 are from Natural Treasures of Japan. Figures 6 and 7 are from the Tohoku Capsule Q collection:

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10. Procambrus clarkii. Figures 1 and 2 are from the Choco Q Animatales set:

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11. Platycerus acuticollis (Capsule Q Stag Beetles collection):

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12. Damaster blaptoides. Figures 1 and 2 are from the same Capsule Q set:

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13. Opabinia regalis. Figure 7 is a re-release of 5

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14. Harmonia axyridis. The two in row 1 are from the same set (Sticky Tack Insect set)

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15. Rhomborrhina japonica. From the same set (Midsummer Feast)

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That's what I have handy. There are more, and a lot more of non-arthropods...

Oh these are wonderful! I have a few color variants / special editions as well.

Mainly my Kaiyodo wolves:
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These kinds of comparisons are always fun to see.

I think this page shows the rest of the "B-Pal special collection":
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Those first two wolf pictures are interesting- they show how some models not only received color variations but also had their actual construction changed. Look how nice that second wolf looks without a seam going through its midsection!

You are right, I simply forget about the Be-Pal ones. There is also a relaunch for the 10th anniversary set

@Blaine: The Opabinia, Pterygotus, Psychopyge and the whole [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] are slightly different models than the previous Dinotales.

I see a lot of interesting things :)

Kikimalou wrote:

@Blaine: The Opabinia, Pterygotus, Psychopyge and the whole [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] are slightly different models than the previous Dinotales.

ha! only very very slightly ;-)

Here are the 2 other figurines of the special collection. But i only have these figurines and not a other colour variation

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Nice frog and hare. I wonder if this is also a Japanese hare, like the one that got a summer and winter version in the Capsule-Q set?


Here's what I can contribute. Unfortunately I can't show the alternate versions alongside these.

First, the red-clawed crab Chiromantes haematocheir. This appears to be the "Be-Pal" variation of the Animatales Series 3 figure, which has a greenish/yellow carapace. I think this one represents a mature individual?

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Next, the Japanese flying squid Todarodes pacificus. This is an example of a variation that is constructed differently. The original (Animatales Series 4) is darker with no spots, and has different seams.

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Lastly, one of the Series 8 special figures I think is especially interesting: the Ryukyu kingfisher. This is an extinct kingfisher known from only one specimen apparently from the Miyako islands. It is thought to be a subspecies of the Guam kingfisher Todiramphus cinnamominus, which is itself extinct in the wild but survives through a captive breeding program. The other version of this figure represents the Guam kingfisher, and has a dark bill and dark feet. So that makes two unusual species choices, one extinct and mysterious and the other very rare.

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Very interesting, especiallly the information of the King fisher. So i have the Guam Kingfisher and need the other colour variation of the Ryukyu kingfisher with the hope he isnt really extinct.

A.R.Garcia wrote:

Nice frog and hare. I wonder if this is also a Japanese hare, like the one that got a summer and winter version in the Capsule-Q set?


Lastly, one of the Series 8 special figures I think is especially interesting: the Ryukyu kingfisher. This is an extinct kingfisher known from only one specimen apparently from the Miyako islands. It is thought to be a subspecies of the Guam kingfisher Todiramphus cinnamominus, which is itself extinct in the wild but survives through a captive breeding program. The other version of this figure represents the Guam kingfisher, and has a dark bill and dark feet. So that makes two unusual species choices, one extinct and mysterious and the other very rare.

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I could believe :)

here is the Guam kingfisher

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Andreas, things get more interesting!

Your kingfisher has the dark feet, but the beak looks the same as mine. But there is a dark-beaked version (look at the bottom of this page): [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Could yours be a hybrid figure, made from the head of one and the feet of the other? Also, does yours have a light stripe above its left eye? I thought it was a flaw on mine, so I took the picture showing the right side. However, the picture and translated description from that link indicate that the light stripe above the left eye is intentional.

Anyway, we each have a handsome representative of a Guam-ish kingfisher.

A.R.Garcia wrote:

Andreas, things get more interesting!

Your kingfisher has the dark feet, but the beak looks the same as mine. But there is a dark-beaked version (look at the bottom of this page): [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Could yours be a hybrid figure, made from the head of one and the feet of the other? Also, does yours have a light stripe above its left eye? I thought it was a flaw on mine, so I took the picture showing the right side. However, the picture and translated description from that link indicate that the light stripe above the left eye is intentional.

Anyway, we each have a handsome representative of a Guam-ish kingfisher.

Oh yes, it is a light beak. But i think it could be also a mistake by the seller. But it is interesting, the white little stripe isnt in the black.

A.R.Garcia wrote:

Andreas, things get more interesting!

Your kingfisher has the dark feet, but the beak looks the same as mine. But there is a dark-beaked version (look at the bottom of this page): [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Could yours be a hybrid figure, made from the head of one and the feet of the other? Also, does yours have a light stripe above its left eye? I thought it was a flaw on mine, so I took the picture showing the right side. However, the picture and translated description from that link indicate that the light stripe above the left eye is intentional.

Anyway, we each have a handsome representative of a Guam-ish kingfisher.

Now i have both versions

Here you can see both kingfishers

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And the differences between the Furuta and the Kaiyodo Ruddy kingfisher. So it looks that are different subspecies too

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Varied tit

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usually when Kaiyodo has these color variations, such as seen in the tits and kingfishers, it is for a very specific reason (male vs. female; different subspecies; adult vs. young). I am pretty sure the kingfishers represent different species or subspecies; I cannot remember about the tits offhand.

bmathison1972 wrote:

usually when Kaiyodo has these color variations, such as seen in the tits and kingfishers, it is for a very specific reason (male vs. female; different subspecies; adult vs. young). I am pretty sure the kingfishers represent different species or subspecies; I cannot remember about the tits offhand.

I believe one of them is a Owston's tit once this species was considered conspecific with the varied tit and recently it was promoted to species status.