Review of one of Holy Grail sets that I just this week was finally able to complete, after about a decade of trying! It is the
Insect Directory set by Kabaya. Thanks to Marcel, Brett, and Emiko who helped me acquire figures over recent years!
I am not sure when they were released. Each figure comes with a card with a date on it, but the dates are variable suggesting they were released (or at least re-released) at different times. Also, the numerical order below (the order they are stamped with) is not chronological based on the dates on the cards. I have not checked all of my cards, but some are as early as 1990 and some as late as 2006. So either the set, or the figures individually, have probably been re-released over the years.
There are 15 figures, 14 standard and one ‘secret’ figure. They are single-piece (no assembly required) and typical gashapon-sized and comparable to earlier Kaiyodo and Furuta figures. As many of you know, I love figures on bases. These figures all have a cool base and can easily be removed and reattached to the bases (so you don’t need to display them on the bases if you prefer not to).
The species assortment is most interesting. About half the figures are very commonly made (at least by now, maybe not when this set first came out). But half the figures are rarely made and as of today, one remains unique. About half the figures are scarabaeoid beetles (at least half are beetles), and the rest an interesting assortment of taxa.
I show the figures below in their designated numerical order, as well as how frequently they show up in toy/figure/model form.
01.
Allomyrina dichotoma.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. Let’s face it, this is the face of Japanese beetle figures. I have 47 figures from 20 different manufacturers as well as a few unknown companies. I have actually stopped collecting the annual rehashes by F-toys and Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., even if it means losing some ‘completeness’.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]02.
Dynastes hercules.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is the Western Hemisphere counterpart to
A. dichotoma in terms of frequency made. I have 41 figures and I think Beetle Guy has more than I do! Also, like with
A. dichotoma I have stopped collecting the annual rehashes by F-toys and Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., even if it means losing some ‘completeness’.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]03.
Megasoma elephas.
Frequency: COMMON. I have a little more than a dozen figures.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]04.
Golofa poteri.
Frequency: RARE. This is only one of two figures I am aware of, the other by Sega.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]05.
Dorcus hopei binodulosus.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is another go-to species for Japanese manufacturers. I have 25 other figures.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]06.
Cyclommatus elephus.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of four figures I have, but one of five species in the genus. And of those five species I have only 11 figures total!
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]07.
Macrodontia cervicornis.
Frequency: RARE. The only other figure I am aware of is by Play Visions, and you know how hard those are to get these days!
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]08.
Luehdorfia japonica.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of two figures I am aware of, the other by Kaiyodo in their original Choco Q Animatales line.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]09.
Kallima inachus.
Frequency: RARE. When I was first aware of this set, this is the figure I wanted the most! The only other figure I know of is by Safari LTD (Wild Wraps) from 1997.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]10.
Sympetrum pedomontanum elatum.
Frequency: UNIQUE. Yujin made another species in the genus.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]11.
Phyllium bioculatum.
Frequency: RARE. This is one of two figures of this species I have, and one of five total in the genus.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]12.
Hymenopus coronatus.
Frequency: RARE. I have two others, and one of those is from Shapeways.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]13.
Graptopsaltria nigrofusca.
Frequency. UNCOMMON to COMMON. I have about 12 figures of this species, but half of them are from a molting set by Bandai.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]14.
Coccinella septempunctata.
Frequency: VERY COMMON. This is the most commonly made non-scarabaeoid beetle. I have 13 figures of this species, plus many generic lady beetle figures could easily be attributed to this species.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]15. SECRET:
Dynastes hercules, in flight.
See Number 02, above.
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