Review and Photographs by Triceratops83, edited by Suspsy
Triceratops is one dinosaur that needs no introduction, as it has been represented in toy and model form literally hundreds of times. Also needless of an introduction is the Japanese brand Kaiyodo, responsible for some of the very best plastic and vinyl dinosaur interpretations. The latest one is today’s subject: the Kaiyodo Advance Megasofubi Triceratops.
This finished model, part of the Mega Soft Vinyl Advance Series (the other one so far is an African elephant), was sculpted by Matsumura Shinobu and is a strikingly accurate and handsome piece. It is in 1:20 scale and just shy of 40 cm long, putting it in the arena of larger dinosaur figures.
This Triceratops is well-proportioned and quite accurate in its dimensions. The back is rounded and reaches its highest point above the hips. The tail is suitably short for a chasmosaurine. The front legs are slightly sprawled apart and all of the limbs have the correct number of digits. The hide is wrinkled and interspersed with the round, raised scales known for this animal. The skull is large and appears to have been sculpted with a keratinous covering on the face and frill.
The Megasofubi Trike improves on the previous Kaiyodo 1:20 Dinoland version, which had straight front limbs and a smallish head. The only anatomical drawback is the lack of cheeks, which we are so accustomed to seeing portrayed in ornithischians that it looks odd by their absence here. The paint job is nothing special: olive green over a lighter grey green, but it looks natural enough nonetheless.
All in all. the Kaiyodo Megasofubi Triceratops is an astounding model and, lack of cheeks aside, is one of the most accurate to date. It is easily available from eBay and Amazon, though the price varies wildly, with $200 being about average. Alternatively, you could search for the unfinished model in kit form from a Japanese store, which would come cheaper. I highly recommend this model to the serious collector.
