Meticulously Crafted Figure Made of Soft, Durable Material
The Master Craft Edition is a new take on the Vinyl Model series, carefully crafted to bring the creature closer to its natural appearance. Details and textures have been refined beyond previous models, giving the series a stronger presence through both sculpting and finish.
* Some parts are made slightly harder to allow the figure to stand on its own and to reproduce fine details.
SpinosaurusSpinosaurus
Classification: Saurischia/Theropoda/Spinosauridae
Size: Total length 13–15 meters
Period: Late Early to Late Cretaceous
Its most distinctive feature is the sail on its back, which could reach 1.8 meters in height and is thought to have been used for thermoregulation, intimidation, and display. It also differed from other theropods in having relatively straight teeth and a long, slender jaw. A fossil specimen excavated in 1912 was lost in an air raid during World War II, bringing research to a standstill, but fossils discovered in recent years have suggested that Spinosaurus may have had a semi-aquatic lifestyle similar to that of crocodilians.
Interview with Supervisor Kazunari Araki
- Spinosaurus has joined the Dinosaur Vinyl Model Master Craft Edition lineup. As with previous models, development used 3D data to refine the balance and improve the precision of details. What are your impressions of the finished product?
- The prototype was about 40 cm long, but the finished product has been enlarged roughly twofold using 3D data, giving it a much more imposing presence.
In addition, details that became less sharp when enlarged have been corrected, resulting in a large figure that does not look toy-like and lives up to the Master Craft Edition name.
In addition to the usual vinyl, firmer and more durable materials are used in the legs and other areas, so the figure remains stable even in a dynamic pose with one arm raised. - Spinosaurus has been reconstructed many times. What differences from the Spinosaurus models previously supervised for Favorite did you focus on when sculpting this Master Craft Edition?
- Favorite has been making dinosaur figures for more than 20 years, and we have produced many versions of Spinosaurus, from the earlier bipedal reconstructions like Tyrannosaurus to more recent swimming, aquatic forms.
This version has a flipper-like tail. Around the time we were developing it, a new species called “mirabilis,” with a horn-like crest, was announced. I considered incorporating this new information into the crest, but it may be a specialized species and the discovery could prove a short-lived trend, so I retained the more familiar interpretation.
Some recent reconstructions suggest it may have been bipedal, but it was clearly adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, so I chose a quadrupedal pose that can also suggest swimming. - The pattern running from the large sail along the tail is striking. Were there any particular considerations behind the paintwork?
- We discussed the paintwork during planning to distinguish this version from previous Favorite Spinosaurus products while keeping to the Master Craft Edition concept of a restrained, subdued color scheme rather than something too flashy.
The sail is the most conspicuous feature, so we considered fan-shaped lines versus vertical lines following the bones and ultimately chose a vertical pattern.
The body markings were inspired by the lines and movement of water at the surface. - Finally, do you have a message about the Spinosaurus Vinyl Model Master Craft Edition?
- Like Favorite’s other Vinyl Models, it is durable and reassuring to handle and play with, while its size, proportions, and details are comparable to those of a serious display figure.
I think it is a new figure that both children and adult enthusiasts will enjoy, so please welcome one into your home!
Supervisor Profile
Kazunari Araki
One of Japan's leading dinosaur model artists, he creates dinosaur reconstruction models for natural history museums and master models for dinosaur encyclopedias and other publications.