Dinosaur Stuffed Models that are more than just “cute”
Its cute, stylized form captures the distinctive plates along the back and spikes at the tip of the tail of a Stegosaurus plush. This “cute dinosaur” is designed to be enjoyed by children and adults alike.
Stegosaurus Stegosaurus
Classification: Ornithischia/Stegosauria/Stegosauridae
Size: Total length 9 meters
Period: Late Jurassic
One of the largest and best-known stegosaurs. Stegosaurs are characterized by two rows of bony plates running from the back along the tail, and the four spikes at the tip of the tail were likely swung for defense. Stegosaurus can be distinguished by the large diamond- or triangle-shaped plates along its back. Despite its large body, it had a notably small head and a very small brain, weighing about 30 g.
Interview with Supervisor Hirokazu Tokugawa
- Plush toys have a distinctive stylized look, and their charm and soft feel appeal to people of all ages, from young children to adults. Favorite is adding a new plush series called Stuffed Model. What are your impressions of plush toys?
- I have long been interested in how to design dinosaurs and other animals to suit the materials and scale of plush toys. I enjoy looking at plush products in museum shops in Japan and abroad, and over time I developed many ideas about how I would approach them myself. The Stuffed Model series gave me the chance to try out the dinosaur plush concepts I had been developing for years.
- The concept was to create a “cute dinosaur” while still capturing the defining features of the real animal, allowing personality and charm to coexist. Mr. Tokugawa supervised the project from the initial illustrations through the expression of each dinosaur’s features. What details did you especially want to convey in Tyrannosaurus, and what are its highlights?
- Stegosaurus has such distinctive features that it was not difficult to make the model recognizable. I wanted to express as much of its character as possible, so the first thing I focused on was reproducing the asymmetrical arrangement of the plates along its back. I also tried to make the head as close as possible to the actual skull shape.
- The dinosaurs use subdued colors that fit naturally into everyday spaces. Were there any particular images or motifs that inspired the Tyrannosaurus color scheme?
- Green and orange are strongly associated with Stegosaurus. I chose a bright green because it suits the soft, plush material particularly well.
- Finally, could you share your overall impressions of the Stuffed Model series and a message for those who will be picking one up?
- My impression of developing the Stuffed Model series is that it was challenging but fun. Unlike reconstruction models, plush toys are constrained by their size and the fabric and materials used, so it is not always possible to achieve the exact shape you want. Finding ways to express both dinosaur character and cuteness within these limitations is difficult, but it is also a rewarding opportunity to rediscover what makes dinosaurs appealing.
Supervisor Profile
Hirokazu Tokugawa
paleoartist／prehistoric lifereconstruction model artist
A dinosaur reconstruction model artist who creates works that combine academic research with the appeal of three-dimensional art, he is also a leading specialist in prehistoric life reconstruction models.