Spinosaurus Stuffed Model

Interview with Supervisor Hirokazu Tokugawa

Plush toys have a unique, deformed world of their own, and their charm and soft texture appeal to a wide range of ages, from small children to adults. Favorite is now adding a new series of plush toys called "Stuffed Models" to its lineup. What are your impressions of plush toys, Mr. Tokugawa?

I've always been interested in "how to design dinosaurs and animals to fit the material and size of plush toys." I enjoy seeing plush toys not only in domestic stores but also in museum shops when I visit museums abroad. Through this, I've developed various ideas like "If it were me, I'd do it this way." This Stuffed Model project became a long-cherished opportunity to test the image of dinosaur plush toys I had been nurturing for many years.

While based on the theme of "cute dinosaurs," these models also capture the inherent characteristics of dinosaurs, resulting in a blend of individuality and loveliness. Mr. Tokugawa oversaw a wide range of aspects, from creating the base illustrations to expressing dinosaur features. Could you tell us about the points you wanted to express and the highlights of the Spinosaurus?

Excluding the sail on its back and tail, the elongated proportions made it a difficult dinosaur to design as a plush toy. The long, narrow face was also challenging to represent in a plush toy, requiring many fine adjustments.

Regarding the dinosaur's colors, the overall palette is subdued to blend easily into everyday spaces. Could you tell us if there were any specific images or motifs that influenced the Spinosaurus's color?

To avoid overlapping with the colors of other dinosaurs, and to match Favorite's soft model series of Spinosaurus, I chose a bright blue.

Finally, please share your overall impressions of the Stuffed Model series and a message for those who will be holding them.

My impression of making the Stuffed Models this time was, "It was tough but fun!" Unlike making restoration models, plush toys have significant constraints in terms of size, fabric, and materials, making it difficult to achieve the desired shape. It was challenging to express both the dinosaur's essence and cuteness within these constraints, but it was also a very enjoyable process of rediscovering the charm of these dinosaurs. The resulting Stuffed Models, with their simple plush toy design, I believe, are unique Favorite items that embody both the "coolness and cuteness of dinosaurs." I hope that everyone will enjoy discovering a new charm in dinosaurs through these Stuffed Models.

Supervisor Profile

Hirokazu Tokugawa

Paleoartist / Paleontological Restoration Model Artist
A dinosaur and paleontological restoration model artist who aims to create works that fuse academic research with the appeal of three-dimensional objects.