Jakapil is a genus of basal thyreophoran found within the Candeleros Formation of Argentina and described in 2022, it’s also one of many coolest dino-discoveries in recent times, though I may be biased since I’ve a factor for basal thyreophorans. Naturally, this dinosaur was sensationalized within the information with headlines like “Newly Found Dinosaur Seems Like a Cross Between a Stegosaurus and a T. rex”, which conjures up a picture of one thing extra akin to Godzilla than one thing the dimensions of a cat that’s actually not too dissimilar to different basal thyreophorans.
Jakapil is a Puelchean phrase that means “protect bearer” and the species title, kaniukura, means “crest stone” in Mapudungun, in reference to the dinosaur’s deep jaw. Jakapil is understood from a single partial skeleton that features a full decrease jaw, some osteoderms and vertebrae, and parts from the limbs and pelvis. The deep decrease jaw seems to be an adaptation for processing powerful plant materials. Jakapil lived through the late Cretaceous.
Not surprisingly, however maybe frustratingly to some, Mattel is the primary firm to offer us a consultant of this distinctive dinosaur. It’s a part of their Hazard Pack vary of figures, which implies it’s small however nonetheless far bigger than it needs to be for Mattel’s usually 1/18 line. Jakapil is estimated to have reached 4.9’ (1.5 meters) whereas the toy measures 7.5” (19.05 cm) lengthy, placing it at about 1/8 in scale. Jakapil would have been an excellent candidate for Mattel’s two-packs of smaller figures, just like the one containing Eoraptor and Stegouros.
There isn’t any motion function with this toy, just a few very restricted articulation. The legs and arms can rotate round, and the neck can transfer up and down. That’s it. The arms don’t even swing out and in.
With its deep jaw, armor-clad conceal, small arms, and bipedal posture, the toy will get the broad strokes for the genus appropriate, nevertheless it additionally possesses lots of Mattel’s oft frowned upon traits. The top is simply too massive, the theropod-like ft are too massive and lacking their dewclaws, the tail is method too quick, the arms are too massive, and the palms possess solely three fingers when they need to have 5.
High-quality particulars are a bit overdone right here, with an excessively tough texture over the face, and unlikely massive, armored plates over the again and thighs. Except for the osteoderms alongside the again they’re additionally on the jaw, arms, torso, and legs. Once more, it’s a bit a lot. I believe a protecting of pebbly scales between a conservative protecting of osteoderms would have been preferable however hey, it’s Mattel.
A lot of the osteoderms are a part of the sculpt however there are two rows of rubbery inserts working down the again with the scan code hidden below a pair of them and some extra alongside each side of the torso. I ponder why Mattel would trouble with rubbery inserts however perhaps it was cheaper than portray them for the reason that osteoderms which are a part of the sculpt aren’t painted, save for some on the pinnacle. Like the opposite toys on this wave the determine has some battle wounds, together with osteoderms with damaged suggestions and deep gouges within the pores and skin. One of many rubbery osteoderms on my copy seems prefer it was chewed off and I’ve to imagine it’s a manufacturing facility defect.
This toy is a two-toned mixture of brown and creamy white, with among the osteoderms on the pinnacle painted mild brown and the rubbery osteoderms forged in mild brown. All of the osteoderms on the tail are unpainted. The legs are forged in brown with no extra paint and the arms are forged in white with no extra paint. The eyes are yellow with black pupils and the higher beak is black whereas the decrease beak is unpainted. I like that the 2 main colours run throughout the whole physique and though I can settle for the unpainted limbs (typical of Mattel) I actually don’t just like the unpainted jaw.
I’m going to be trustworthy; that is an unpleasant toy. I actually don’t like the intense quantity of element, just like the knobby face and armored plating, and the wonky proportions trouble me extra right here than they often do. The colour decisions are unattractive too, and the unpainted jaw is off placing. I doubt that Jakapil was a beautiful trying animal, nevertheless it needed to have seemed higher than this factor. The one motive I actually needed it’s as a result of it’s a Jakapil, a dinosaur that I like so much that we’d not get one other toy of anytime quickly. It’s uncommon that I purchase a Mattel dinosaur for that sole motive, however I’ve executed it earlier than (Mononykus involves thoughts) and fortunately the worth level is low for this hideous abomination. If nothing else, it’s neat that Mattel made a toy of this dinosaur two years after it was described.
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