The qilin is a dragon-headed, horse-bodied chimerical creature.
The mythical beast figures large in Chinese mythology as a bringer
of good luck, while it seems to have failed somehow to find a comfortable
niche in the Japanese Shinto pantheon, nor in the more liberal league of Yokai.
Perhaps the people have found it difficult to place the pseudo-unicorn
in their animistic mythos, unable as they are to discern precisely
what natural and impersonal forces define its true nature.
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TK Project KT-001 [Takeya Freely Figure] Qilin Iron Rust Edition
In the popular culture, however, the qilin is now more or less famous,
recognized as a rarely-encountered and rather formidable 'monster' in
such TV game series as Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter.
Apparently, it is the air of mystique the qilin assumes that lends
it well in the epic worldview of fantasy games; and also that has
marked it out for growing popularity and familiarity with us, though
it still commends itself to us as just a fabulous monster of the fictional world.
Takeya's Qilin, however, has all the air of reality given to it by
Takeya Takayuki himself, chief sculptor for the manufacturer Kaiyoudou,
whose sculptural execution has earned him a tower of accolades.
This exquisite piece of sculpture heralds the incoming vanguard of
a new line of products by Kaiyoudou -- KT Project, as the new series
is named. KT Project, the manufacturer says, is divided into several
segments, and each segment revolves around a particular theme.
Takeya's Qilin is also an elaborate piece of jizai-okimono, or jointed sculptures.
The jizai-okimono forms a branch of Japanese traditional craft by themselves --
it is so distinguished a line of art, in virtue of its realistic, naturalistic way
of expressing animals and natural objects "in movement"; and, among many
other masterpieces of jizai-okimono, Takeya's seems to mark a true turning
point in its whole history.
For, so far as I know, Takeya's ought to be the very first one to make inroads
into the mass market.
Takeya's Qilin has some distinguishing features -- body fully articulated,
eyeballs rollable in their sockets, and pedestal that grantees the freedom
for different, various postures.
Yet the most remarkable of all is its compatibility with other Revoltec Takeya products,
as is demonstrated in the photo above.
Blueprint by the sculptor Takeya Takayuki himself.
Incidentally, it is Fukumoto Takenori who molded the archetype model of Qulin for Takeya.
He is one of the most illustrious molders in Japan.
The following pecies vouch for his unequaled excellence in expressive execution.
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Kongiku
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Momohime
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Gwendolyn
Well begun is half done, as a proverb goes.
KT project has got started with a good launch product indeed.
Pray godspeed both to the two renowned sculptors, Takeya Takayuki
and Fukumoto Takenori, and to the manufacturer, Kaiyoudou
That’s it.
See ya!
PS: Check this out too!
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TK Project KT-002 [Takeya Freely Figure] Qilin Color Edition
