Post by Jamison Hughes on Dec 19, 2014 3:43:11 GMT -5
Will began with the fishing boat. This is the same boat that came with the hammerhead shark and sea captain that was released everywhere except the United States. I don't think their is much variation and appears to be the exact same boat. What makes this boat so interesting is the winch on the stern (rear) of the boat. This is also what makes this boat a fishing boat and not a research vessel as Toys R Us tries to make it out to be. You can attach several varieties of fish to the winch and raise and lower it. The None domestic version came with a sailfish which attaches to the winch perfectly. I have since placed everything conceivable to it including the Stone Age Icthyosaurus. Their are also four holes on each side of the stern that can fit a fishing pole or net that came with the captain. The captain was available with net, fishing pole and sailfish for a short time at Big Lots. You will also find the sailfish included with the Sea Life sawfish at Toys R Us. The boat also includes two movable antenna, turning steering wheel and a place to stick a fishing pole on the bow (front) of the ship. Their are some indentations where some wheels might have been placed under the boat however my version has no such feature. I have yet to see if the boat floats or not. It's a unique craft and is one of the only none military vessels that was made for this series alone.
The figure that comes with the set is a Diver from the Deep Sea Adventure line. He is dressed in a dive suit. The helmet is removable and appears heavy looking, both accessories that come with the diver snap on to the leg, making him even more cumbersome looking on land. The head arms and legs all move on this figure. What puzzles me is the fact they should of gave him some more protection like a small sub because the fishing boat just does not go very well with the diver alone. Alone the diver does not stand much of a chance against a giant angler fish.
The diver does have some pretty nifty accessories and I like how they attach to his legs to free up his hands. The first is a hammer which slides into a pocket on his right leg. The second is a metal detector which just snaps into the hole on his left leg. Both are useful tools for underwater research but don't do much good against a hungry deep sea angler.
Rising from the depths like in some Lovecraftian leviathan is the enormous deep sea angler. This was one of my favorite fish growing up and I would often wonder if some toy company one day would ever make an angler fish. Twenty years later someone did and they did a hell of a job I might say. Next to the great barracuda this is one of the most detailed fish Chap Mei has made. Chap Mei has taken some creative liberties with the scales and fins. The actual angler was an ugly slimy smooth brown color. This angler is almost fantasy based with spiny green brown scales, translucent fins and a touch of bright pink for the mouth. Chap Mei did an excellent job with the coloration giving it a greenish brown earth tones with a splash of bright spots on the body. I only wish this figure had light and sound. Like all Chap Mei figures from Toys R Us the batteries and electronic device has been removed. I'm sure this fish only lite up because most fish don't vocalize. The only feature on the angler is the mouth when you press down on the dorsal fin the mouth will shut slightly. It was also neat that Chap Mei included a movable tongue which flips up and gives it an appearance that it is gulping down prey. The angler also came with a bio card which briefly describes the life style of the fish.
