277: 2023 - The Year of the Sauropod

For many of us, 2023 may seem like the year of the interminable theropod. The incessant wave from PNSO had us inundated with carcharodontosaurids and tyrannosaurids.
Yet, when I think about it, there was actually another aspect of 2023 that gave me a lot more delight, and that is the incredible offerings of sauropods the year presented. To have the old favourites like Apatosaurus and Diplodocus rendered with the technology and standards of today, and in 1:35, was a dream. Something few people thought we would ever see again. Yet not only did we get this, we had a selection of equally great offerings sauropod-wise.
Here, I share with you the sauropod highlights for 2023! Look forward to more in 2024!
#PNSO #DinosDragons #Haolonggood #Alamosaurus #Apatosaurus #Diplodocus #WonderArtisticModels #Ampelosaurus #Ruyangosaurus #Patagotitan #titanosauria #titanosaurids #sauropod #sauropods #dinosaur #dinosaurs #dinosaurtoys #dinosaurmodels #prehistoric

[@kensalazar5986]

Love love All your sauropods ❤🙏 thank you for sharing. Great video I to love Sauropods

[@DinosDragons]

You are most welcome! I love sauropods so it was a very easy and relaxing video to make! 😁

[@joelww2501]

Let’s hope this trend continues! It’d be amazing to see the likes of Cetiosaurus, Shunosaurus & Saltasaurus become immortalised in figure form!

[@starbirds2464]

As an Aussie, I need wintonotitan, rheotosaueus and diamantinasaurus

[@DinosDragons]

@starbirds2464 G'day mate! Diamantinasaurus for me please!😁

[@DinosDragons]

@joelww2501 I can't tell you what a blast from the past Cetiosaurus is for me! That's a name you no longer hear much of today! 👍👍

[@starbirds2464]

@@DinosDragons oath!

[@starbirds2464]

@@DinosDragons definitly a must have sauropod

[@JohnAvery-zl2yq]

It is always a pleasure to hear you talk about sauropods, the passion is contagious.

[@DinosDragons]

Sorry for the late reply, and thank you for your comment! You are right, sauropods are my first love, and it's hard not to feel passionat about these animals!

[@IssamSam-sf6lc]

Sauropodes are my favorite

[@DinosDragons]

Haha excellent!!

[@QuiversaurusRex]

Wonderful compilation video, I absolutely adore seeing models in close comparison with each other - all the better if they are in the same scale. These model companies are really going for it, and I hope they produce more species, more varieties in this coming year. Your next video sounds exciting, looking forward to it, and more! 🎉

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you for your kind words! Well as it turns out, PNSO interrupted my plans at the 11th hour! So I'll have to get to that video a bit later! 😪

[@MarcustheReborn]

I was hoping to see these types of videos but you might be a bit early Alamosaurus by Haolonggood coming soon!

[@DinosDragons]

Oh, but that's expected next year. My supplier says he definitely can't get it by this year 😪😭

[@grandiosa86]

I think the best release was the Rebor Diplodocus model, as I have been waiting so long for an appealing Diplodocus model, and I also as a kid always thought it was the one the biker drive through in Jurassic Park: The Lost world, but it was a Mamenchisaurus. I agree that 2023 was the year of sauropods.

[@DinosDragons]

Speaking of Mamenchisaurus, HLG is going to give us one in 2024! So let's hope that 2024 will also be the Year of the Sauropods II.

[@elihuguzman9417]

As a biology and palaeontology student, I cannot do more than say that sauropods are the best!

[@DinosDragons]

That would be a ringing endorsement from someone with the perfect pedigree to judge! Thank you and good luck in your studies! I look forward to seeing what you contribute in years to come! 😁😁

[@elihuguzman9417]

@DinosDragons Thank you so much! I'm also looking forward to your new videos, they're great!

[@jacob5383]

Exciting times to be in indeed! Hopefully we can see even more majestic sauropod models in the coming year.

[@DinosDragons]

You will! That's a promise!

[@bbag1550]

Ademar is now offering a 1:35 Argentinosaur, based on the knowledge from other super gaint titanosaurs such as mainly patagottian and others. It's basically a slightly more massive and updated sculpt of his patagotitan.

[@DinosDragons]

Haha I am sure it is equally awesome, though Patagotitan has going for it more material I believe!

[@bbag1550]

@DinosDragons yes, I asked him since there is little material from argentinosaurus and he said it's an updated sculpt with material missing from patagotitan filled in by what we have from its closest relatives in longkosauria group like notocolossus and a handful others. It looks like a mix of his patagotitan and titanosaurs from Attenboroughs prehistoric planet show.

[@thomasmonroe7947]

Hoping you weren’t affected by the earthquakes. I do not watch television and am usually a day behind most news. My thoughts go out to your country and the families that have been impacted through damage or personal loss.

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you mate but no I'm nowhere near! It's sad when you think about it. The natural world's got enough challenges for us to deal with collectively together, but the human world decides to add to it anyway.

[@elizabethpendleton2401]

I share your excitement! I wish you a happy new year, full of more stunning, substantial sauropods.

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you! Here's to getting more sauropods and avoiding bankruptcy at the same time! 😁

[@elizabethpendleton2401]

@@DinosDragons - provided you don't have to move out of your home to give them space, it will be OK!

[@michaelkawano1951]

Happy Holidays!! Here’s to a great 2024 for you and us collectors.

[@DinosDragons]

Thanks Michael! Have a great year end and a fantastic year start!

[@HSPGelton2]

I'm so happy for you, DD, for acquiring these awesome models for your collection. Couldn't happen to a nicer person :)

[@DinosDragons]

Wow hahahaha thank you! I do try to be a good person! 😁

[@SpizaetusOrnatus2]

Excellent review! And may 2024 be even better.

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you! I love sauropods most and it was a pleasure to do this video! Have a great 2024! 😁

[@MarkSmith-gt4kq]

Very nice presentation 👍 🦕

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you very much! I loved doing it! 😁

[@JL-ux9dk]

Excelente video como siempre!!!,....esperemos que Haologgood cumpla con las expectativas y lance todos los magníficos saurópodos que tiene planeados a 1:35 para el nuevo año. Felices fiestas y feliz entrada en el nuevo año 2024!!!

[@DinosDragons]

¡Gracias! ¡Estoy de acuerdo con usted! ¡Y esperemos que Haolonggood no nos lleve al borde de la quiebra! 🤣

[@TITANSofTheEARTH]

It's really interesting how three paths are taken here. In the latest documentaries like Prehistoric Planet, they practically inflate the sauropods...with extremely thick necks (it's ok because they have air sacs) and super thick legs. They don't look anything like those balloon figures at the gas station^^ PNSO and a few other Chinese designers also have extremely thick necks and quite thin legs. In my opinion, Ademar has found the best balance when it comes to proportions. The leg bones of heavy dinosaurs. The sauropods in particular do not look like enlarged elephant leg bones (which are quite round in diameter). They are narrower at a viewing angle of 90 but very wide...almost like boards.

[@DinosDragons]

I think it's really quite interesting how the discovery of pneumatization has made it possible to create reconstructions that look really weird and freak in proportion, but could theoretically still be made to work. But yes, Ademar's work captures the kind of almost otherworldly appearance, but still believable in terms of physics and biomechanics! 🙂

[@kuitaranheatmorus9932]

2023 easiest was the best year for sauropods and I repsect your collection of these guys. Hope you have a good day

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you mate, and have a fine Christmas!

[@paleo-logica]

Absolutamente de acuerdo contigo, este año ha sido el de los saurópodos. ¡Feliz 2024, amigo! Será un grandísimo año para todos, seguro 🥰👏🏼🥳

[@DinosDragons]

Lo siento por mi respuesta tardía; ¡Realmente estoy atrasado! Bueno, si viste mi última reseña sobre Argentinosaurus, ¡sabrás que es una buena señal de saurópodos felices por venir!

[@paleo-logica]

@@DinosDragons Ningún problema por la espera 😊 Tendremos un 2024 lleno de saurópodos 👏🏻

[@MrRajithasandaruwan]

Some people call sauropods boring and look alike, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Just like other dinosaurs and other prehistoric life, sauropods are an important and interesting branch of this huge tree. And there are some interesting-looking species, and they all deserve their respective figures. I seriously want to see all these dinosaurs get their respective figures because they all deserve it. It will be amazing to see our collectors fill their shelves with different dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. I hope you didn't miss that Dreadnoughtus figure, my dear sir. And I hope you will have bigger shelves in the years to come. Because these gentle giants will slowly fill your shelves. I wish you nothing but the best, my dear sir.🖤 Keep up this wonderful thing you are doing for us. You are the king in this dinosaur toy figure review industry, and I mean it. Thank you for everything.🖤

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you for your kind words as always Rajitha, but as always I cannot accpe tyour generous praise! There are many excellent reviewers and I think it really depends on what you would like to see. I am blessed to have viewers like you who happen to like my content and also the 'boring' science 🤣🤣 Now, as to sauropods. I think that as we have grown in our knowledge of their anatomy and also get better at filling in missing pieces, we have an appreciation of the subtle differences that fans 20 or 30 years couldn't have imagined. With people who are so into the science that the position of an eye or the shape of a tooth can cause much furor and excitement, it's also forced companies to up their own standards of scientific accuracy. As for Dreadnoughtus, I don't have him. For some reason, Western fans always get them first. We get them almost last 🤣 I really like that 'plainer' green colour on it, and I hope to get it early next year! Have a Happy and Better New Year ahead my friend! Probably my last video before year end! 🙂

[@matthewvandyk7773]

The best sourapod toy this this vintage hollow unnamed dinasour toy from the 80's or 90's. It was purple and had a green back.

[@DinosDragons]

Sadly I don't know much about vintage toys, except the Carnegies. Didn't really get serious until the 2010s!

[@JustaTee141]

Bro, merry Christmas!

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you my friend! You too, and a Happy New Year!

[@shainewhite2781]

MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄🎁⛄

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you Shaine. You too! 😁

[@starbirds2464]

Just wait till haolongood releases theor sauropod parade!

[@DinosDragons]

Just wait till the wallets empty out 😭😭

[@starbirds2464]

@@DinosDragons god I hope they come with detachable necks and tails to reduce shipping

[@sumanmajumder459]

Really cant wait to see haolonggood sauropods in 2024

[@DinosDragons]

Me too!

[@sumanmajumder459]

You and I we both r sauropod lovers 😊

[@DinosDragons]

Fantastic! Always great to meet another! 😁

[@kalevipoeg6916]

I just got gifted the W-Dragon Giraffatitan, and considering I'd wanted a Brachiosaur - a good, big one- since I was a kid, it was wonderful. Now it makes me want other big sauropods at 1:35 scale - but of course the issue is scale. If however Argentinosaurus is ever released at 1:35 or the longest Barosaurus reconstructions, I HAVE to get them and just deal with the space and moving issues when they come.

[@DinosDragons]

Well if you get the Rebor Diplodocus and the HLG Apatosaurus, you have at least the original big 3 covered. As for the titanosaurs... well, just wait for next year! 😉

[@Eykadinotime]

Ha sido un año espectacular para los saurópodos! Creo que tanto las compañías como nosotros hemos podido reflexionar sobre las distintas formas de producción de un saurópodo como qué tipo de escala es la ideal o cómo solucionar el tamaño de las cajas de figuras de animales prehistóricos monumentales. Espero que la ola siga y podamos ver algún Nigersaurus o un Europasaurus, o por qué no? Un Inawentú, realmente me encantaría verlos! 🤩

[@DinosDragons]

¡Acordado! Creo que HLG nos mostrará si son posibles o no saurópodos enormes en 1:35. Su esquema mostraba algunas siluetas. ¡Y parece que Alamosaurus ni siquiera es el dinosaurio más grande que nos llega! ¡Definitivamente me gustaría ver algunos de estos saurópodos más pequeños! Lo que mencionaste, todo lo que considero bastante bueno permanece, ¡así que esas son buenas opciones! ¡Tengo especial curiosidad por ver cómo la tecnología actual manejará la boca del Nigersaurus! ¡Que tengas un feliz año nuevo por delante!

[@Eykadinotime]

@@DinosDragons totalmente, HLG nos promete un año increíble de saurópodos e igual espero este año haya un nuevo Nigersaurus. Igual te deseo un excelente año nuevo! ☺

[@laseriedeladilophosaure9246]

J’espèce qu’il aura beaucoup plus de sauropode pour 2024 .

[@DinosDragons]

I hope so, if Haolonggood really does deliver on its teaser image!

[@tomcross3000]

the latest in science is that almost all sauropods excluding brachiosaurus, have their neck positioned in front of them, horizontally not vertically upright- so i hope future models feature this correction. that all said, they are still amazing looking, beautiful and gracile, i'm with you! and i think they should be bolder and more daring with colours.. purples, oranges, yellows, blues and greens with more exotic and alien-like appeal.

[@DinosDragons]

That's interesting Tom! I have read over the years several proposals about the horizontality of the neck, but of recent years my understanding has been that a more vertical than previously believed position is also feasible. Which study are you referring to? As for colours, I personally believe that given their large size, what would they need to camouflage against? Rather at that size, they can pretty much do they want, including display colours. That is of course also acknowledging the suggestion that different colourations do affect heat absorption and retention.

[@tomcross3000]

@@DinosDragons i agree! no reason why colours couldn't change according to temperature/climate I think its the schwartz theory? but now i'm not quite sure, i think i had it back to front, so diplodocids maybe held it more vertical (taylor). i remember seeing a recent youtube video on it too

[@Machapan]

谢谢您！It has been a year of great surprises and a huge ones in the near future. I really appreciate all the effort and research that you make on every video. Happy holidays! I think 好龙谷 will gave us a 2024 full of Sauropod surprises. Maybe also, any chance of a new model prior to dragon's Chinese New year. 😁 來自墨西哥的問候！

[@DinosDragons]

Wow thank you so much for honouring my language! 🙏 I am really happy that you also watch the research bits. I hope that knowing a bit more about an animal helps you appreciate your model more if you get it. Yes indeed, next year promises to be a really amazing year. HLG has decided to throw us plenty of teasers, but I do like surprises, so I hope that there will be some dinosaurs that are unannounced as well! Have a happy new year! 🙂

[@sumanmajumder459]

Art&evolution studio mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum is the longest dinosaur i hve seen so far

[@DinosDragons]

That one is an absolute monster! Even if I had the money, I would have no place to put it! 😪

[@UmbraXCVII]

Hey, just a thought but would there be any chance of you doing a top 10 models of the year? All the best and happy holidays

[@DinosDragons]

Unfortunately not. I have always preferred watching these types of videos than even the idea of making them. And I don't think I would be fair, since my models are mainly PNSO or HLG. It wouldn't do justice to others I didn't get. Have a great new year ahead! 🙂

[@UmbraXCVII]

@@DinosDragons completely understandable man, all the best in the new year for you as well.

[@kalevipoeg6916]

My issue with a smaller scale for the big sauropods, like Alamosaurus, is ALSO this: when you are, as I am, trying to create a Mesozoic ecosystem in diorama, one major issue you run into if your sauropod is at 1:55 scale, for instance, is that it means it is very unlikely to ever see same-scale representations of SMALLER taxa from the same deposits. Think about some of the small 2 to 3 m dinosaurs that lived alongside the giants - a 3 m dinosaur at 1:55 scale would be just 5.45cm long, and a 2 m dinosaur would be just 3.64 cm long, or just around 1.5 inches long. At that scale it is not ever going to be produced with any kind of quality or detail, so you never get that full ecosystem build. But at 1:35 scale - which frankly is the SMALLEST sauropods should come at - that little 2m long dinosaur coms in at a still tiny but more reasonable for the sake of detail 5.71 cm long, or 2.25 inches - which is the absolute smallest something can be without losing ALL detail and not just having tiny paint dots for eyes. Even then, it'd be very, very crude in detail compared to the big sauropods, which have far more room to work with at 1:35. Obviously a 1:18 scale titanosaur is WAY too big for 99% of collectors to even fit into their home - a 30m sauropod at 1:18 scale would make for a 1.67 meter long - about 5'5" - model - bigger than some PEOPLE (my wife is only 1.64 m tall) - so a 1:35 is big enough to allow for some sense of scale and grandiosity while still allowing for small taxa to be produced at the same scale with at least SOME minor details present. PERSONALLY I think the perfect scale for serious collectors with the space and budget is 1:25, because a 30m sauropod would be, yes, big, at 120 cm / just under 4 feet long (more reasonable than the 5.5 foot/ 167 cm model at 1:18 scale) BUT this would allow for small-bodied taxa or even young of the same species in the 2 m range to be 8 cm long, or 3.15 inches - MUCH more can be done with that real estate even for the small taxa. But, of course, I am also a realist. Most people do not HAVE the space for massive 1:25 scale sauropod models. I just think there SHOULD be a 1:25 scale AND 1:35 scale line for all serious companies in this business, or at MINIMUM a 1:35 scale line that is consistent from sauropods all the way down to the small taxa in the underbrush. Anything smaller than 1:35 is a disservice.

[@DinosDragons]

Thank you for your in-depth thoughts as always! You have nailed it on the head when it comes to small scales. It makes it frustrating to create any diorama because small dinosaurs would be so small as to be all but visible. I realised this even as a boy when I got my Carnegies. The 1:35 Deinonychus you can see in my Fav Carnegies video, but even given today's technology, with some of the smallest dinosaurs you can pretty much forget it. Even if they _could_ get that detail in, you would need a magnifying glass to see! As for large scale though, the one thing all collectors inevitably hit a blank wall with is _space_ . Yes, some of these are expensive, but so far I've been fortunate that the most expensive ones I wanted I could get with saving up to 6-12 months. But even if I was as rich as my trader friend, for instance, there comes a point when it is available space that becomes an issue. So I had to acknowledge that same scales were not likely, and for smaller dinosaurs if I want to see excellent detail like Safari's Deinonychus and PNSO's Microraptor, I will have to just accept mixed scales. But wait till next year when the HLG Alamosaurus comes in. You'll be able to see if that lets you do more with your dioramas. 😁 Happy new year!

[@vectil6055]

I don't see my Daxiatitan from collecta in the line up 😢

[@DinosDragons]

Did you mean the CollectA one? I didn't get it. Also, that didnt come out in 2023 🙂

[@acetrek935]

Where do you get your rebor and dino hazard irritator

[@DinosDragons]

I get them from a shop in China.

[@tyrannotherium7873]

Well, guess what spoiler alert that I got for Christmas Alamosaurus from Pnso I got for Christmas even though it’s not Christmas yet I ordered it so her paws are probably one of the most majestic animals ever. I hope you will do a review of the figure that’s coming out by collecta Dreadnoughtus next year

[@DinosDragons]

Hahah my friend, you'll get it way before we poor folk do 😭

[@Archesuchus]

I hope you aren’t missing out on glorious releases simply because they’re not at the “correct” scale

[@DinosDragons]

Not me! I'm referring to quite a few of my viewers who have expressed same. As you can see I have the roughly 1:60 CollectA Ruyangosaurus and the 1:55 PNSO Alamosaurus.

[@antoniorocha3967]

For me, i would be good with 1/40 scale models. Or whatever scale it was, as long as all the figures would be at the same scale. But some years ago, the trend swifted to 1/35. It takes more space, and figures must be more expensive. But, what can you do? Well, i'm on the 1/35, now. I don't care what species it is, i don't care if it's extinct or extant. If it's around 1/35, i'll buy it. I've already ordered the Era Terra Patagotitan. My only concern is the Haolonggood Mamenchisaurus... I must have that one... At 1/35... Well, that's it. If an Archaeopteryx is at 1/35, a titanosaur must be at 1/35. The rest is no concern to me.

[@DinosDragons]

Lol yes I was thinking of you when I talked about 1:35! 😂 Harder for the small species, but I think next year if HLG really delivers, you will be pretty pleased with their sauropods!

[@aaronreyes7967]

Thanks yo other companies pnso didn't make it the theropod's year

[@DinosDragons]

Thank the Maker for HLG! 😂😂

[@sumanmajumder459]

I wish i could see collecta sauropods in 1:35 scale or 1:18 scale

[@DinosDragons]

I think unless they level up on the detail and paint application, 1:35 would be too large for them to do well, let al one 1:18. You can see how rough the details are on the Ruyangosaurus. Imagine that scaled up. It would look really crude 😥

[@ArawnsFire]

Most the pity you didn’t compare the Haolonggood Ampelosaurus with your exquisite model from Caesar Gomez.

[@DinosDragons]

What do you mean? 🤔I did! It's at the end where I usually do comparisons.

[@luiscoria6959]

I’d love to get Pnso’s alamosaurus but I’m just so bummed out about how smol it is

[@DinosDragons]

Wait for HLG next year! It's definitely going to be bigger, and you may find the prices more palatable too!

[@shawntorres9299]

@@DinosDragons I Agree and I Already PreOrdered mine He is the best Sauropod Figure on the Market But still waiting for a 1/35 Scale Brachiosaurus or even a PNSO Lipped Tyrannosaurus.

[@Yash78996]

From which website i can buy this dinosaur???

[@DinosDragons]

I don't understand what you mean. Which one?