NATURE TALES Humpback Whale Parent and Calf

A large-scale art statue series by Kaiyodo, capturing the essence of creatures in nature.
Kaiyodo has brought the creatures of the Earth to life in various forms, including capsules, articulated figures, and soft vinyl. Now, we are launching "Nature Tales," a series of large-scale statues designed to be appreciated as authentic art, featuring all kinds of living organisms. Shinobu Matsumura, a leading expert in biological sculpting, serves as the general supervisor, with other master sculptors from Kaiyodo showcasing their skills. As the first lineup, we are releasing three figures themed around large aquatic mammals—whales—in succession!
Each piece is an impressive 40cm-class size, with precise sculpting calculated for realism at this scale and textures achieved through professional-grade painting, creating a finish that evokes the very environment where these creatures live. Cotton gloves are included to help you handle the delicately painted figure with care. Each item is released in a limited quantity, and the wood-grain base and the certificate in an envelope will be delivered with the artist's signature and a serial number.
Humpback whales, which can reach lengths of 13 to 15 meters, inhabit oceans worldwide and are known for singing courtship songs with unique melodies specific to each group.
In "Nature Tales," we have sculpted the parent whale swimming leisurely while snuggling with its calf. The angle allows for a close observation of the silhouette of its characteristic long, large pectoral fins and the protrusions covered in barnacles from the top of the upper jaw to the sides of the lower jaw. In Japanese waters, they give birth in winter in warm breeding grounds like the Ogasawara Islands and the Okinawa Southwest Islands. By early spring, when the calf has grown enough to endure a journey of thousands of kilometers, they depart for the northern regions like the Bering Sea, which is rich in food. It is said that parent whales spend this nursing period almost without eating or drinking, and the sculpture captures the leaner appearance resulting from the loss of subcutaneous fat.
The humpback whale is one of the most distinctive species among the large rorquals. Beyond its shape—with its bumpy face, long, uneven pectoral fins, and wide tail flukes—the white patterns, which vary greatly between individuals, are also unique.
The protrusions on various parts of the body are sculpted to distinguish between the depressions in the facial skin and the areas where barnacles have attached to the fins. While the body surface features fine scars, the calf swimming alongside is still young, with a smooth skin texture. The ventral pleats characteristic of rorquals expand greatly when feeding, but here they are shown tightly tucked into the throat as they would be normally.

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• The images shown are development samples and may differ slightly from the actual product. Thank you for your understanding.