Review and photographs by Frey, edited by Suspsy
Haolonggood’s 2025 Tyrannosaurus rex comes in two variants: model #HLG‑159‑T (note that they also use #HLG‑159 for their Limited Edition Blue Brachiosaurus, differentiated as #HLG‑159‑B, although the boxes in my experience do not show the “B” or “T,” so I wanted to clarify this for fellow collectors who notice such things) and #HLG‑160. These can also be identified by their official names: Chao Gai for HLG‑159 and Lu Jun Yi for HLG‑160.
These names are not random. Haolonggood draws them from one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature: Water Margin (also known as Outlaws of the Marsh). Chao Gai is known as “The Heavenly King,” signifying wisdom, respect, and leadership. Lu Jun Yi, “The Jade Qilin,” symbolizes nobility, elegance, and power. Both are fitting choices for a pair of adult Tyrannosaurus rex, and I quite like the thematic personality they lend to each variant.
Another thing worth noting as we discuss the “tyrant lizard king”—and something often missed outside of scientific writing—is that the species name Tyrannosaurus rex is correctly written with a capitalized genus (Tyrannosaurus) and a lowercase species epithet (rex). In popular media and on product packaging it’s almost always written as “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” but scientifically the species name is never capitalized. That’s enough scientific‑literacy teaching for today—let’s take a closer look at these figures.
Coloration and Paintwork
Haolonggood did an excellent job not only with the paint application, but also with the two color options available. Chao Gai offers an earthy brown/tan palette, while Lu Jun Yi provides a flashier option with vivid blues and greens that still maintain a naturalistic look. Patches and striping run along the back, neck, head, tail, and legs, applied gracefully and generously on both variants. A bright orange highlight on the eye ridges gives personality to a species most of us have seen represented countless times.
Below the knees, a darker charcoal gray blends smoothly down into the feet and scutes. It’s a fantastic look. Everyone will have their preference (I personally lean toward Lu Jun Yi, as its palette is both unique for the species and extremely realistic), but between the two, there is something for everyone. We still have no scientific evidence for coloration in this species, but everything here is naturalistic and plausible.
There is zero sloppiness or under‑application on either of my figures. A light wash—likely a burnt umber—covers the teeth. Gloss is applied to the mouth and eyes to give them a moist appearance. All claws are painted with precision.
Sculpt and Proportions
Haolonggood clearly referenced modern research (Carr 2020, Persons et al., Witmer Lab reconstructions, etc.). Their sculpt reflects a post‑2010 consensus T. rex rather than outdated shrink‑wrapped or JP‑style interpretations. They’ve given these animals proper facial soft tissues, a thick neck, and robust hips and thighs.
The skull and head anatomy are among the most accurate T. rex renditions on the market:
- Deep, robust skulls with correct proportions
- Thickened nasal ridges
- Forward‑facing eyes with proper binocular overlap
The torso is correctly barrel‑chested. Musculature is thick and powerful. The tail is long and counterbalancing. The arms are appropriately short and muscular, with correctly oriented wrists (no pronation). The feet are realistically sized, and both figures balance perfectly without a stand. Everything matches modern reconstructions extremely well.
As for plausible speculation, Haolonggood uses pebbly scales and larger osteoderm‑like scales along the body. No feathers are present. The scaly integument is consistent with current evidence, and given the lack of confirmed feather impressions for adult T. rex, I think they made the right choice.
Another currently debated topic is the inclusion or exclusion of lips. The “lipped” interpretation is now supported by many paleontologists. Haolonggood chose a minimalist, halfway approach—subtle but present. In a world where no choice pleases everyone, this was a smart move. Lips are scientifically defensible and arguably the more modern interpretation, so this works for me.
Articulation
As these are static scientific models, articulation is minimal. The jaws articulate and open and close smoothly on both of mine.
Size
At 1:35 scale, these figures are exactly where one would expect them to be: 13″ in length and 4 3/4″ tall at the head (3.5″ at the hips). Dwarfing almost all other theropods at the same scale, they are large enough to command attention without overwhelming your display. They scale perfectly with other Haolonggood and PNSO figures, ensuring no oddities in relative size for those of us who care deeply about scale consistency.
Conclusion
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably noticed a consistent theme: I have nothing negative to say. These figures are both scientifically accurate and artistically impressive. They are sized and proportioned correctly, beautifully painted, and offered in two distinct variants to suit different tastes. They stand and balance without issue, feature excellent detail, and show no signs of cost‑cutting. They are also priced very competitively—typically about half the cost of PNSO’s static T. rex figures—while still going toe‑to‑toe with them in every comparable category.
There is no shortage of 1:35 scale Tyrannosaurus rex figures on the market (CollectA, Papo, Safari Ltd., Rebor, Recur, Nanmu Studio, Creative Beast Studio, Mojo Fun, Schleich, etc.), so these may not be everyone’s favorite. That said, as far as static scientific models go, these are currently mine. They strike a near‑perfect balance of accuracy, artistry, and presence. If you don’t have one yet, you’re missing out—seeing them in person is spectacular.
As with most Haolonggood releases, retirements tend to happen quietly, and once a figure disappears from production the secondary market prices can climb quickly—something collectors may want to keep in mind.
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