Theo Jansen's Mini Rhinoceros Kit by Gakken
The spiritual successor to The Mini Strandbeest, this kit uses physicist/artist Theo Jansen's technique to create an elegant walking rhinoceros!
This rhinoceros is propelled in the same way as the The Strandbeest - without electricity or batteries and only by the power of the wind. Simply put together the kit, place the rhino on a flat surface, add a fan or some blowing air, and watch as it walks gracefully and fluidly forward. It's a fun, easy, and unique kit for both kids and adults and looks great while in motion or resting on a mantelpiece. It truly is a work of physics and a work of art!
There's no English manual so this kit's a bit more challenging than the other Gakken kits. The pictures are fairly simple to follow, however, and the kit should only take a couple of hours to build. The Japanese Manual (with pictures) is here.
Gakken is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1946. In the 1970s, they began selling educational toys, books, magazines, and electronic kits. Their kits are known for their smart design and relative ease of use and have a large cult following both in Japan and the United States.
The Theo Jansen's Mini Rhinoceros Kit by Gakken appears in the following collections: