User blog comment:Jkphantom9/Volume 3 Episode 12 FINALE Preview/@comment-5426254-20160211025437/@comment-24994749-20160211035903

It was a cardboard cut out... They likely didn't have a 3D model yet (like with Penny's dad)... The question is if 11 episodes later they managed to complete Taiyang's model.

At this rate I think we will have to wait for V4 for Taiyang's proper appearance.