LEGO’s long-running collectible minifigures theme is back again with its third wave for the year. The last few waves focused on IP tie-ins, bringing a second wave of Disney, The LEGO Movie 2, and the Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts series. 71025 LEGO Collectible Minifigures Series 19 returns to the classic formula with a wide variety of non-branded characters from all walks of life and lore, and it’s a refreshing change of pace even for those who loved the latest several series (I particularly enjoyed the Harry Potter figures). Series 19 is also the smallest set in the past year, returning to the standard 16 figures that were the trademark of the line until recently. As usual, they will retail for USA $3.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £2.99 per figure and are packed in blind bags. With characters ranging from a Fright Knight to a guy in a pizza costume, let’s dive in and take a look at Series 19.

As usual, we’ve sorted a full case of 60 figures to give you a breakdown on the characters’ rarity. And there’s great news here right off the bat: there are no chase figures, and each box contains three complete sets, with a handful of leftovers fairly evenly distributed. For the first time, LEGO has listed a full case for sale right out of the gate; this summer’s Disney Series 2 was the first time LEGO sold cases on their website at all, and they didn’t appear until a few weeks ago. The Series 19 cases will retail for USA $238.99 | CAN $298.99 | UK £179.40, which isn’t a savings over buying 60 figures individually but does guarantee three complete sets. The Series 19 cases are still listed as “coming soon” so it remains to be seen when they will be available.

Character	QTY per case	Character	QTY per case
Video Game Champ	5	Rugby Player	4
Mummy Queen	5	Bear Costume Girl	4
Fright Knight	4	Shower Guy	3
Monkey King	4	Fire Fighter	3
Programmer	4	Dog Sitter	3
Pizza Costume Guy	4	Gardener	3
Jungle Explorer	4	Fox Costume Girl	3
Galactic Bounty Hunter	4	Mountain Biker	3

As always, each figure is packed with a cheat sheet showing the full series on one side, and some simple instructions on the other. Every figure also comes with a 3×4 minifigure stand in black.

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Video Game Champ

With bright green hair featuring a molded-in gaming headset, the gamer is a great way to bring modern culture into minifigures. It would have been even better if this figure had been someone other than a 20-something male. Nevertheless, the figure’s got a fun jacket emblazoned with nostalgic LEGO space logos (Classic Space, M:Tron, and Blacktron), though it is more than a bit on the gaudy side and brings to mind those Pixar Hawaiian shirts popularized by the now-disgraced John Lasseter. Beneath the jacket is a shirt featuring a logo of a brick with a headset, perhaps the logo for an in-universe e-sports team? The dark blue pants are printed with a belt and a keychain with a pixel-art version of a Space Police 3 villain. It’s fair to say this guy loves his LEGO space. He’s got a double-sided head with smirking and grumpy faces. Finally, there’s the bit that will excite fans most: the game controller. It’s the only accessory included for this bag, and it actually appeared in illustrations on LEGO.com starting last year. The generic black controller is the depth of a tile around the edges allowing a figure to grasp it, plus it’s got a protruding anti-stud on the bottom. It’s a fantastic element and one that’s been far too long coming.

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Shower Guy

Even minifigures need to stay clean, so it’s Shower Guy is here so you can roleplay your favorite scrub-a-dub-dubs. Despite the name, it’s actually pretty confusing what method of water-based cleaning this guy does; he’s wearing a shower cap, which is only necessary to avoid falling water from above. But he’s also got a rubber duck, which isn’t a typical shower accessory. At any rate, he’s got all the accessories (except soap) needed for getting sparkly clean in the bathroom setting of your choice. The shower cap is a welcome sight, having previously appeared only on 2012’s Series 6 Surgeon and was in high demand. This year it’s made a sudden resurgence thanks to its inclusion as part of the cleansuits with the new City space theme, and now Shower Guy.  The bather has a cloth towel wrapped around his legs, of the same design as previous skirt elements. Beneath the skirt he isn’t naked though (if minifigs can be naked), as he’s got light aqua hips and a printed soapy bubbles design on the legs. The head is double-sided, featuring an embarrassed face with rosy cheeks, and a shocked face. Finally, he’s a got scrub brush, utilizing the standard hand brush element.

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Fright Knight

The CMF line is fond of throwbacks to classic LEGO themes, and three characters in and we’ve got our first for Series 19. The Fright Knights were LEGO’s castle theme in 1997-98, and although they weren’t particularly well regarded in the annals of LEGO castle history, many adults fans today experienced the line as kids and so hold a lot of nostalgia for the bat-themed faction. This modern update is undeniably cooler, with a ghostly aesthetic that the original line never had. With a vampiric grin and pale blue skin, the Fright Knight wields a trans-blue sword and wears the classic armor piece printed with an all-new highly stylized logo. The shield’s logo, however, is pulled straight from the original theme. Beneath the armor, the Knight’s torso is printed front and back with a fantastically non-bat-themed chainmail design that will make this a very useful torso for castle characters of all factions. The Knight includes an extra sword and feather, two of the very few spare elements included in Series 19.

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Monkey King

This is the character that excites me the most out of any in this series. Many westerners may not be familiar with the Monkey King, but Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, is one of the most famous characters in Chinese mythology (and makes appearances in the folklore of many other Asian cultures). The magical warrior is a lead character in the 16th-century epic Journey in the West, as well as many other legends and stories. LEGO has included mythological characters in previous CMF series, but they’ve always been generic like Series 6’s Minotaur. The Monkey King marks the first named mythological character, and I’m excited that it also opens the door for eastern mythology. The minifigure itself is well done, with a new element for the Monkey King’s hair and ears. The long plume comes from the Overwatch series. The king’s dark orange head is printed on both sides with humorous expressions befitting his mischievous attitude. He carries his iconic staff, including a red Bar 3L, which is the first appearance in that color. The king has a rubber tail as well as a new design for flowing robe trails made of cloth. This character has three extra elements, with an extra Bar 3L, pearl gold lightsaber, and plume.

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Programmer

The programmer is a fun character, but it misses a few easy improvements. Sporting a shirt that says LEGO in binary, she’s got a plaid sweater tied around her waist, which is a great casual option for your LEGO characters. LEGO did miss an opportunity to include the high bun hair in a new color, though; the new style for this year has appeared in two other sets, both times in black. Her head has alternate expressions on either side. The programmer also includes a white laptop, which is a new color for it. I do wish LEGO would print something on the screen though, especially for a white one. With a black laptop, it just looks like the screen is off, but that illusion doesn’t work with white. Of course, she also includes a robotic dog, made of just four elements. It would have been awesome if LEGO had made it look like the Boost cat instead.

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Mummy Queen

Egypt is a recurring theme for the CMFs. We got a Pharoah way back in Series 2, followed by an Egyptian Queen in Series 5 and an Egyptian Warrior in Series 13. The one thing they all had in common, though, was they represented the living. The Mummy Queen instead redresses the distinct lack of female mummies, although LEGO has produced about a dozen male or non-descript mummies of various types. The Mummy Queen is adorned with turquoise and gems, along with a copious amount of gold. Her headdress element is reused from the Series 13 warrior. Interestingly, she features sand blue hands, which are surprisingly rare having only appeared in three other sets, including one other CMF. The queen’s head is double-sided, with one side displaying her gold death mask and the other side having a more undead mummy face. She includes a pearl gold scorpion, and again LEGO missed a big opportunity to have the scorpion in a new color like dark tan or brown.

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Jungle Explorer

Call this guy the “Jungle Explorer” all you want, but any fan worth their salt knows this is Johnny Thunder. The intrepid explorer has appeared in many variations throughout the years as the IP-free Indiana Jones stand-in, starting in 1998 with the original Adventurers theme.

On a mission to the jungle this time, Johnny’s hat is still flat without the trademark pinned brim thanks to the use of the wide-brim fedora element. He’s got the double-molded backpack with bedroll that first appeared on the Series 16 Hiker, this time in a new matchup of brown and dark green. He carries a standard magnifying glass and the cutest little chameleon. The chameleon is a brand new design that’s more realistic than the previous ones from the minidoll themes.

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Firefighter

Firefighters, along with police and construction workers, are a dime a dozen in LEGO City, so it’s one of the least interesting subjects for a collectible minifigure. However, I’ll never complain about getting additional diversity, so a female firefighter sporting a brand new firefighter hat with long hair (all molded together) is a welcome addition. Her only accessory a bullhorn using the new element that appeared first with Flitwick in the Harry Potter CMFs. It feels like LEGO could have included something else here though; even a rescued cat would have been fantastic.

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Dog Sitter

The Dog Sitter gets one of the best and worst jobs in LEGO City, all at the same time. On the one hand, she gets to hang out with a brand new dog breed: the Dachshund. On the other hand, she has to deal with scooping the very first LEGO poop element (plus an extra). Fittingly, her double-sided head shows expressions of delight and disgust. The sitter’s cap and ponytail element appears with a red hat in a lot of City sets and a white hat in one, but this is the first time it’s been printed or appeared in these colors. The shovel is also in a new color, bright green. While a simple character, this figure is an awesome addition to the CMF series because it introduces a new dog and includes a previously rare one, the bulldog, in a new color (a tan one was included in the Series 17 Connoisseur). More variety of LEGO animals is always a great thing.

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Pizza Costume Guy

What’s a CMF series without a minifigure in a crazy costume? Given the costume figures’ popularity, these are sure to be a staple of the non-IP CMFs for quite a while, and the Pizza Costume Guy was on everyone’s radar after seeing the Watermelon Costume Guy in The LEGO Movie 2 CMFs. Using the same giant wedge piece as a pizza slice, this guy looks like he’s been standing on the streetcorner a bit too long. He’s got a banner advertising some cheap pizza and a weird combo meal that includes fries and a “burger” looking thing that’s got neither a bun nor patty. My apologies if this is a known dish that I’m not familiar with–either way, let me know in the comments what you think it is. Maybe it’s a Danish thing. The sign-waver has a single, puzzled expression, so maybe he doesn’t know either. He’s got crazy argyle pants, so you can make a golfing buddy for President Business. The torso is unprinted, which again seems like a missed opportunity for a green t-shirt design, especially given the hidden detail on other characters like the Fright Knight.

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Galactic Bounty Hunter

The third throwback figure in Series 19 is the Galactic Bounty Hunter. This one is less obvious at first glance, but that tiny yellow triangle peeping out beneath the armor on the chest is actually the bottom of the Blacktron logo, marking this bounty hunter as belonging to 1980s LEGO space’s most infamous outlaw theme. This isn’t the first time Blacktron has shown up in the CMFs, with a Blacktron-branded Evil Mech in Series 11, and a Blacktron II Space Villain in Series 3. It’s not clear how a bounty hunter fits into the nefarious faction that feuded with the Space Police, but what is clear is that this is super cool. The helmet is borrowed from Ant-Man’s Infinity War costume, while the shoulder pauldrons have appeared in a variety of Ninjago sets. The holo-poster is a printed trans-red book cover, and the blaster is standard issue. Beneath the helmet, the bounty hunter’s pearl dark grey head is printed with a blue face on the front, and a copper mechanical pattern on the back. While none of the individual elements are new, the combined whole makes for one bad-ass space soldier.

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Gardener

The Gardener, or Florida Lady as I like to call her, is a nice change of pace from so many the job-oriented minifigures. Instead, she’s just an average older lady who likes plants and flamingoes. Despite her vibrant Hawaiian and leopard prints on her shirt and pants, I’m betting you’ve met someone who dresses just like this. She’s got lime green hands for gardening gloves, and carries one of my new favorite plant elements, the Mandrake stem (plus, an extra is included). The head is single-sided.

Her high bun hasn’t appeared since the first LEGO Movie CMFs (except, I think, for an appearance in black in the Build a Minifigure wall) and this is a new color. The flamingo adds to the avian ranks, though it’s unclear if this one represents a plastic yard flamingo or a real bird–I guess it’s up to you. The bird’s long single leg is hard plastic, while the pink body is soft rubber. 

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Rugby Player

While Rugby hasn’t ever caught on much in the United States, it’s in the top 10 most popular sports worldwide, with a similar following to its sibling American football. And although we got an American Football Player way back in Series 8, he was missing the one unifying element that both sports share: the oblong leather ball. This time around, the Rugby Player gets the key element, with a white ball printed with Rugby Supreme. The ball has a large divet on the back with a place for a minifigure to hold it. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before it comes in brown for football, too. The Rugby Player’s soft helmet is the standard aviator’s cap that’s been around since the 90s, and dark green is a new color for it. The Rugby Player’s uniform is pretty standard fare, but it looks good. True to the sport’s sometimes brutal nature though, the player’s alternate expression shows the result of a rough tackle with a bruised eye and missing teeth.

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Fox Costume Girl

No, LEGO Chima hasn’t returned. This fox minifigure, with her bright orange fur, is a slightly more classic take than the multitude of animal characters in the Chima series. However, the fox helmet is highly reminiscent of the ones from that line although it is a new element. She’s got the standard poofy fur tail that’s been used in numerous previous figures, though this time in orange with a white tip. The girl has a double-sided head, with two versions of a smirk. Showing that she’s already been up to mischief, she’s got a bag and a chicken. The chicken adds a new color to the flock, joining white and dark tan hens (for ones that are printed with eyes and a comb, anyway). Farming fans are sure to be glad for a relatively cheap way to get extra birds.

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Bear Costume Guy

Well, this one’s fun. Sitting somewhere between a Care Bear and what my wife says is an old-school Popple, this vibrant costume is sure to turn heads at your minifigure’s next cosplay convention. Using the bear costume head from The LEGO Movie CMF’s Panda Guy, this bear has got nearly every color in the rainbow. Oh, and the rainbow, too. The predominant color is coral and I’ll give it the usual disclaimer that photos absolutely don’t do its vibrancy justice. This guy POPS. He’s got two accessories, a coral heart tile (new, and only the third color for it) and a 2×2 curved tile printed with a rainbow pattern. Beneath the mask lies the dark soul of a venge–no, wait, that’s the Fright Knight. This one’s got an adorable kid with alternate expressions of wonder and surprise. OK, so I’ll admit it, this minifigure isn’t my cup of tea, and is probably one of the figures I’m least likely to ever use (though I do love that rainbow). But it almost certainly is someone’s cup of tea, especially given how popular costumed figures are in general.

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Mountain Biker

It’s been over 30 years since LEGO introduced the minifigure bicycle in 1985, and minifigures can finally take their two-wheel trekkers off paved paths. But that awesome honor of the first LEGO mountain bike doesn’t go to the Mountain Biker CMF, but rather to last year’s People Pack – Outdoor Adventures (60202), which debuted the new style ride. It does come in a new color here, though, with blue instead of last year’s lime green, and it’s a far cheaper way to get a cool new bike than the $40 People Pack. What is new here is the helmet, which combines the old skate helmet with flowing locks. The female biker has some bright biking gear on, combining a coral short-sleeved shirt (including a Band-Aid on the arm) with dark azure and lime green leggings with kneepads. It’s a great outfit for sports enthusiasts of all stripes. Beneath the hair, the biker has a dual-sided head with goggles on one side and a determined scowl on the other.

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If you’re an animal lover, then Series 19 is for you. Ringing in with seven animals total, it’s got the most of any Collectible Minifigure series yet, and it’s by a long shot. The previous record-holder was the first Batman Movie CMF series which included four, only one of which was new. Series 19 features four wholly new animals, plus new versions of two more (and one common gold scorpion). This alone makes several of the figures must-buys for me.

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It’s good to get another regular, non-themed series of Collectible Minifigures again, spreading across all walks of life. Not every figure in Series 19 is a sure-fire winner in my book (if I weren’t reviewing it, I’d never go out of my way to pick up the Firefighter, Bear Costume Guy, or Rugby Player, for instance), but the majority of the characters are figures I want in my collection, some of them multiple times over. For the past several years, more than half of all CMF series have been based on movies. Personally, I hope we get more good old fashioned series like this in the coming year.

71025 Collectible Minifigures Series 19 are available now from the LEGO Shop Online for USA $3.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £2.99. Complete boxes are also available for USA $238.99 | CAN $298.99 | UK £179.40.

Both individual figures and cases are also available via third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick a late copy of this series for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.