LEGO builds are often quite small-scale compared to minifigures, with buildings occupying the equivalent space of a car, and castles the size of houses. Here builder Andreas Lenander has flipped that script on its head with a temple gazebo scene in a garden that’s the size of many LEGO castles. Unsurprisingly for Andreas, there are lots of lovely details, too, though one of the best might be the minifigure katana holders that make the hanging lanterns on either side of the gazebo.
This poor little fly is about to end up being the picnic instead of just going to a picnic. Toddrick (B.D.) created a lovely build using a lot of black pieces to create the fly and the Venus flytrap. They also incorporated a lot of theme-specific bricks that all deserve a quick mention. So let’s go! It is very nice to see the Fabuland basket again. I like how detailed it is considering its age. Inside it is a Belville skirt and an apple. For the eyes of the fly Clickits icons have been used.
The Venus flytrap also contains a lot of weird parts. Let’s start with the leaves at the base, which are made out of Hero Factory cocoon petals, the flower petals are made out of Belville flower petals and the Venus flytrap head is made from the Ninjago Overlord dragon jaw and head. All and all the weird parts add the much-needed pops of color in this otherwise very black creation. This build definitely deserves a quick zoom so you can distinguish all the funky black parts used in the fly and the Venus flytrap.
Inspired by the colors of the Martini-sponsored Porsche racing team from his childhood, David Roberts created a fantastic racer for a pilot with an inimitable name. Martin Igglesramsworthbottomthwaite, or Martin I, as he’s known by his fans and enemies, brandishes a Bond-like persona when he’s not flying his vibrant speeder. The model features various pieces of mechanical detailing on each side of the multifaceted engine sections, with azure domes capping the inlets. Bright red compliments navy blue and azure stripes along the body, making for a brilliant photo finish for all of Martin I’s victories.
On the rear, the nozzles for the engines are framed by multiple vents with azure bands running the length of the sides. Those rear lights will surely be the only ones his competition will see for most of the race. At least, the ones after that freak storm that flooded his cockpit. Drainage holes can help win races, it seems.
When it comes to robots that warm our hearts, it’s hard to think of one more endearing than Wall-e, the hard-working, dedicated hero from the movie that bears his name. Working hard to clean up our mess while we humans cruise the galaxy in comfort and style. If you would like to have a tiny Wall-e to keep you company while you work from home, follow along with KosBrick to assemble one of your own.
Build one of your own with this instructions video
Sometimes, imagined history can be as colorful as the real thing (which I typically find more surprising than fiction). Talented historical builder Josiah Durand is no stranger to the Aztec and early colonial period of history — we’ve featured his ruined pyramid of Tenochtitlan and Mesoamerican ballgame scenes previously. But in his latest scene inspired by Pre-Columbian civilizations, Josiah imagines what might have happened if a smaller group of Spanish Conquistadors had attempted to wrest riches from the Aztecs decades before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Things do not appear to be going well for the Spaniards…
Josiah incorporates elements from the Aztec Warrior minifig in the Series 21 Collectible Minifigures, mixing the pieces so each warrior is unique. Behind the minifigs, microscale palaces and temples provide a forced-perspective background, with a mountain range behind them. Beneath, transparent bricks arranged on their sides serve as a highly textured water surface. But my favorite detail is the pair of Aztec statues on the lift side of the scene, with distinct noses and feathered crowns. Titled “La Noche Triste” (“the sad night”), I’m personally rooting for the indigenous Aztecs, and won’t be especially sad if the invading Conquistadors meet a sticky end atop those distant pyramids.
Star Wars and LEGO have gone hand-in-hand for quite some time now. Uncountable LEGO User Groups are centered around the very concept of building models based on the Star Wars universe. Suffice it to say, there is a wealth of models inspired by the galaxy far, far away. As many ships as there are in George Lucas’ fever dream of a series, a whole can of worms opens up when you look into the concept designs for some of the most iconic vehicles. This ship, built by Jan Südmersen, was inspired by a concept design of the rebel U-wing fighter from Rogue One. Quite different from the movie design on a few fronts, the main difference is the lack of wing-like strike foils. For those that aren’t hip, the s-foils were apparently used more for increasing the shield profile of the ship and less so for aerodynamics in an atmosphere. I doubt this big boy needs much help from some wings, though, as it looks like it can take a few hits without a problem.
Lately, I’ve been having a lot of fun building minifigure scale trucks, instead of, say, aircraft or larger-scale vehicles. These are three of my latest: Dutch DAF trucks. The first represents an XF105 Super Space Cab, with a trailer carrying a 40ft Maersk refrigerated container. It is similar to thousands that roam European motorways.
LEGO has just listed the Marvel Studios Series of Collectible Minifigures online. High-resolution pictures are available at LEGO Shop, revealing 12 super-heroes as seen in the latest Marvel TV series, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…? The minifigures will be available for purchase on October 1st.
LEGO’s summer 2021 wave of Star Wars sets has been taking us back to the Clone Wars and early Empire eras, with sets like 75314 Bad Batch Attack Shuttle from the new animated series and the set we’re reviewing today, 75310 Duel on Mandalore from the final season of The Clone Wars released on Disney+ last year. This set 147 pieces with two minifigs, and will hit stores on August 1st for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99.
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Read our hands-on review of LEGO Star Wars 75310 Duel on Mandalore
I’m watching the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics right now feeling nostalgic both for my hometown and for my trip back to Japan two summers ago before the pandemic, when I spent several days in Kyoto as well as Tokyo, Matsumoto, and Kobe. Just south of Kyoto stands Mount Kōya, where Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai) founded the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism in the 9th century. My father became good friends with the head monk of Kōya-san during our time in Japan, and the temples and pathways there hold a special place in my family’s hearts. Inspired by the Japanese manga Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara, LEGO builder Ted Andes has captured a Buddhist pilgrim pausing at a Shinto shrine in the Okunoin graveyard where Kōbō Daishi is buried.
What’s truly wonderful about this scene is that it captures the unique Buddhist-Shinto syncretism that permeates Japanese spirituality, wherein Shinto (literally the “Way of the Gods”) beliefs are practices alongside Buddhism brought from China. In Ted’s LEGO scene, a shrine to a local Shinto deity and the god’s sacred stone — complete with a straw rope with lightning-bolt paper — stand amidst Buddhist graves on a sacred Buddhist mountainside. Well-researched, gorgeously detailed scenes like this are a welcome contrast from the generically “Asian” scenes far too many western builders toss together for build challenges and contests.
As part of the same Summer Joust contest, Ted also shared this atmospheric scene inspired by the same Manga. The same pilgrim from the scene above walks through a bamboo grove at night as ghost tendrils and a spectral hand threaten our protagonist. Rather than relying on LEGO’s bright green bamboo pieces, Ted has recreated the tall stalks using dark tan candles, with just a few leaves entering the frame near the top. This sort of scene is exactly why little kids like me growing up in Japan were afraid of bamboo groves at night!
Whenever I come across a scene by Jeff Friesen I’m amazed at his uncanny ability to create such interesting stories in such a small space. His models are a wonderful blend of seemingly simple techniques combined with the perfect color combinations. In this scene depicting a sky train station with a cruise ship port, the addition of the floating tower in the foreground is such a whimsical detail. And the arches continuing through the build perfectly divide the lower level details from the upper. Gold parts are used throughout the scene for just a splash of sparkle.
LEGO builder Qian Yj is no stranger to Asian buildings. Qian’s latest is smaller, poetic, and more intimate in scope and subject. There is some really good detailing work on display, especially on the second building. The brick-based figures add a good human element to the scene, and the color choices work well here. What’s your favorite detail?
