Tag Archives: Characters

All that gold, and it’s still not the blingest thing on this Bionicle

Who’s the coolest Water Toa from LEGO’s Bionicle line? Gali, the OG? Nokama, perhaps, who appeared twice as a Toa as well as a humble Matoran? In truth, Mitch Phillips (AKA Gamma Raay)’s unnamed Toa of Water might have them both beat. There’s some serious bling on show here: an enormous gold door makes for a nice shield. The cape is pretty majestic, too. But the biggest party piece is actually the mask. Don’t recognise it? That’s because it’s exceedingly rare – handed out during the 2015 LEGO Inside Tour, only 200 of these transparent-blue ones were ever made! As a result it’s something of a collectors’ item, but it’s refreshing to see it used in a MOC. At the end of the day, it is still just a LEGO piece!

Toa of Water

Building with character: a conversation with NPU wizard Djokson [Interview]

LEGO elements are a fascinating creative medium where the palette of possibility is constantly evolving, but the pieces of yesteryear never go away. Duplo bricks from 45 years ago can still connect with forgotten Znaps or the latest Dreamzzz. Serbian builder Djokson is an undisputed master of bridging obscure LEGO B-Sides with new shapes and colors. Over 10 years, he has created and shared nearly 400 LEGO models, each remarkable in form, personality, and originality. Djokson has been on a hot streak this year with multiple new models a week that showcases his growth as an artist. This seems like the perfect time to sit down with Djokson and learn a bit more about the mind behind this incredible run of LEGO marvels.

Mount

Read on for the rest of our interview with Djokson and a retrospective of his amazing builds! !

A new Red Baron

This red baroness may not prowl the skies, but with that rapier, I know that this LEGO model by Eero Okkonen means business! Eero is an accomplished builder of figures and other structures, and you can check out our past articles on his work here. This baroness duels in style in her cape borrowed from the Chirrut Îmwe constraction figure, while her trans-red skirts were only available in the 2022 set 80035 Monkie Kid’s Galactic Explorer. The Baroness shows off her station with a wealth of golden trinkets on her outfit, but I’d like to draw special attention to the buckles on her cape which – using only two parts – clamp onto the fabric. Would you dare challenge her?

Smile for the camer-androids!

A few days ago, Joey Klusnick staked his claim for NPU of the year with his LEGO camera robot. It’s certainly earned my vote, not least because now, it’s got a little sibling! Rather than a functional camera, the head of this one is a Duplo accessory. In fact that camera throws off the scale slightly – it’s not until you look at some of the parts used elsewhere, like the windscreen in the body, that you realise that this droid is actually pretty small.

Thumbnail

This next shot gives you a better idea of that! The consistent colours make them both feel like part of the same family. There’s some more clever parts use in the tyre and rubber band for the camera lens, too. But the cleverest detail might be the names. The bigger bot is called Megapixel; so what’s the smaller version called? Why, Thumbnail, of course!

Megapixel and Thumbnail

A char-CUTE-erie board for you!

Boy, do we have a treat for you today folks! This LEGO build by Carter is an outstanding mix of the tasty and adorable. While the individual treats are not what you might find on a charcuterie board, their chubby cheeks and stubby arms might make up for that. That donut in the center is covered in smooth lavender-colored icing, with the macaroni-shaped pieces coming from a single set released in 2022. The thin seaweed layer around the sushi is made from 2×2 curved slopes. With food this cute, could you bring yourself to eat it?

Mini Snacks

An android endorsed by Spielberg himself

In the distant cyberpunk future, you might run into this LEGO android by Joey Klusnick! This build is a great example of using a highly unique LEGO piece to create something new. That camera that makes up the android’s head is the old USB camera sold in 1349-1 Steven Spielberg Moviemaker Set from the year 2000. The body of this robot is a wonderfully organic series of wrapped rubber. But here’s the thing: that’s still part of the camera! The USB cable of the camera is (apparently) ridiculously long, so Joey has used it to create all the muscle-y bits this android needs to run around. I also want to point out that the USB plug on the droid’s left arm fits perfectly into a pair of fences. One thing I know for certain is that this droid will always get its shot!

Megapixel

These LEGO Kung-Fu Panda characters are fast as lightning!

These days, the only place I really seem to see Kung-Fu Panda material is in poorly-cut Instagram reels. Admittedly, that probably says more about more about my social media habits than the film – and to be fair, it is a great film. Thankfully, Jannis Mavrostomos has freshened up my feed with this great LEGO rendition of the main cast! Each one features some great building. An orange leaf looks great for Tigress’ outstretched palm; Crane’s wings look great, as do the rounded features of Monkey’s head and, er, Po’s belly; and I love Viper’s cherry eyestalks. But the best bit is surely the comically small Mantis. What do you mean, where’s Mantis? He’s right there on the right hand side – represented by a single plant stalk!

Dance to your Death with Sekiro’s Corrupted Monk

LEGO and video games have proven to be a powerhouse of family-friendly fun, but combat in LEGO games is a pretty basic affair. If punishing action is more your speed, perhaps you’ve wondered what a LEGO Souls-like game would look like? If it’s anything like Marius Herrmann‘s Corrupted Monk from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it would be a beautiful game indeed!

The Corrupted Monk from "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice"

FromSoftware, makers of Elden Ring and Dark Souls, are known for their amazing enemy bosses that combine punishing difficulty with breathtaking dark fantasy character design. For many, the Corrupted Monk is the pinnacle of boss encounters, as dueling this demoness requires total mastery of the game’s robust combat system (unless you cheese the boss — no shame in that!). Marius’ model employs some incredible parts usage to capture the Monk’s haunting appearance, like the use of an inverted Ninjago Anacondrai helmet for a mouth and a frog for a nose. There are hand-strung beads made of eggs and flowers, as well as a vintage LEGO Scala pearl necklace for this classy lady of darkness. The color is striking, especially the draping tiled fabric in gold, yellow, and black. Given the vibrant colors, this is clearly the “True” version of the Corrupted Monk. Sekiro also features a spectral version of the boss, but I suspect creating a model this incredible using only translucent parts would be too punishing a challenge for even the most hardcore LEGO builder.

Powerful princess of the Saphire Sword

Fantasy-flavored minifigs might be all the buzz right now thanks to LEGO’s new D&D partnership, but prolific Finnish builder (and TBB regular) Eero Okkonen is here to take the crown with his latest swords and sorcery inspired brick-built character. Eero makes clever use of the latest plant elements, like the lavender breastplates sourced from a new mold in LEGO Friends 42620 Olly and Paisley’s Family Houses. One of my favorite elements of the creation is how perfectly the opalescent sword pieces work as both hair and skirt. There are so many details to admire, like the Prince of Persia dagger of time as a brooch, Gungan shields on the belt, and alien cocoon thighs. Like most of his characters, this one is highly-poseable, so be sure to dive into Eero’s Flickr page for a full gallery and build insights.

Princess Sapphire

Looking for more of his great character creations? We’ve got plenty of Eero Okkonen’s LEGO builds in our archives.

Cad, the Bane of his bounties

Anyone else excited for the Bad Batch to return on Wednesday? I know I sure am. Bounty hunter Cad Bane made a surprise appearance in the show’s first season, and just in time for the third and final one, Flickr builder gGh0st has come up with a superb rendition of the Duros. He’s even got his trusty, sassy sidekick Todo! The semi-circular jumper plates are great choices for the droid’s eyes/face. There’s loads of clever parts use, but I would question Bane’s choice of fitting a thermal detonator to his wrist. In his line of work, that’s surely asking for trouble…

Cad Bane & Todo

Flexing one’s musical LEGO muscles

I recently got my hands on a bunch 0f LEGO flex tubes, but I’m still figuring out what to make with them. Perhaps I should take inspiration from Eero Okkonen? This stylish keyboard player makes great use of them. Said tubes are used as the wiring for the PA system and keyboard, but Eero also shows off his braiding skills by using them as hair. It looks great! And the nice parts use doesn’t stop there. A pair of red fences are cleverly inserted into some Technic quarter-circle gears to make an on-stage monitor. Meanwhile, some Dots pendants are the perfect size for some earrings!

Mathilda Crawatt

Intrepid LEGO reporter looking to branch out

The first thing I noticed about this wonderful LEGO Shoot the Bullet scene by Sweeps was the nice part usage (NPU) found close at hand. The 3 prong plant element makes a perfect hand for this chibi-style character named Aya Shameimaru (of Touhou Project fame). But the NPU doesn’t stop there. The ground is nicely textured with painters palettes and a nice bit of fall foliage. The recent new curved transparent bar in back is the perfect part to raise the character off the ground.

Real or Fake: Reporter Aya Shameimaru