Take some asteroids, throw in a pinch of alien viruses, stir it all up with a laser beam, and what do you get? Deoxys the Pokemon! Add some plastic to the mix and you get this fantastic LEGO model by Dylan Mievis. This Pokemon’s signature loopy DNA arms are made of 45-degree elbow bricks. I really love the exciting chunkiness of this models face, made with a pair of orange 1×3 arches and 4 curved corners
This armed and armored knight by Dan Ko may look simple at first glance, but there is lots to crow about — starting with the beak made with swords paired with a large claw part. The wide wings made with angled bow pieces give the perfect impression of feathers. But the hero of this build would have to be that great sword that is giving me major Final Fantasy vibes.
Perhaps he’s not quite up to the Empire’s recruitment standards, but this LEGO chibi Stormtrooper by nobu_tary is as adorable as an Ewok in armor. Come to think of it, maybe this is a post-Empire Ewok in salvaged armor? Whatever the case, it’s a fantastic little build with highly poseable limbs thanks to ball joints, and I can’t get over how good that squared-off helmet looks.
This LEGO robo-figure from builder Iggs has way more style than any machine revolutionary before them! Not all robots dream of overthrowing humanity through violence — sometimes they want to express themselves through dance. The robo-dancer here is preparing to kick things off with the Dance Dance Revolution at their local arcade. The dancer features some really nice color blocking, and I’m loving the bright colors and how they stand out against the black pieces. The limbs have lots of flow and unique shaping, giving the figure a sense of being highly flexible for some crazy dance moves. This is one of those figures where I just want to keep looking at it to discover all the cool parts hiding in plain sight.
This one gets me right in the feels. Growing up, I didn’t have any LEGO to play with…but I did have just about every Micronauts toy ever produced. SPARKART! has re-created one of the great characters – Acroyear – in LEGO action figure form. Making great use of Mixel ball joints, this warrior is super articulated and ready for battle. Aircraft tail fins match up perfectly with the classic helmet’s shaping, and those big chunky feet are super fashionable and provide some great stability to boot.
Be sure to check our archives for more retro goodness!
Pirate captains seem to keep all the good stuff for themselves, as Maxx Davidson shows us in this detail-rich build. Utilizing many of LEGO’s unique pieces, Maxx gives us a glimpse at the stolen goods in the captain’s quarters. Well, I assume everything is stolen, because, uh…pirates: they steal things! Anyway, however the items came into his possession, the bookcase is chock-full of fun things. There’s a little ship in a bottle, a golden globe (no, not the award), a decanter, and some reading material. A keg of ale leaks onto the floor, much to the delight of the visiting bilge rat, and jewels rest in a golden dish on the other barrel. A pen and inkwell keep the jewels and open journal company, ready for the pirate captain to begin their memoir. My favorite part of the build? It’s got to be the captain’s nose. I enjoy the whole design, but the nose is a wonderful and clever use of a tan hamster. Seriously! Take a closer look.
Ahoy, more details off the starboard bow, matey!
Shockwave’s cold intellect and looming presence stand out in this LEGO figure by Shaddowtoa. Coming out of the Transformers toy line, Shockwave is the Decepticon’s leading scientific mind. This articulated figure captures his often repeated iconic look as established by the 1984 The Transformers animated series. This figure bears the classic purple and grey color scheme befitting Shockwave, with that dark pink chest. His singular yellow eye shines out from his angular head, analyzing everything in his gaze. The recessed black around the eye is cleverly achieved by way of SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques paired with brackets and slopes for the purple surrounding it. The articulation of the figure is well worth the sacrifice of the transforming elements. The figure has bend at the shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, head, and waist–not to mention the articulation in his wrist and fingers.
Calling a build for a contest ‘First Place’ could be seen as a tad arrogant. But I think we can let it slide in Vohdoff‘s case given the quality of this latest Bio-Cup effort. It’s a build so smooth I had to triple-check it was indeed made of Bionicle pieces, let alone regular LEGO! All the panels are so seamlessly blended – I bet this thing cuts through the air like butter. The bike itself is very Akira-esque. It bears a resemblance to modern high-performance motorcycles you might see on the road, but there are just enough unusual elements to give it a near-future sci-fi aesthetic. The same could be said for the rider in their chunky leathers. Take the head, for instance: it comes from a K-2SO buildable figure, which could imply a mechanical pilot. But it looks just human enough that it could equally be a futuristic helmet suitable for high-speed riding. Either way, they have good taste in machinery!
The amazing thing about these small Transformer LEGO builds is how well defined the characters are! They stand as proof of the skill of builders like Student Scissors here. Keeping the characters transformable and recognizable is the tricky bit when working at this scale. When I look at this figure, I instantly recognize Starscream and all his ambition to lead the Decepticons. This particular figure is based upon the Transformers 2007 movie, which turned 15 years old this month. To celebrate, enjoy the craft of this figure. Starscream’s jet alt-mode looks wonderful with little kibble left over from his robot mode. Looks like most of it tucks away nicely underneath, no doubt thanks to the clips and round plates making up the transformation joints. The robot mode is just as gorgeous, giving him his squat outline from the movie. Wedge slopes define the wide shape of his head. I have little doubt he’ll turn and flee to live another day should the battle take a turn for the worse. Classic Starscream.
What makes us human? Or what makes a LEGO creation acceptable? Much like a cyborg, this build by Marco Marozzi straddles the line between worlds, as it boldly incorporates a non-LEGO action figure leg. Better to provoke a response than to vanish quietly into obscurity. That’s sure to raise the hackles on some, but it doesn’t diminish the artistry on display. And this model is wonderfully done–I won’t say it’s beautiful because frankly it weirds me out a bit, but whatever this spindly techno-organism is, it’s fascinating and I want to see more.
When I saw this ominous figure by Djokson, I was struck by its haunting beauty, in contrast to a few stark details, like the large purple disc serving as the head which I believe is a Ninjago spinner, and the tall blade on its back from a Ninjago dragon wing. The long thin arms, one sporting a whip, and the longer legs ending in very dainty feet provide the grace, while the many transparent purple details along the side of the torso add a sinister vibe.
It seems like just yesterday that we featured the Hornet Queen by Moko. Turns out she is more than just an imposing figure with amazing hair…the Queen’s armor and weapons detach and combine to an equally cool looking hornet! Those great Bionicle wings are a key feature, but my favorite touch has to be the transparent green minifigure helmet accessory used for the eyes. Super creepy looking! You can check out how things combine after the jump, too.
