Tag Archives: Mecha

We all love a good LEGO Gundam or Macross mecha, but LEGO builders everywhere are also creating excellent models of their own designs. Have a look at them here.

Mighty mech strikes fear in the hearts of its enemies

In recent weeks we have seen quite a few worthy LEGO mechs, almost as if creators around the world have received special orders (or inspiration) to focus their creativity towards building a mecha horde to fight a common foe. This armed and armored mech by Lu Sim is one of my favorites. Built using mostly light gray, it looks grounded in modern technology, particularly the shield, with its small window looking right out of Call of Duty.

MARZ-M03CA Consul

Another thoughtful design is the missile racks on each shoulder, complete with access panels that close, to conceal this extra armament. From the back, we see an ammo feed for the Gatling gun, and a number of thruster jets to help this bad boy gain the higher ground.

MARZ-M03CA Consul

Heavy Ma.k will squash you like the human bug you are.

Some LEGO creations have a much greater presence than the sum of their parts. From the camera angle to the lighting, this mech in the Maschinen Krieger style by veteran ma.k builder Marco Marozzi is quite intimidating, and even though the guns may not look that deadly, the strength and weight of its legs and feet prove that even once it fires its last armor-piercing round, it is still a major threat.

KZ1 Mech [ma.k advanced design]

Not only are the Bionicle feet the perfect part for the lower legs, but the visible joints also have a very mechanical and functional look. From the back, it is even more ominous, with several well-placed pneumatic hose and whip elements adding to the industrial aspect.

KZ1 Mech [ma.k advanced design]

Searching for light in a dark world

Presentation can make all the difference in evaluating a LEGO model. Sometimes the photography is just as impressive as the build itself. Revan New brings us a moody post-apocalyptic scene full of mystery and unique parts usage. The picture is more than just a study on lighting, using a fog machine, or image composition. Instead, it is more about combining multiple camera tricks in order to provide visual context for compelling storytelling.

Lantern Mecha's Islands

The build uses minifig lantern pieces to form much of the mecha’s structure. It was created as a study in parts for the LEGO blog, New Elementary, but the unique parts usage does not end with lanterns. For example, there is the wheel cover piece used as the ship’s engine and all the fun bits piled atop the roof. However, my favorite aspect of the scene would have to be the realistic rocks. Most of the surfaces are well-textured with angles between larger pieces achieving much of the sculpting. , of course done very carefully and not at all random. There are several other photos of this build on Revan New’s Flickr photostream and his article on New Elementary. With the article, you can see how some parts were done but, for me, this single photo makes the greatest impact.

Graceful and deadly mech

Building articulated mecha at a small scale can be a challenge. But it is a challenge that Dead Frog Inc has measured up to quite nicely with this flying mech. The gun arms made from just a few parts look deadly, and the angled panels used for wings have an angelic quality that looks graceful and strong. Another very nice part use is the bucket handle attached to the shins with simple tension.

PROTO-ENGEL SAHAQUIEL

Horizon Zero Dawn’s Watcher is no less fearsome recreated in LEGO

When Sony released Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Zero Dawn for Playstation 4 back in 2017, I knew right away it was going to inspire some awesome LEGO creations based on the terrifying dinosaur-like robots which serve as the game’s main focus. Accomplished German builder Marius Herrmann was quick to take the challenge with his spectacular Shell-Walker, Corruptor and Thunderjaw. Once again Marius does not disappoint with his latest addition to the Zero Dawn line up, the Watcher recon unit.

Watcher (from "Horizon Zero Dawn")

It may be puny compared to other machines in the game, but don’t be fooled. The Watcher can be a ferocious opponent, especially in numbers. Marius brings the Watcher to life with some great techniques and clever parts usage (such as the roller skates used to add a little extra texture to the tail). Those glowing eyes are perfectly creepy, too. Considering Marius’ successful endeavor to build every Titanfall 2 mech, I’m keeping my fingers crossed he’ll bring us even more from the Zero Dawn universe.

Godzilla mech Rex through the town

What’s the only way to make a T-Rex more fearsome? Place him at the controls of a giant Godzilla-esque mechanoid! If you take a close look at the pilot’s cockpit of Simon Liu‘s impressive LEGO technobeast, you’ll spot Rex from Toy Story at the helm. You don’t need to get this little joke to be impressed by this creation and its wrecked-city diorama surroundings, but it’s details and touches of humour like this which elevate the best LEGO models into something special. The texture and mechanical-looking greebles prevent the central robot from just being a big mass of grey (always a danger with a one-colour model), and the ruined buildings are brilliantly done, creating an appropriate sense of urban destruction. The addition of Buzz Lightyear facing down Rex’s new toy, along with a bunch of fleeing claw-machine aliens, adds some welcome splashes of colour amidst the rubble.

LEGO Dinosaur Robot

Moko’s militarized mecha is locked and most definitely loaded

The battlefield just became deadlier with this highly capable armored platform by master mecha builder, Moko. When it comes to an attention to detail, the builder has spared no expense. Moko’s piloted mecha is named after the wolf Fenrir of Norse mythology, and it looks ready to dish out some serious pain. Form and function are expertly fused together in a mech that not only takes down enemies, but looks good doing it.

Fenrir

There are plenty of crafty techniques, such as using an old school Bionicle head for the visor and printed elements as the rifle’s forearm. (Those pieces are from last year’s Mack Anthem set.) The design also allows for some intimidating poses.

Fenrir

Just like its ferocious namesake, this heavily armed and armored warrior is unlikely to allow itself to be easily restrained.

A colorful mecha with colorful friends

Mecha models come in all sorts of shapes and colors, but every now and then, a creation comes along that really breaks the mold and demonstrates clear thought and careful design. This mechanical robot/vehicle/gun platform by Chokolat Shadow strikes a stunning balance between color blocking and engineering. I mean, of course, red and gold go well together, but the additional use of sand green looks surprisingly nice. The large wheels under the forearms and the smaller ones on the calves are suggestive of an interesting vehicle configuration, as well.

ORG-008 “The Oolong Royal Guards (ORG), your Knights against the external threats, will now be invincible! with the “Royal 8” line, the Sword got sharper and the shield stronger. May the Titan Guide us.” – Extract from the ORG-008 “Titan” poster. Build no

The creator clearly has a narrative in mind to connect this creation to a larger world, as demonstrated by the collection of support mechs and vehicles that share this unique color scheme.

ORG-008 “The Oolong Royal Guards (ORG), your Knights against the external threats, will now be invincible! with the “Royal 8” line, the Sword got sharper and the shield stronger. May the Titan Guide us.” – Extract from the ORG-008 “Titan” poster. Build no

Emmet’s trading in his rocket house for a fancy new hardsuit

We recently featured a breakdown of nineteen new LEGO sets released in advance of the upcoming LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. One of these sets is a 2-in-1 build featuring Emmet’s cute little yellow house, which can be transformed into the rocket version he uses in an attempt to rescue Lucy. Maybe if Emmet were a proper master builder, he could have come up with something cooler, like this great mech/hardsuit in matching construction worker colors by Chungpo Cheng. It even features a bunch of stickers from the custom BrickHeadz set 41597 Go Brick Me.

Emmet's Rescue Mech Suit for Lucy

It looks like Chungpo even left some room inside the mech for an overpriced coffee or Emmet’s green friend, plant-y.

Emmet's Rescue Mech Suit for Lucy

Wind me up and off I go

Who wouldn’t want a tiny clockwork LEGO tripod to set scuttling across their desk? I know I would. Whilst this delightful piece of steampunk whimsy by Sad Brick might not be able to actually move, it certainly looks like it’s about to lurch into jerky motion. Aside from the classy mechanical greebles stuffed within its transparent carapace, it’s a relatively simple model, but the jaunty posing and the compelling composition invest this creation with a whole heap of character.

Mechanical Tripod

This transforming mecha makes the best turtle formation

Continiuing from his recent transforming jellyfish mech, the superstar LEGO mecha builder Moko makes a more defensive, turtle-themed one. Do not let its protective posture fool you — this turtle is armed as heavily as it is armoured!

MFS-022 Archelon

The animal form is great, but the turtle-like elements extend to the mech form as well, with its bulky shape, as well as a beak-like forehead. All the wedges on the back, set at complementing angles, make for a convincing turtle shell that gives an imposing presence to the mech form as well.

MFS-022 Archelon

Mission: give gifts. Target: all the children in the world.

Christmas is nearing quickly and if your shopping seems hectic, think about how hard it must be for Santa Claus to deliver millions of gifts to children worldwide. The dilema may be less difficult if we take Santa’s mech suit into account, as built in LEGO by Mishima Productions. If you ever went through the calculations (people do that, right?) of what the speed of Santa’s vehicle is, you will see that this mech should be more than capable of it.

Santa Claus Mech

The build captures the generous man’s iconic image perfectly from the front and a whole different story in the back. A metal container opens up to reveal quite industrial looking gifts safely sealed inside. The only thing that really sets the Santa Claus Mech aside from the real deal in the front view is his lowered hat expressing a little bit of a fighter’s stance. The builder has also provided instructions for the build, which you can see in a video format on his YouTube channel.