Tag Archives: N.A.B.E_mocs

The hottest Dino in the Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 recently arrived on the Nintendo Switch, and Sakiya Watanabe (N.A.B.E_mocs) has already marked the occasion with a new build featuring one of our favorite enemies from these games. The Dino Piranha is a piranha plant variation that resembles Petey Piranha (first introduced in Super Mario Sunshine), but the difference is that these guys hatch from eggs and have dinosaur features – because of course they do. The Super Mario Galaxy games were revolutionary for the franchise and took every enemy, world, and gameplay element to the next level, and Sakiya has done the same with this build.

The 2×2 round brick tube (part 65473) has proven to be the most essential piece for Super Mario builds, and is predominantly featured on sets like The Mighty Bowser, the Spiny Shell, and the Piranha Plant. Sakiya used the same part here in different colors to capture the mouth and tail of the Dino Piranha, which looks right at home next to the official sets. We especially appreciate the use of some newer leaf molds on the Fiery Dino Piranha to round out their scorching hot ‘mane’.

Sakiya also shared an alternate color of this build to represent the base Dino Piranha that is first encountered in the Good Egg Galaxy. The Mario galaxy crystal resembling a LEGO rock 1×1 crystal in both builds is such an excellent touch.

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The second bird catches the fish – after it’s been rebuilt

Just because Sakiya Watanabe has been nominated for our LEGO Creation of the Year, doesn’t mean he’s going to rest on his laurels! And just to reinforce that dedication to improving his craft, here he presents an updated version of the bald eagle we featured 10 months back. We were full of praise at the time, but Sakiya wasn’t satisfied. The curse of the perfectionist! In case you can’t spot the differences, they include an updated tail, water splash and head. The photo angle also appears to have been carefully selected to better hide some of the underlying structure. There is one thing that hasn’t changed, however. We’re just as awe-struck this time around!

Shortlist announced for TBB’s Builder of the Year 2025 [News]

By now, you will have seen our shortlist for our annual Creation of the Year award. What?! You haven’t? Well head on over here to see it! It’s one thing to create one, year-defining build. It’s another thing entirely to consistently hit such heady heights in multiple builds over the course of a year. That’s what our Builder of the Year award celebrates!

This might be someone whose builds were just too good not to feature over and over again (think last year’s winner, Maxx Davidson). They might have achieved success in other spheres, such as winning contests (Jonas Kramm won his Iron Builder round in 2017) or gaining LEGO Ideas sets (Sandro Quattrini, 2021). Or perhaps they showed growth, taking their builds to new heights like Dicken Liu did in 2023. What will set our 2025 winner apart? Take a look at our shortlist and cast your vote in the comments!

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Don’t be jelly of this incredible Jellyfish

We’ve heard that there are things deep in the ocean that no human has seen before, and this wonderful jellyfish from Sakiya Watanabe (N.A.B.E_mocs) might just be one of them. A masterclass in unique parts usage (which is no surprise from this builder), this creature and the surrounding terrain is absolutely covered in awesome details. The Bionicle masks that are used throughout the body of the jellyfish may jump out first, but you’ll find even more Bionicle masks and parts making up the accompanying marine plant life. The variety of translucent parts used throughout this entire build is so great – my personal favorite is the trans-purple hair from the Orion collectible minifigure. This is a beautiful and brilliantly colorful build that really brings the wonder of the underwater world to life.

Be sure to read The Brothers Brick interview with Sakiya here!

Raging Raijin rises with thunderous applause

With a strike of lightning and an impressive thunder clap, Sakiya Watanabe (N.A.B.E_mocs) takes on Raijin, the Japanese God of Thunder in LEGO. With windblown hair and a dynamic pose, this creation has motion, even when sitting still; like I can almost see this beast-god blowing across the stormy sky as he beats the taiko drums that surround him.

Where would Raijin be without his windy counterpart Fujin? Well, thankfully Sakiya has already thought of that. You may recognize Fujin as we featured him back in August. Here they are posed together in all their Mongolian-fleet-destroying mythic demon glory. As fearsome and destructive as these two are when paired together, they also bring much needed rain and prosperity.

How did the jaguar get its spots? For this incredible LEGO model, from tires and more

Automaker Jaguar’s mottos are “delete ordinary” and “copy nothing,” and those mottos could just as well apply to builder Sakiya Watanabe, who, over just one year of building characters and creatures, has constantly pushed boundaries with LEGO parts use. Take a close look at the builder’s latest model and you’ll find surprises throughout. The face is dense with clever solutions, like a turkey nose, fabric tongue, and minifig arms. The rock base hides a Scout Trooper helmet, Power Miners monster mold, and what I think is a DUPLO baby hippo.

But the most exciting technique is the Jaguar’s spots, created by inverting tires and using minifig hair or brick configurations inside to create organic shapes. Perhaps there’s a bit of homage with Sakiya’s jaguar to DeRa’s incredible tiger, current on display in the Masterpiece Gallery in Billund.

Click to learn more about how the model was created

A beauty and a beast – N.A.B.E._Mocs makes magic with bricks

When a LEGO sculpture can capture emotion, dynamism, and organic shapes without exposing how the pieces hold together, it’s nothing short of magic. Sakiya Watanabe (N.A.B.E_mocs) is truly a sorcerer of bricks, as demonstrated by his latest sculpture of the storm god Fujin. There are so many inspired parts in the head alone – raptor jaws for ears, bigfig fists for cheeks, Balin’s hairpiece for the chin. I can’t even begin to figure out how that hair holds together.

Sakiya based his design on the famous Fujin and Raijin painted screen by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, a national treasure from the Edo period, displayed in Kyoto.

Sakiya Watanabe’s other recent character creation follows

Remarkable bird, id’nit, squire? Beautiful LEGO plumage

We’ve seen some incredible LEGO bird creations in recent years thanks to the explosion of molds and colors that can be interpreted as feathers, like this magnificent owl from TBB alum Nannan to this soaring eagle from Sakiya Watanabe. Now Sakiya (aka N.A.B.E._mocs) takes wing again with a brilliant scarlet macaw. The starring LEGO element for this feathered friend is the blue thruster blast from the Dreamzzz line, but the NPU doesn’t stop there. Sakiya makes excellent use of shells and feathers for the parrot’s face, with rubber bands on the cheeks and around the eyes for detail. As with the builder’s eagle, the bird is captured in a lifelike, dramatic pose. It’s a beautiful model from a builder with an impeccable eye for shape and form.

To learn more about the young builder and his passion for excellence, check out our interview with talented LEGO creator Sakiya Watanabe.

This LEGO water dragon is a very spirited creation

LEGO fan builder Sakiya Watanabe takes inspiration from anime and Studio Ghibli films when crafting his stunning creations. A perfect example is this model of the dragon Haku, the spirit of the Kohaku river, from the 2001 animated film Spirited Away. The use of fern elements all along the spine is just one of the many clever parts used in this model. Lavender jumper plates are used to create rows of underbelly scales, and long, flexible tubes make the perfect whiskers.

Sakiya Watanabe’s quest for excellence as a LEGO creator [Interview]

The secret about overnight successes is that it takes years of hard work to get to that “overnight” success. Sakiya Watanabe, who builds under the handle n.a.b.e_mocs, does the work. In the six months since he started sharing his creations online, Sakiya’s MOCs have earned kudos on this site and from AFOLs and professional builders alike, even as the young builder studies Organic Chemisty at university. We sat down with Sakiya to learn about how he prepared for this “overnight success,” and what drives him as a builder.

TBB: Your work caught our attention from the very first MOC you shared, but you must have been building a lot before reaching that point. When did you first discover LEGO and what excited you about building?

Sakiya Watanabe: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. First of all, my parents gave me LEGO SpongeBob Krusty Krab set (3825) when I was around 6 years old. Also, at the time, I was obsessed with the Lord of the Rings, but LEGO didn’t sell Lord of the Rings sets yet, so instead, my parents often bought me sets of the LEGO Castle fantasy era. And I often reassembled them to create the world of Lord of the Rings. This may have been my first works.

TBB: It sounds like you were making your own creations from the start. When did you become aware of the creations of other builders?

SW: I got into LEGO Star Wars when I was about 9 years old, and started making my own creations(MOC) around that time. At the time, I was always watching speed builds of sets on YouTube, and I would create MOCs while referring to the techniques used in the sets. This is a picture when I was 10 years old.

Our interview with Sakiya Watanabe continues…

We’re howling with praise for this LEGO model of Studio Ghibli’s iconic Moving Castle

Studio Ghibli films are known for unusual and fanciful vehicles like the floating castle of Laputa from Castle in the Sky, or the glider from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, but few vehicles are more iconic than the walking, and at the end of the film, flying, castle belonging to the enigmatic magician Howl. The enchanted structure made from buildings, round cannon turrets, fishlike fins, and a large rusty face complete with riveted tongue, all walking along on four spindly chicken legs, poses many challenges to any builder, but Sakiya Watanabe works magic and brings it to life in bricks like never before.

When building something so iconic, choosing the right parts can be challenging, as there is nothing conventional about the outer surface of the castle. How do you form a cohesive model out of such a chaotic inspiration? (I’ve tried myself once before – it wasn’t easy!)

Read on to learn how Sakiya Watanabe weaved his LEGO magic and tamed Howl’s famous castle

This LEGO bald eagle is a soaring success!

It wasn’t too long ago that we showed you all a work-in-progress shot of a delightful LEGO bald eagle head, made by the talent that is Sakiya Watanabe. Well, now it’s time to see the work in all it’s proper glory! And as impressive as the design of that head is, I’m slack jawed taking in the entire scene. I love the use of clear elements to simulate a splash of water as the fish (with scales made from pirate ship sails) attempts to plunge back in. But the eagle definitely seems keen on catching dinner, with its plumage made of reddish brown palm leaves and it’s aforementioned head stuck in a glare of determination. This is definitely a creation I hope to see in person soon!