Master Wu Dragon in the Ninjago animated series seems to be on a leave of absence. This is Tan Kok Mun’s reimagined tale of it popping by after being in hiding for a while. I love this build for its tiny little details all poured into a single baseplate.
A tiny gazebo adorned with golden parts, Sinsei Wu sitting on a bench under a full-blown sakura tree, and the mighty dragon peeking out from the cave… and in case you missed it, a lovely Ninjago themed lamp post.
This looks like it could have come straight from The LEGO Ninjago Movie. Titled “Master Wu’s Secret Hideout,” this temple-like structure by Lysander Chau is comprised of a nice mix of future Zen-type designs on the bottom third of the build and the remaining two floors are very classical Ninjago-ish themes. What makes it stand out a little more is its use of gold adornments — just enough to make it feel grand but at the same time homely. I’m beginning to wonder if Master Wu has a second job in order to afford such a luxurious abode.
I’m hoping the LEGO Ninjago Movie prompts a swathe of Ninja-flavoured creations. Rollon Smith certainly seems to be getting into the spirit of things with this sweet little vignette of Lloyd meditating before a shrine. The calm pool makes a pleasant change from typical Ninja settings, and the haphazard planks are nicely laid-out. The shrine itself is simply done, but detailed enough to look interesting, and the surrounding greenery offers a strong colour contrast to the blue and grey of the base. Overall, this is a great little scene.
When I first heard that LEGO was going to produce a movie featuring Ninjago, I was flummoxed. As an adult fan of Lego (AFOL), the entire Ninjago line fell outside my realm of interest when it came to building sets. I hadn’t watched the show, played the games, or even purchased a set outside of 70751 Temple of Airjitzu which I bought on discount one day because I thought it was a brilliant architectural model. Saying that I had any sort of expectation to enjoy a press screening of The LEGO Ninjago Movie this past weekend would be a stretch.
Heading into the second LEGO-themed movie of the year, I couldn’t help but think the movie could use a bit more breathing room on the calendar, coming only seven months after the successful run of The LEGO Batman Movie. This bias seemed confirmed by the sheer amount of marketing I saw for the film, from Ninjago-themed obstacles on American Ninja Warrior to baking a La-Lloyd cake on How to Cake It, all paid opportunities to promote the film. If a movie needs to work this hard to get people to the theater, the movie itself needs all the help it can get, right?
Read our full review of The LEGO Ninjago Movie
Ninjago is never complete without at least one dragon, and new The LEGO Ninjago Movie line is no exception. Today we’re face to face with 70612 Green Ninja Mech Dragon, available now for $49.99. The dragon has 544 pieces and comes with four minifigures.
In the world of LEGO Ninjago, Nya is the current Elemental Master and Ninja of Water, as well as Kai’s younger sister. Daniel Huang has crafted a large figure version of her using a mixture of Bionicle, System and Technic elements. Daniel has posed Nya slaying the Green Dragon, with her samurai sword plunged deep into the head. The clever use of tyres and tracks within her leg structure contrasts with cloth robes and some ample CCBS assets for a unique blend of styles.
Contrasting with her dragon-slaying pose, Nya also has a clear feminine side, albeit with a few weapons in tow. I particularly like her head, as it’s well constructed with her helmet, and she gives off a ton of attitude in ABS.
The list of largest LEGO sets ever produced is dominated by Star Wars and Architecture sets, with the likes of the Ultimate Collector’s Series Millennium Falcon and the Taj Mahal topping the charts. Now, though, LEGO’s home-brewed Ninjago theme is proving to be a serious contender. Having already brought us two sets over the 2,000 piece mark (the Temple of Airjitzu and Destiny’s Bounty), Ninjago’s latest entry has an incredible 4,867 pieces, skyrocketing 70620 Ninjago City to the third-largest LEGO set ever created.
From left, Senior Editor Chris Malloy and Founder and Editor-in-Chief Andrew Becraft with 70620 Ninjago City
The primary locale in The LEGO Ninjago Movie, which opens September 22, Ninjago City is an Eastern-inspired cyberpunk city, brimming with action and loaded with hidden details. 70620 Ninjago City will be available to VIP members in the LEGO Shop Online and in LEGO stores Aug. 16 for $299.99 USD, and will be available to everyone Sept. 1.
As if the forthcoming NINJAGO Movie wasn’t already exciting enough, LEGO has been blowing us away with all the related sets and minifigs — none more so than the completely jaw-dropping 4867-piece 70620 NINJAGO City. Well now LEGO has released a video in which the set’s designers give us an in-depth, bottom-up, overview of this amazing modular set and its many, many, many, many cool little details!
The set is available September 1st and will retail for USD$299 / £259.99. And look out for a thorough review of it right here on The Brothers Brick in the very near future!
Taiwanese builder LEGO 7 is at it again with another incredible dynamic build. This time, a White Dragon Mech is ripping off the starboard propeller of the Sky Pirates’ flying ship. Lightning ripples out from the dark thundery clouds as the pirates scramble on deck. I love the colors and design of the boat, and the gold railing trim looks great. Have you noticed Monkey Wrench throwing a spanner in the works from atop the crow’s nest? Will Lloyd continue to evade the dragon’s clutches and save the day? Or will the flying clipper plummet earthward and suffer the dreadful fate of rapid deceleration syndrome?
With the excitement about The LEGO Ninjago Movie building and new movie tie-in sets being released, it is no surprise to see lots of Ninjago themed fan creations being built. Svend Eric Saksun tells us that he was going for a Ninjago feel with this house and garden creation. There’s a hearty feast going on in the private garden area with what looks like the head of a buffalo on the barbecue. I can’t be certain as the LEGO part used is a chicken body with a couple of horns added for taste.
The aspect of this build I like the most is actually the colour coordination and sense of balance to the overall composition. Svend named his build ‘Nonjago‘ as he felt he failed to capture the Ninjago theme. But theme aside, he has certainly captured something beautiful.
Initially designed with the help of a focus group of adult LEGO builders, Ninjago has been one of LEGO’s most popular themes since its inception in 2011. Rumors of its impending cancellation circulated a few years ago, but the theme has stayed strong and become one of the longest-lived homebrew licenses for LEGO. Now having spawned a feature film due for release September 22, the line is as robust as ever with more than a dozen sets and a minifigure series from the film in the latest wave. This year’s lineup contains the several of the largest Ninjago sets ever, such as 70617 Temple of the Ultimate Ultimate Weapon, which we reviewed yesterday. Today’s focus is 70618 Destiny’s Bounty, which at 2,295 pieces edges out 2015’s Temple of Airjitzu (2,028 pieces) and loses only to the as-yet-unreleased Ninjago City (a whopping 4,867 pieces) to come in as the second largest Ninjago set ever. 70618 Destiny’s Bounty retails for $159.99 and is available now from the LEGO Shop Online.
A few days ago as I was reviewing The LEGO Ninjago Movie Collectible Minifigures, I mused about what Lloyd’s mother ever saw in Garmadon. Well, I didn’t have long to wait for the answer, as revealed in this new trailer. We also catch a quick glimpse of Ninjago’s biggest enemy yet—and it’s probably not what you expect. The LEGO Ninjago Movie arrives September 22, and will be accompanied by a full line of sets, including one of the largest LEGO sets ever, 70620 Ninjago City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a72vtYb_RlQ