Review: 80054 Megapolis City
Posted by CapnRex101,
Monkie Kid is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2024 and 80054 Megapolis City cleverly marks this occasion by reintroducing various popular villains from previous sets. However, it appears these rogues have abandoned their evil ways to open businesses in the city!
The titular conurbation looks delightfully wacky, similar in style to the brilliant 80036 The City of Lanterns. There were a few areas to improve upon the City of Lanterns though, so I hope the new city proves even more impressive, particularly given the incredible number of referential details to be discovered.
Summary
80054 Megapolis City, 2,330 pieces.
£159.99 / $189.99 / €179.99 | 6.9p/8.2c/7.7c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Megapolis is excellent on the whole, but lacks the cohesion of 80036 The City of Lanterns
- Impressive size on display
- Good variety of buildings
- Delightful references to Monkie Kid and LEGO's history
- Fantastic minifigures
- Noticeable gaps in structure
- Bland Ferris wheel
- Little interior space
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box and Contents
Alongside the two instruction manuals and 28 numbered bags, this set contains 76 stickers in total. Of course, more printed elements instead of stickers would be welcome, but the quantity does not actually bother me because these are only used for small decorations and references, rather than being essential for detail. In addition, many of those references are a lot of fun!
Minifigures
The full Monkie Kid team is included, beginning with Monkie Kid himself. The hero sports an exclusive celebratory jacket here, featuring a variety of patches in reference to his friends, as well as the number five on the front and back. The character's bright colours remain unaltered though and he wears his traditional decorated headband too.
The fabled Monkie King accompanies his protégée and wears a familiar patterned robe, from two previous sets. However, his legs have been updated and this double-sided head is new as well, decorated with traditional Chinese opera make-up. This design is very intricate and clearly differs from the character's many prior appearances, which is welcome for the anniversary.
Monkey King also features a more conventional smiling expression and these minifigures are both equipped with staffs, although their weapons differ in size. Monkie Kid carries a stickered flag as well, further marking the fifth anniversary of his eponymous theme.
Mei is dressed for tai chi, but her white and bright green colours remain from other versions of the character. I like the diamond pattern on the torso, resembling dragon scales and matching the dragon symbol on the back. Mei lacks a new double-sided head though, which is a shame, considering both MK and Monkey King do receive new expressions.
This iteration of Pigsy mixes aspects of his previous appearances, wearing a striped shirt that recalls one of his earliest minifigures and straps from more recent examples. Once again, the level of detail is superb and Pigsy's head looks excellent, perfectly finished with his chef's hat, naturally.
Similarly, the chef's pearl silver meat cleaver is a suitable accessory, but Mei has no need for accessories when practising tai chi, so none are provided for her.
After donning unusually elaborate robes and battle armour in 2023, Mr. Tang is more typically dressed in this set. His trademark red scarf is included, over a padded jacket with several zips across the front. The character's severe facial expression has appeared before and suits Tang's personality quite well, with a calmer design and closed eyes on the other side.
The set also contains a new Sandy minifigure, sporting a sleeveless jacket with his magenta beads on this occasion. I like the pin inspired by Sandy's cat, Mo, on the front, while the back features a patch combining his Crescent Staff and a ship's wheel, in reference to his ownership of 80013 Monkie Kid's Team Secret HQ. This patch reminds me of biker jackets, which would suit Sandy, given his bushy beard and hairstyle.
Sandy's staff is not supplied, but he does come with a bottle of water, which approximates the hero's colour scheme. Mr. Tang, meanwhile, includes a traditional ink brush because he has written an entire book about the group's adventures, which can actually be found in the city.
Sandy was scaled down to a minifigure at the beginning of 2022, so he could appear in more sets and interact more easily with vehicles. Mo underwent a similar change and makes use of the kitten component produced a couple of years ago. The cat's distinctive shock of orange hair remains though, albeit printed, rather than moulded as it was before.
Monkie Kid and his allies are great, but I think the most exciting minifigures are the returning villains, who have taken up differing professions to reflect their skills. The characters are thus dressed for civilian life, starting with Red Son, whose flame-like hairstyle and reflective glasses remain intact, although his facial expressions are new. He wears a pendant displaying Demon Bull King's symbol, which is a lovely detail.
Evil Macaque has become a street artist, so includes a dual-moulded cap and hood element from Hidden Side, which suits somebody who presumably works out of the public eye. A paint can is strapped to his chest and Evil Macaque's sinister symbol decorates the back of his torso, doubling as the former villain's tag.
Although both characters have apparently been reformed, their alternative expressions signal the potential for trouble, as they appear rather angry! This is particularly concerning given Red Son's flamethrower, which I expect he would claim is merely for barbecuing food at his stall. Evil Macaque is equipped with a sack and a paint roller, which resembles his old staff.
Shedding her melodramatic 'The Empress of Terror' title, the Spider Queen has adapted her weaving skills from web to silk and become a tailor. Although far less menacing than her past appearances, I like that the queen's lavender, purple, black and lime green colours remain the same, as well as her spider symbol. However, the Spider Queen's huge headdress has been replaced with a hair piece previously exclusive to Friends.
Lady Bone Demon has also undergone some dramatic changes since 2022, when the villain last appeared. Her lavender attire looks splendid and a tiny sliver of bone is visible around the neckline, while a skull-shaped pin on her waist further hints towards the Bone Demon's dubious history, seeking to destroy the universe!
The double-sided head thus features an evil expression on one side and a friendly face on the other, which is certainly disconcerting because Lady Bone Demon has become a chiropractor, hence her accessories. The Spider Queen, on the other hand, is equipped for tailoring, with a pair of scissors and a tufting gun.
The final reformed villains are the Gold Horn Demon and Silver Horn Demon, whose names have seemingly inspired a love of music. Their matching jackets and visors are clearly inspired by Daft Punk, which is a wonderful idea for reimagining the brothers. The metallic details across their jackets look fantastic and the logo on the reverse is based upon their earlier minifigures.
Despite their change in profession, the demons still feature horns and make excellent use of helmets created for the Stuntz range. The heads underneath are actually identical, with faces belonging to the gold and silver demons on either side. Additionally, both minifigures carry items resembling their magical Calabashes found in 80015 Monkie Kid's Cloud Roadster, but I think these accessories represent musical horns instead.
Not all residents of Megapolis are heroes and former villains though. Lady Yu looks relatively generic at first glance, dressed in business garb and including a nice hair element, which was created for Bo-Katan in 75361 Spider Tank. The black version is new though and will hopefully open the floodgates for many more recolours in the future.
2D-GONG appeared on a holographic screen in 80036 The City of Lanterns and returns here, albeit now in a mobile form. This character resembles the Infomaniac from LEGO Island and features his famous emblem, but is actually based upon Tudigongs, which are minor deities associated with particular locations in Chinese mythology.
In fact, Lady Yu is a divine character too, inspired by Nüwa from Chinese mythology. The jade diadem on her forehead alludes to Nüwa's status as the daughter of the Jade Emperor, which will presumably be maintained for the Monkie Kid animated series. Also, the minifigure comes with a jade gemstone, one of many available from her shop in Megapolis.
Auntie Tai is another new character and wears exactly the same tai chi robes as Mei. Greater variety would have been nice, although given her name, perhaps Auntie Tai is Mei's instructor. Her head displays a single smiling expression and has appeared several times in 2023, while the light bluish grey hair component is relatively common too.
Completing the minifigure selection is Lee, who works at Speedy Panda convenience store. This character has been available twice before and wears his uniform from 80011 Red Son's Inferno Truck, featuring teal and pink stripes. Lee has had a haircut since then though, using a piece introduced in 21339 BTS Dynamite.
Furthermore, it appears Lee is now delivering food to Speed Panda customers, given his huge backpack. I like the stickered Speedy Panda logo on the back and the cylindrical box on top is also interesting, matching a container from 30341 Monkie Kid's Delivery Bike. A delivery drone is present too and may replace Lee one day, which is probably sensible in a city like Megapolis, divided over so many levels!
The Completed Model
The eighteen characters require plenty of room and Megapolis undoubtedly satisfies that need, featuring a fantastic variety of shops and businesses across its five tiers. The model reaches a substantial height of 57cm, including the mast on top, but the range of buildings included is still remarkable. The many signs are helpful as well, really making Megapolis feel dense.
80054 Megapolis City is bigger than 80036 The City of Lanterns by every measure, although I find the visual balance of the smaller set more attractive. There are fewer gaps in the structure and the compact layout feels more logical to me. However, these sets are designed to combine in various ways, including some that are surprisingly complex and warrant a separate article.
These sets are constructed in the same format, consisting of several modules mounted on a base, which is reinforced with Technic pieces inside. The staircase between the base and the first of these modules is designed around a lattice piece, which is a technique useful for building compact staircases. A printed noodle container and an open cardboard box are also included, with the latter signalling Justin Ramsden's involvement in the design.
As portrayed in these sets, Megapolis is a city of many layers, stretching beyond the clouds in the animated series. A section of the base therefore features some clouds and stands out from the otherwise grey structure. The contrast might look odd, were it not for the distinctly traditional architecture of the pavilion on top, so its unusual base feels appropriate.
Every building other than the pavilion can be easily removed and rearranged if you wish. The base itself can also be divided into sections, which are connected via Technic pins. You could therefore move the smaller section to the other end of the city, although this is needed primarily when combining 80054 Megapolis City with 80036 The City of Lanterns.
Some extra Technic pins are placed inside the base, which are again useful when rearranging the modules. A red mug is also included and this is another of Justin Ramsden's many Easter eggs, as featured recently in 76417 Gringotts Wizarding Bank - Collectors' Edition and 76269 Avengers Tower.
Before that, however, we have another surprise which requires some disassembly to uncover. A stickered BIONICLE mask is hidden underground, matching the style of the masks from 40581 BIONICLE Tahu and Takua. Originally, this mask was worn by 8532 Onua, the Toa of Earth, so its discovery below ground makes sense.
One more sticker is found inside the base and this one recreates the map from Monkie Kid's third season, documenting where the three Fire Rings were located. Since they were indeed retrieved from their hiding places, the map now displays three ticks, which is a nice reference back to the animated series.
The model is obviously not designed to be shown from behind, as the Technic supports are not concealed at all from this angle. Of course, it would be ideal if the whole structure was equally detailed, although the industrial appearance of these elements works well in the urban setting. Additionally, they correspond with 80036 The City of Lanterns.
Three stickers are applied on these Technic columns, showing Lao Tzu as he launches a blast of energy. This divine character appeared in physical form in 80039 The Heavenly Realms, but his representation in graffiti is an enjoyable reference. The first sticker also includes an emblem recalling the Yellow Tusk Elephant, while the third has been tagged by Monkie Kid.
Red Son's barbecue stall is connected to the back of the model in the instruction manual, which is a shame because I think it deserves to be more visible. The stall cleverly integrates a couple of details from Red Son's history, including the engine from 80019 Red Son's Inferno Jet and a magenta horn, presumably acquired from one of the Ironclad Henchmen.
Lady Bone Demon and the Spider Queen have set up their businesses next door, with a fabric shop on the ground floor and the chiropractor's upstairs. This building features both characters' colour schemes and I believe the large sign outside reads 'White's Bone Setting', as Lady Bone Demon is also known as White Bone Demon. The giant minifigure skull is a neat touch as well, although the sticker tends to peel from this round brick.
The fabric shop, meanwhile, features the Spider Queen's logo and two rolls of fabric are on display outside. I like the 2x1x1 Technic panels used for one of the rolls, while the black and lime green hazard stripes originate from 80022 Spider Queen's Arachnoid Base, much like the engine re-used on Red Son's barbecue stall.
A staircase leads to Lady Bone Demon's office and one of my favourite stickers is found en route. This poster advertises the beloved Fabuland range, reading 'back to camping season' and including two characters from the theme, Bonnie Bunny and Edward Elephant. The image is inspired by 3680 Caravan and Rowboat, albeit showing only parts of the entire set.
Fittingly, this room contains a skeleton, Lady Bone Demon's two swords from 80028 The Bone Demon and a poster showing various acupuncture points. I think acupuncture from a character dubbed Lady Bone Demon, who displays blades on her wall, is probably best avoided! Even so, the treatment room is reasonably detailed for its size.
The fabric shop is equally compact and I do think these businesses would benefit from more space to pose minifigures inside. Regardless, there is ample room for a sewing machine and several multicoloured fabrics, arranged in the same order as the five colours shown on LEGO boxes during the 1960s and 1970s, like this one. In addition, the aforementioned 80022 Spider Queen's Arachnoid Base appears inside a tufting frame, as the Spider Queen starts making a rug.
LEGO evidently has a strong presence in the world of Monkie Kid, between the store in 80036 The City of Lanterns and now a vending machine. This model is identical to vending machines in 76178 Daily Bugle and 76269 Avengers Tower, although its contents appear more interesting here. The sets available inside are 80046 Monkie Kid's Cloud Airship, a Robo Riders cannister and two X-Pods.
A brick-built sign above the vending machine advertises Yeelzabub shoes, which appear in the first episode of Monkie Kid and are identifiable by their orange and white colours. Also, a trans-light blue holographic billboard is attached to this building and features the powerful Dragon of the East, whose palace was produced earlier in 2023.
The pagoda in the foreground appears older than its surroundings and the layered roof looks fantastic, thanks partly to the attractive 3x3 double corner slopes, but primarily to the use of a brand new colour! The shade is named reddish orange and works nicely on this structure, from where Monkey King can perform his opera. A new railing element is included too, shared with 80113 Family Reunion Celebration.
Unsurprisingly, the Classic Space-themed lift attracted particular attention when this set was unveiled. The colour combination of blue and trans-yellow is eye-catching and the lift shaft is positioned at an angle, so it stands out even more among the other buildings. In addition, this structure features twelve trans-yellow 1x4x3 panels, which are new in this colour and sure to be useful for other Classic Space creations.
Yet another shared feature with 80036 The City of Lanterns is found at the base of the space elevator, in the form of an attractive electricity pole. The holographic screen hanging from this pole shows Erlang with the Celestial Dog, both of whom were featured in 80039 The Heavenly Realms. Furthermore, a sticker above the lift entrance includes a chicken parmo, which is the last of Justin Ramsden's many trademarks in this set.
There is only enough room for one minifigure to ride on the lift platform and placing them inside is a little more difficult than I would like. However, the interior is reasonably detailed, with black and yellow hazard stripes on the floor under the platform and a stickered screen displaying an astronaut. This design comes from 6000 LEGOLAND Idea Book and presumably serves as an interface for the Classic Space elevator.
The lift platform passes several more references as it moves to the upper levels, starting with a holographic sign that depicts 200 LEGO Family. Moreover, stickers applied on each floor begin with the letters 'LL' to match identification numbers in the likes of 928 Galaxy Explorer, which is labelled 'LL 928'. Finally, another screen features 80012 Monkey King Warrior Mech and 80028 The Bone Demon in battle, beside an advertisement for an arcade game that appears in 80023 Monkie Kid's Team Dronecopter.
Although the Classic Space elevator is certainly a lot of fun, it leaves something to be desired for practical navigation of Megapolis. There is a notable gap between the lift doorway and the neighbouring staircase on one side, while the other door leads nowhere. Once combined with 80036 The City of Lanterns, the design becomes far more practical, but the same should have been true in this set alone.
A worm gear passes through the lift shaft, raising the platform inside as the gear rotates. The function works very smoothly and is controlled using a dial on the roof, neatly disguised as an air conditioning unit. This provides an opportunity for one more reference to Monkie Kid's many opponents, as it appears Princess Iron Fan now manufactures air conditioners!
Continuing along the lower level, we encounter a jade shop belonging to Lady Yu and the Horn Demons' record shop, alongside a vending machine arcade. The continuous variety of colours between these shops looks fantastic, but I wish the arcade had another floor because it would help to conceal the Technic superstructure behind these buildings.
On the other hand, the single storey creates plenty of space for an elaborate sign on the roof, comprising cartoony versions of the animal demons featured in Monkie Kid sets this year. The use of different eyes for each animal is delightful and the signage outside the record store looks superb too, including a record player with a crowbar as its tone arm, between two speakers.
Even more detail can be found on the side of the arcade, as a poster advertising the City of Lanterns shows the location in silhouette. The planter underneath earlier appeared in 80012 Monkey King Warrior Mech and included the same peach advertisement on its side, although a sketch of 80013 Monkie Kid's Team Secret HQ has since been added.
Like those belonging to the Spider Queen and Lady Bone Demon, these shops are very small. However, their limited interiors do include a pair of vending machines and a price list inside the vending machine arcade, while the jade shop has various jade items on display. The trans-green 2x2 brick in the middle looks lovely, in particular.
A couple more stickers form a calendar inside the jade shop, as well as a poster and a graffiti tag outside. The poster shows a character resembling Medusa in silhouette and I imagine this being has some relation to the jade shop, as snakes are placed inside trans-clear 1x2x5 bricks around the doors. The graffiti, meanwhile, belongs to Evil Macaque and gives his usual logo a Nixel twist, recalling the troublesome creatures from Mixels.
The record shop includes turntables for both Horn Demons, but there is only just enough room for the two characters inside. Nevertheless, I like the turntables' orange and dark azure colours matching their owners and the sparkly lava lamp in the corner is a welcome addition, making the most efficient possible use of the available space.
Four record sleeves are displayed against the other wall. These include a jazz record inspired by 21334 Jazz Quartet and one that shows Mo reaching for a fish, which bears a resemblance to the famous cover of Nirvana's album, Nevermind. I have no doubt the other two albums refer to something as well, but I have been unable to find their sources of inspiration.
The billboard above the shops is more easily identifiable, featuring Nezha standing on a lotus, which reflects his title as the Third Lotus Prince. Furthermore, the five members of the Monkie Kids appear on signs attached to a teal track component. Like the Technic pins in the base and the Classic Space elevator, this piece takes on another role when 80036 The City of Lanterns and 80054 Megapolis City are combined.
Peaches play an important role in Journey to the West and therefore Monkie Kid too. A peach tree stands atop the Classic Space elevator and looks excellent, especially with several of the new peach element hanging from this tree. This accessory replaces the printed peaches found in previous Monkie Kid sets.
Mr. Tang is hosting a book signing on the upper level of Megapolis, outside Pigsy's new shop. The cover of his book reads 'Tales of Monkey King' and some more books are stacked behind the desk, with a holographic sign advertising the book signing on top. The sticker on the side of Pigsy's shop is also interesting, as the same graffiti artist previously visited his original shop in 80012 Monkey King Warrior Mech.
The design of the shop is extremely familiar as well, although it seems Pigsy has moved away from serving noodles in favour of roast duck. The sign above the serving window is therefore inspired by the LEGO wooden duck and closely resembles the design from 40563 Tribute to LEGO House, albeit with heart-shaped eyes and a chef's hat on this occasion.
A huge antenna is attached to the roof, inspired by Monkey King's golden staff and surrounded by clouds. The use of a foil component is fitting to mark Monkie Kid's fifth anniversary, as these have been one of the theme's more distinctive features to date. Arranging the clouds properly is a bit tricky, but once positioned correctly, I think they look marvellous.
Moreover, removing the mast reveals a stickered 2x2 tile on the back of the sign. Monkie Kid himself drew this image in the animated series, showing how he intended to vanquish Demon Bull King, with remarkable ease. Needless to say, that is not how the battle actually proceeded, but this is a lovely reference to the show!
Pigsy's original noodle restaurant appears in a photograph on the wall inside his shop, with a duck hanging up in readiness for carving. These elements usually represent turkey, but I think they serve equally well as duck. However, I also think Pigsy's restaurant could have been larger because this is a prominent location and there is room to expand on this tier of the city.
The space elevator is not the only feature of Megapolis to appeal to Classic Space fans, as a green Classic Space helmet is found inside a claw machine, named Time Claw. This machine also contains a purple bicorn and a hard hat, while the font used for the name pays homage to the memorable Time Cruisers theme from the 1990s.
Another reference to LEGO in the 1990s appears on the neighbouring barrier, as the TOOLO range was a subtheme of DUPLO during that period. The barrier separates Pigsy's restaurant from one of Megapolis' most distinctive features, as a Ferris wheel provides minifigures with an amazing view of the whole city.
I like the notice warning minifigures not to leap out of the Ferris wheel, which seems like sage advice! The rotating function works well and I believe the wheel is inspired by Nezha, between its colour scheme and the lotus emblem in the centre. However, I find the Ferris wheel relatively bland when compared with other areas of the model, which often include far greater detail.
Overall
These urban Monkie Kid sets have drawn comparisons with the NINJAGO City range and my opinion of 80054 Megapolis City actually mirrors my view of 71799 NINJAGO City Markets, in some respects. The individual buildings look impressive and I love the countless references to older LEGO themes and Monkie Kid's history. However, the broader structure lacks cohesion, leaving parts of the Technic frame exposed.
80036 The City of Lanterns fared better in that regard because its buildings were more densely packed together, which also made it easier for minifigures to move around the city. Speaking of minifigures, reuniting as many heroes and villains as possible to mark Monkie Kid's anniversary was ingenious, introducing many new designs. The price of £159.99, $189.99 or €179.99 feels a little expensive to me, but for fans of Monkie Kid, this is an outstanding set.
Also, I think the set becomes even better when combined with 80036 The City of Lanterns, so look out for an article showing their combinations soon.
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33 comments on this article
Those stickers are really awesome!
The one thing I really miss here is a connection to The City Of Lanterns by light rail.
"a green Classic Space helmet is found inside a claw machine"
FINALLY, 'Every Spaceman is Awesome' can be completed with all 11 spaceman colours!
https://youtu.be/Kdux13D9Rxo
These are very impressive sets, and (presumably) a cheaper alternative to Ninjago City. The modular nature of them and all the references are very nice touches.
"The pagoda in the foreground appears older than its surroundings and the layered roof looks fantastic, thanks partly to the attractive 3x3 double corner slopes, but primarily to the use of a brand new colour! The shade is named reddish orange and works nicely on this structure, from where Monkey King can perform his opera."
I love this new reddish orange. As more parts become available in the color, I expect to see/use it in various MOCs of the Time Variance Authority headquarters. It just drips with 1970s style.
Nice review! I'm very much looking forward to this set.
Story-wise, it's hard to quite tell how "canon" this set is, considering the inclusion of several reformed villains. While some of the characters are more or less reformed as of the latest season (Red Son, Macaque), some others never got a true redemption and are even presumed deceased (Spider Queen, Lady Bone Demon). One possibility I've considered is that this whole scenario could be an illusion of some sort—in an earlier episode, MK was trapped in an illusion of a "perfect" world inside the Gold and Silver Demons' magical calabash. Perhaps something similar could be happening here, offering MK a glimpse at a world where his former foes had gotten better endings.
The structure of the overall set is certainly impressive, with the base alone standing even taller than the City of Lanterns before it. The angled position of the elevator is a bit odd (particularly with that creating gaps where you'd want to exit the elevator to a higher floor), but it does add some visual interest and break up the otherwise mostly rectilinear layout.
I look forward to your article displaying the combined set! Truth be told I'm not sure how I will display them since I already doubled my City of Lanterns set in size so don't know how easy it will be to expand it even further. I may have to order some additional roller coaster track, since the one spare from this set might not be enough with both of my previous copies of the City of Lanterns already using their spare track.
I don't think I'm the only one who wants a human lady bone demon figure
@jkb said:
"The one thing I really miss here is a connection to The City Of Lanterns by light rail."
It's built to be able to have that, actually! The rail piece with the stickered signs of the Monkie Kid characters (and the extra rail used as an awning on the back of the City of Lanterns set) can be removed and combined with the previous set to extend the rail through the new set.
Well, obviously I'm just going to buy five of these for the green Classic Space-helmets, which makes the rest a very good although slightly expensive parts-pack.
That's almost half a joke. Obviously the helmet is hugely desirable and I hope we'll see it on the PAB-site in due time, but the city is pretty great. I never knew it was this high up - this poses a whole new challenge for people who want to display it next to, or as a part of, say... Ninjago City. You're going to need new shelves.
The Classic Space-elevator is closer to actual outer space than I thought, then. Okay, good!
I really like seeing all the former bad guys in a more day-to-day setting, but - not having seen a single episode of the show, I don't know if they actually get redemption-arcs and proper jobs inside the city, or if this is just a "what if...?". Or - and I suppose this is possible - Mister Tang just wrote all of Monkie Kid's adventures as fiction, needlessly slandering innocent citizens in the process?
Dang, Tang.
I like all the references to older themes, such as space, fabuland, the wooden duck and many more.
I'm looking forward to the article showing how 80054 Megapolis City and 80036 The City of Lanterns combine in different ways!
The page for 80036 says it can connect with 80044. Will the future article combining 80054 and 80036 address this third set as well?
@CapnRex101 I'm pretty sure that yellow tusk elephant graffiti is actually representing macaque, hence the 6 ears
@Ridgeheart said:
"Well, obviously I'm just going to buy five of these for the green Classic Space-helmets, which makes the rest a very good although slightly expensive parts-pack."
My thoughts exactly haha
The set is very cool, but not cool enough to pay $190.
@Lyichir said:
" @jkb said:
"The one thing I really miss here is a connection to The City Of Lanterns by light rail."
It's built to be able to have that, actually! The rail piece with the stickered signs of the Monkie Kid characters (and the extra rail used as an awning on the back of the City of Lanterns set) can be removed and combined with the previous set to extend the rail through the new set."
That's the first thing I thoought, but I believe only two straights won't do the job =/
One can never have too many references!
@jkb said:
" @Lyichir said:
" @jkb said:
"The one thing I really miss here is a connection to The City Of Lanterns by light rail."
It's built to be able to have that, actually! The rail piece with the stickered signs of the Monkie Kid characters (and the extra rail used as an awning on the back of the City of Lanterns set) can be removed and combined with the previous set to extend the rail through the new set."
That's the first thing I thoought, but I believe only two straights won't do the job =/"
Side by side it wouldn't. It looks like the "official" combination has them in an "L" layout, with the new set attached at a 90 degree angle to the old one and the elevated rail passing under the raised section of the new set.
I watched a YouTube video (Duckbricks) the other day of him combining a lot of the MK sets. I like how they can all be split up into separate modules. Never seen the show but assume the ferris wheel is meant to appear further away than what it actually is. Forced perspective.
I think the 'Freestyle' graffiti also references the funky 90s basic theme of the same name.
I know it's the point, but to me this seems a bit... overwhelming? Too busy? Too consumerist if there could be such a thing?
The same can be said of the ninjago city modulars, but those have a balance between more traditional features and the crazier upper levels. There's at least a sense of tranquility and history in there. Here? Except for the pagoda it's just sensory overload. Everything is battling for attention, and the audacious references to past themes feel more like actual product placement to things that are available on the second market instead of intelligent or loving callbacks.
The dripfeeding of nostalgia continues with a bionicle mask sticker and CS green helmet all but begging people to get them for further MOCs. Especially the helmet, which begs harvesting otherwise long discontinued parts such as the Exo-Suit green minifigures.
Before the purple CS helmet appeared the prices of Danju minifigure soared to a ridiculous degree, because people had been mining the purple helmet. So I'm not exactly glad to see this sort of 'partial' and 'do-it-yourself' homage. It feels lazy at best, and destructive to the aftermarket of the 'matching parts' at worst.
Even so, I can't help but feel that you can only reference the 'classics' so many times before it starts to feel obsessive. The wooden duck appears multiple times a year, for multiple years now. Classic Space inexplicably has an entire section in a Monkie Kid set. There's literal pictures of past sets for no reason beyond that they could be there.
At least some of the references are novel, such as TOOLO, Freestyle and Roboriders. Roboriders could use more love. At least... if that isn't another Tahu canister, exactly like they did in the Ninjago Markets...
With all that said, the callbacks to the actual Monkie Kid theme are greatly appreciated. I like how those range from obvious to obscure and to both the show and the actual sets. I like the overal vibrancy and although I'm not a minifigure fanatic I must say the minifigure selection here is fun! And those callbacks actually feel appropriate and not done multiple times already for years.
I can't be too mad at the cramped interiors either. The Ninjago City sets are full-on display models while these are at a smaller scale. Not that it helps play or anything, but I suppose it keeps the set from becoming another 300+ thing.
Part of me feels the review should have cut straight to the chase, and said, “Green Classic Space helmet, and here’s the comment section.”
@Binnekamp Freestyle was rebadged Basic. It didn't work as we know.
This review made me look up the word "conurbation".
@Binnekamp said:
"I think the 'Freestyle' graffiti also references the funky 90s basic theme of the same name."
It's actually sort of a reference to a reference—the specific logo it uses is not the one from the original theme but rather the one from last year's Lego Design Seminar, which was '90s themed: https://www.bricklink.com/v3/catalog/sets/product.page?S=2022DS-1
Uhm, Ackshully. All the roborider canisters were monochrome. The cylinder in the LEGO vending machine could be a reference to the Bionicle figures 8531 Pohatu, 8534 Tahu, 8568 Pohatu Nuva, or 8604 Toa Onewa
Stunning set. I haven't bought from the Monkie Kid theme since the second wave in 2021. It isn't that I lost interest in the theme, it just got really inaccessible in Australia. This set should be the perfect reintroduction to the theme for me.
One minor note, the black hair element used for Lady Yu is not, in fact, the element designed for Bo-Katan from the Spider Tank; they are different but similar-looking elements.
@Ignore_Me said:
"Uhm, Ackshully. All the roborider canisters were monochrome. The cylinder in the LEGO vending machine could be a reference to the Bionicle figures 8531 Pohatu, 8534 Tahu, 8568 Pohatu Nuva, or 8604 Toa Onewa"
The base plastic of the canisters was monochrome, but the labels were grey (matching other Technic packaging at the time), making them effectively look like grey canisters with colored lids.
@Ignore_Me said:
"Uhm, Ackshully. All the roborider canisters were monochrome. The cylinder in the LEGO vending machine could be a reference to the Bionicle figures 8531 Pohatu, 8534 Tahu, 8568 Pohatu Nuva, or 8604 Toa Onewa"
Designer confirmed it's Lava's can.
"and I love the countless references to older LEGO themes"
Same here!
Good review. Nice design. Good value. The modularity is interesting and fun. Should provide a lot of possibilities for play.
Of course the BIONICLE fan in my is over the moon for the mask sticker, which not only works for Onua but could be used to make Taipu as well. A part of me hopes this becomes a tradition, satisfying the people who want more BIONICLE "sets" without having to resurrect a ton of molds or do another reboot that just doesn't get what made the original good.
That said, when they did the behind the scenes stuff for the GWP Tahu they revealed they designed masks for Onua and Jaller as well for fun. Using a sticker design you've already got made is a lot easier and cheaper than coming up with a new one from scratch, so the odds of getting a new recolor like Onepu's purple Pakari or an entirely new mask like Lewa's Miru is a lot less likely than just getting a Yellow Hau and then they stop doing it.
So lore time I guess? The Kanohi Pakari, or Great Mask of Strength, was one of the 12 most common masks in the Matoran Universe. It granted its user massively increased physical strength. The Pakari is one of the most common masks in the series, with the Great mold having the most wearers, and Parkari's in general being tied with Hau's in second place. Throughout the series we met 13 Great Pakari wearers, 1 Noble Pakari wearer, and the fictional character Lhii, for a grand total of 15.
The mask was worn by Onua, Taipu, Onepu, Nupuru, Takua, Nixie, Midak, Mavrah, Jaakito, Sanso, Vira, Epena, Kapura (while on Metru Nui), Kirop, and Lhii. Many characters in the Templar Studios games were also erroneously given Pakari's instead of Ruru's and I didn't not count them, such as Hafu or Kapura (while on Mata Nui)
@PurpleDave said:
"Part of me feels the review should have cut straight to the chase, and said, “Green Classic Space helmet, and here’s the comment section.”"
Completely agree, since this helmet is the only thing that interests me about this set.
I have several Monkie Kid sets, including the City of Lanterns, but this new one just feels too incoherent to me. And since I don't know about the lore, most references (except for the CS and Fabuland ones) are lost on me.
So, this time I'll just order two of the helmets once they become available separately and be a happy camper.
" FINALLY, 'Every Spaceman is Awesome' can be completed "
I'm not so sure Grey is possible yet. There are old grey/new grey issues, so we're still waiting for a classic-style helmet in new grey. But I'm all on board for a proper green helmet! I do like the rest of this set, but I feel that helmet is what pushed me over the edge. I just hope I can afford it--there are other things higher up the list and budget is only so much.