Review: 41233 Lashina Tank
Posted by CapnRex101,
41233 Lashina Tank is one of the smaller DC Super Hero Girls sets, containing 145 pieces and with a price of £11.99 or $14.99. It is focused upon a relatively obscure character and may therefore be of limited appeal in relation to 41230 Batgirl Batjet Chase or 41235 Wonder Woman Dorm which include some of the most famous DC heroines.
However, the inclusion of Krypto is a source of considerable interest for me and I am glad to see so many characters appearing in such a small set so perhaps it will prove to be an unexpected delight!
Mini-doll and Characters
Lashina has yet to appear in the DC Super Hero Girls animated series but her presence in this set suggests that she soon will. The metallic silver bands which surround her head, arms and torso are in-keeping with the traditional character design and I am sure they will be faithful to her eventual appearance in the series. The rubbery hair piece looks great and I like Lashina's angry expression as well, although the metallic stripe does hinder its reusability which is a shame as there are very few expressions like this one in the Friends, Elves and Disney lines.
The torso printing is relatively simple and is a significant departure from Lashina's typical appearance. Her attire usually consists of three armour plates over a black body glove but only two are used on this occasion, presumably reflecting the design of the character in DC Super Hero Girls. A pearl silver whip is included which is appropriate as Lashina is often armed with electrically charged whips in the comics.
Other sets based around mini-dolls often include relatively few characters but that is not the case in this tiny set as Krypto appears to challenge the Fury. This is a brand new element but is designed in a similar style to the animals which appear in Friends sets, albeit with the obvious addition of a bright red cape and the Superman symbol. He looks adorable, due in no small part to those bright blue eyes, and is one of the most appealing aspects of the set in my opinion.
An exclusive Kryptomite is also included. This blue character looks delightfully dopey and incorporates some useful elements, most notable of which are the two trans-light blue pyramids. These creatures are intended to support the villains but the set description suggests that the blue Kryptomite is easily confused and might therefore switch sides during the middle of a battle!
It is remarkable to see three characters included in such a small set and they alone offer tremendous play value, particularly given the Kryptomite's propensity for defection.
The Completed Model
Krypto is housed in a kennel which is appropriately decorated with his insignia above the door as well as on the floor inside. This is a simple model but I like the colour scheme and the fire hydrant is a nice touch too. A bone is clipped to the side of the kennel and it is equipped with a catapult for defence against attackers or playing fetch when time allows. The 1x1 round tile at the end of the catapult arm is printed with an exclamation mark and a spare is also included which might be useful for your own creations.
The interior is very small but Krypto fits inside alongside an extra ball for the catapult and a printed mobile phone tile. The same piece appears with Supergirl in 41232 Super Hero High School but I am pleased to see it in a small set and the printed design looks great, featuring silhouetted characters who resemble Bumblebee, Batgirl and Poison Ivy.
A translucent shield completes the kennel's defences and this is mounted on a new 1x2 brick with a clip at the end. It moves on a hinge to cover the door or could be removed altogether to be held by a minifigure if you wish.
Lashina's tank looks rather formidable, with a single stud shooter at the front as well as some trans-light blue spikes for crushing obstacles. The colour scheme is striking but I do not associate this dark shade of pink with Lashina so it looks a little odd to me. Six wheels are mounted on each side but only four are in contact with the ground so the extra wheel gives the impression of continuous track which is quite effective. However, I would have loved to see a small tread element in use instead.
There is room for Lashina to stand in the cockpit. It would have been nice to see a seat included as she looks a bit exposed in the current configuration, although the higher stance allows her to hold the whip. Unfortunately there are no controls but the front of the tank is decorated with a sticker which shows some fizzing electricity in reference to Lashina's whip.
Krypto can be imprisoned in a cage at the back of the tank. The top is easily removed and there are handles for a mini-doll to hold on either side, perhaps for a daring rescue. A pointed pyramid completes the model, matching the dark pink elements at the front.
Verdict
There is a great deal of play value in this set, particularly given the low price point. The models are relatively simple in their design but they offer some fun features and I am very pleased to see so many characters included.
The Krypto figure is definitely the highlight for me and I expect many adults will feel the same way, in which case it might be worth waiting for 30546 Krypto Saves the Day, an upcoming DC Super Hero Girls polybag. However, this is a great play set at an entry-level price and I recommend it to those looking for an inexpensive taste of the theme or to children hoping to expand their Super Heroes collection.
Thanks to Huw for providing the photos in this review.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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11 comments on this article
Can't wait for the instructions to be online and mod the vehicle for a Minifigure Sci-fi tank. Can honestly say these will probably be the first Minidoll sets I buy not just for parts.
I find it interesting that Huw's photos show the hinged spike bars pointed straight forward, rather than folded in to form a sort of a plow shape like in the official photos of this set. Is that a building error or a discrepancy between the official photos and instructions?
I'm not familiar with Lashina as a character except through Wikipedia, but she looks suitably villainous. Her tank looks pretty formidable for its price point and has a great color scheme. Krypto is very cute and lovable, and I like all the humorous features of his doghouse like the rubber ball catapult and fire hydrant.
The Kryptomites in general are a great enemy concept. I love that they're totally brick-built, and I think this one is particularly distinctive with its use of the Legends of Chima CHI crystal pieces.
Good review!
It's possible that in my haste to build and photograph it before my vacation that I omitted to hinge them forwards.
Trans-blue skeleton/bone arm?! Ooh.
How easy would it be to remove the metallic face bar? If it's a fairly simple procedure, I can see it being a lot more popular.
The "tank" looks like a super-deformed Hetzer with a snowplow on the front.
Being an old-school Suicide Squad fan, I'll definitely pick this up just for Lashina.
Krypto's inclusion is the proverbial icing.
My wife took my daughter out to spend a gift card she had already gotten for the holidays since our Toys R Us stocked of the 2017 minidoll sets already. I though she would go for Wonder Woman's dorm room, but my wife said that our daughter wanted a car so she picked this one. I'm excited for Krypto and the ho-hum krytomite.
That it is the cutest little doggie.
A rather surprising and moderately obscure villain as the main character in this one. For those not aware, she is a minion of Darkseid and a resident of Apokalypse. She took over leadership of the Female Furies after Big Barda defected to the good guys. She sits high on the list of characters I never would have expected a Lego figure of. That alone makes the set kind of interesting. Plus who can say no to Krypto?
I don't understand this set at all. Lashina is a minor character who I would never think to make a toy of. The only good part of this set is Krypto, and you get get that in set 30546: Krypto Saves the Day.