LEGO ninjago movie annual 2018 review

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Official Annual 2018

2017 is almost over. And what's best to remind the people in the United Kingdom of that than next year's annuals! Starting of with The LEGO Ninjago Movie Official Annual 2018...

But first, a brief reminder of what annuals are. They are books published shortly before the end of each year, with the Christmas market as their target. Generally, annuals are large hardcover books centered on everything: sports, toys, celebrities, films, TV series... Everything! They feature various contents like text articles, comics, puzzles, etc. And some of them have freebies, like the LEGO ones. For 2018, four LEGO Annuals were released, namely, LEGO, LEGO Batman Movie, LEGO Ninjago Movie, and LEGO Star Wars. Interestingly, the LEGO one is published by Ladybird, and the other three are by Egmont. All of them have a recommended retail price of £7.99. But you can buy one at more or less half the price! Different book and toy stores have various promotions on these popular annuals. And if you can wait until later this year or early next year, these annuals will be reduced to just £1! There's just the risk of running out of stock though. Well, that's not at all brief, haha.

Moving on, The LEGO Ninjago Movie Official Annual 2018 is really made for the kids, with a recommended age of seven years old and above. There are numerous comics, puzzles, and activities about the latest LEGO film that can keep the little ninjas busy for hours. The art is strikingly colorful and beautiful. I really love the design, especially the graffiti style in some of the pages. It's just such a shame the artists were not credited for their amazing artwork. It would have been nice to associate the wonderfully drawn minifigures and brick pieces to the people who have created them.

For the freebie, The LEGO Ninjago Movie Official Annual 2018 comes with a Jay Walker minifigure. It's not really exclusive because you can also get one from the Movie Maker [5004394] polybag (which is not yet widely released as of writing). Individually, the parts are not exclusive as well. The hair piece is the same as in the Temple of the Ultimate Ultimate Weapon [70617] and the Collectible Minifigures [71019]. I'm surprised movie Jay has only two head pieces made, the selfie smiley one from the Collectible Minifigures [71019], and his default one just like below. It has two expression printed on each side, a half-smile, and a serious frown.

Jay Walker

Jay dons a white kimono for Spinjitzu training. Again, this is not exclusive. It's the same outfit that Nya wore in the Collectible Minifigures [71019], and the others (with the exception of Zane. For some reason, he doesn't have one) in various promotional sets. It's a great uniform though. It's really nice to see our ninjas wearing the same clothes before the multicolored Power Rangers-esque costumes.

For his accessory, Jay comes with his signature weapon, the flail. It's made of a chained blade connected to a stick.

Spinjitzu Training

All in all, The LEGO Ninjago Movie Official Annual 2018 is a good book with loads of fun activities and eye-catching visuals. The free Jay Walker minifigure is a sweet addition to any Ninjago collection. Actually, I think it would be nice to collect the whole gang in Spinjitzu training attires. Hmmm...

The LEGO Ninjago Movie widely comes out in the UK 13 October! And if you check your local cinemas, some are offering special advance screenings on 7 to 8 October! Go!

disney castle [71040] gallery

Disney Castle [71040]

It's the LEGO Disney Castle [71040]! Need I say more?

My ever-loving wife bought the magical LEGO Disney Castle [71040] for her milestone birthday (and on triple VIP points with about £50 cashback!). As she claimed sole ownership to this huge set, I let her build it on her own. She actually enjoyed the long hours of solo building. She promised me to do a review on her favorite LEGO property. But as this post has sat on my drafts folder for a few months now, I'm just going to do a gallery instead. Until that promised review was done, this post will remain a gallery (ehem, ehem).

Enjoy!

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Donald Duck

Daisy Duck

Tinker Bell

Disney Castle

Main Entrance

Clock Tower

Princess and the Frogs

Into the Open Air

Disney Castle Interior

Ballroom

Magic Carpet Ride

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

Be Our Guest

Touch the Spindle

Der Zauberlehrling

Once Upon a Dream

Mirror Mirror

Gesundheit

Once Upon a Time

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Welcome Party

Where Dreams Come True

unikitty x N-POP girl

N-POP Girl, Pink Teddy Bear, & Unikitty

Sugar and spice, and everything nice. That's what Princess Unikitty and the N-POP Girl are made of!

When The LEGO Movie was released, there were two characters who stole the whole film. One already has released his own feature film (ahem, The LEGO Batman Movie), and the other will soon have her own TV series. Who's that and what show? It's Unikitty!! (That's not a typo. The title really has an exclamation point).

Unikitty hails from Cloud Cuckoo Land, the capital of rainbows and puppies. She is half unicorn, half anime kitten, and one endless dance party. But don't let her facade fool you. She is one of the LEGO Master Builders who defeated Lord Business! And be careful! Sometimes, Unikitty can lose control of her positive nature and get enraged. She then becomes the red Angry Kitty.

The only Unikitty brick built figure that I have is from the LEGO Dimensions [71231]. I was still in my dark brick ages when The LEGO Movie sets first came out. I'll try to hunt down the other variants, but I think it's a bit impossible to complete the whole set. Why? Because there's a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive among them! With the upcoming release of the Unikitty! TV show, I hope there will be more LEGO sets with Unikitty figures to be released (even though the show deviated from the brick-style animation).

Unikitty

The popularity of Unikitty definitely has crossed over worlds. The image of the lovable crossbreed princess is seen in the shirt of one of The LEGO Ninjago Movie characters, the N-POP Girl. This minifigure is proving the be really popular in the series. With her cutesy sweet as cotton candy appearance, and her charming pink little teddy bear accessory, it's easy to see why.

In her official profile page, the N-POP Girl is said to be leading the dance revolution in the Ninjago pop music circuit. There's also a hint that she might also be the biggest fan girl of the secret ninja. I just really hope there's no cruel plot twist wherein she will end up as one of the villains!

N-POP Girls

Unikitty and the N-POP Girl have a lot in common so it's just natural to play with them together. This is one of my most fun photo shoots ever and I'm really, really happy with the end results. Something tells me that there will be more Unikitty x N-POP Girl collaborations in the future.

Cuteness Overload

The LEGO Ninjago Movie will be released 21 September in the Philippines, 22 September in the USA, and 13 October (I know!) in the UK.

P. S. My wife super loved the first pic that she rotated it and used it as her phone wallpaper and it's perfect!

Unikitty x N-POP Girl Phone Wallpaper

iconic cave set [5004936] review

Iconic Cave Set [5004936]

Aaaaaaaah!!!


LEGO Stores are giving away not one, but two minifigures in their Iconic Cave Set [5004936]! It's free with any purchase over UK £25 / EU 30€ / US $50. The promotion runs from 10 to 30 August in-store and online. Play prehistorically with the caveman and cavewoman minifigures, complete with clubs and a cardboard cave house (which also serves as a storage box).

Caveman

The Caveman minifigure is similar to the one released in the first series of the LEGO Collectible Minifigures [8683] but with new print and hairpiece color.

Cavewoman

Likewise, the Cavewoman minifigure is identical to the one from Series 5 [8805] except for the new print and hairpiece color. I wish I have the original minifigs to compare them side by side but unfortunately, I was still on the dark brick ages when they were initially released.

Prehistoric Love

With regards to the box, to be honest, I love the way it was designed. Though a brickbuilt cave is more preferable, the cardboard cave is a cute alternative. The print is really fun to look at, and it is very reminiscent of The Flintstones. The quality of the cardboard is commendable as well with its smooth finish.

This is the third time LEGO has re-released minifigures from the Collectible Minifigures Series, with the Chicken Suit Guy [5004468] and the Gingerbread Man [5005156] as the first two.

I wonder who will they release next? And what will their accompanying box design be?

Back in Time

jack sparrow's boat [30131] review

Jack Sparrow's Boat [30131]

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! Guess what's my latest brick loot? It's Captain Jack Sparrow's Boat [30131]!

I know this little set is an oldie, but it's definitely a goodie! This is what you get from binge-watching the first four Pirates of the Caribbean films (and not to mention anticipating the fifth). The new Silent Mary [71042] ship, retailing at £179.99, is definitely out of my budget, so I have to settle with something much, much less. It is unfortunate that Salazar's Revenge (or Dead Men Tell No Tales, depending on where you are) has no other LEGO sets besides the ghost ship and the BrickHeadz captains [41593-4]. But maybe, just maybe, a surprise polybag will suddenly pop out! The good ol' captain and his boat will do, for now.

It's amazing that this polybag is already six years old as of writing! And thanks a lot to a decent eBay seller, I was able to buy it very close to a current LEGO polybag's retail price.

The set comes with a tricorne wearing Jack Sparrow minifigure, armed with a cutlass. The head is dual printed giving the legendary pirate smiling and scared expressions. I believe the minifigure perfectly captured the film series' protagonist. It easily became one of my favorite minifigures.

Jack Sparrow

Parlay?

The boat minibuild is pretty straightforward, serving its purpose well. And it comes complete with a simple white sail and a bottle of rum! The Jack Sparrow minifigure can be seated in the boat, and there's no more space for anybody or anything else.

Boat

Savvy?

Overall, this little set is a lot of fun! The Jack Sparrow minifigure is a great addition to any LEGO Disney or pirates collection. Too bad the polybag and the other Pirates of the Caribbean sets are not readily available. I'm six years too late!

create the world with LEGO and sainsbury's

Create The World [40256]

Explore the world with LEGO and Sainsbury's spring event: Create The World!

Follow Sam and Lily in their adventures around the world with the Sainsbury's exclusive LEGO set Create The World [40256]! Build a car, a boat, or a helicopter with this versatile 3-in-1 set. It includes two minifigures of the aforementioned characters. I believe this is the first time we're seeing the prints in their dual-sided minifig heads (which are super adorable, by the way). To make this the perfect brick journey, accessory elements were included, such as a suitcase, camera (or binoculars as described in the promo), map, mobile phone, and two life vests.

Sam

Sam Worried

Lily

Lily Serene

LEGO 3-in-1 Creator is the perfect theme for the Create The World promo. It only makes perfect sense to encompass all types of travel in this global adventure. All areas were nicely covered. Sam and Lily can travel by land using a car, or by water via a boat, or by air with a helicopter. The builds are quite simple but they're more than enough to serve their true purpose, to tickle kids' imaginations. The set currently retails at £8 exclusively in Sainsbury's. It can also be bought online.

Land Travel by Car

Water Travel by Boat

Air Travel by Helicopter

The LEGO set was actually just a complement for the promo. The real stars of the Create The World event are the trading cards, with 140 cards to collect. There are three simple ways to collect. First is Sainsbury's Online. Cards are available online when you spend £10 (excludes delivery charges). Second is via Sainsbury's Superstores. All you have to do is spend £10 and get a pack of 4 cards for free! Third is through Sainsbury's Convenience Stores, where you can get a pack of 2 cards for free when you spend £5. Please note that there is a £150 max spend in this promotion.

Collector's Album

To neatly organize the LEGO cards, a Collector's Album is also available for purchase for just £2. The objective of the album is to whiz around the world by joining Sam and Lily on their epic tour and meet hilarious LEGO Minifigures in surprising locations along the way. You can buy the album instore or online.

Free Trading Cards Packs

If you need more cards, you can top up your collection by purchasing extra booster packs for 50p. They are available instore and online.

Trading Cards Booster Packs

I bought the booster packs to know if there are rare cards in there. After opening four packs, I'm not really sure if there are rare ones, though I got some new cards. Oh, I almost forgot, every four cards pack comes with a shiny Create card, a special card that encourages to make a minibuild. Instructions can be found online by typing the link service.lego.com/buildinginstructions, and then entering the corresponding set number. The number can be found in brackets next to the model in the Card Gallery (last two pages of the Collector's Album). For example, the Lighthouse below comes from set [10692], so the link should be: service.lego.com/buildinginstructions10692.

Sneak Peek

I still need a lot of cards to complete my collection. I'm looking forward to swap my doubles with family and friends to collect my missing cards. Sainsbury's also promised to host swapping events in over 300 cafes towards the end of the event. 

For more details including the full terms and conditions, visit Sainsbury's website.