LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 5 discussion

[Sir E Fullner]

Nice find!

I, for one, admire the new soldier and Sherlock.

[autobrick]

To me, this series is a bit of a disappointment compared to series 4. Of course, that's not going to stop me from getting at least one of each.

Criticisms:

Fitness instructor Ugh. This figure is way too similiar to the popstar. At least give her different coloured hair, LEGO!

Snowboarder Okay, but somewhat unoriginal. No new molds.

Monkey-keeper Too many recycled parts (banana, hair, legs), but at least there is a monkey.

The biggest criticism I have for this series is there are no minifigs that stands out. Most are good, but not excellent.

Off topic, but is it just me or is Lego introducing a lot of specialized animal pieces recently? Monkeys, chickens and goats (not that I'm complaining!).

Hopefully Series 5 is not the last series and Series 6 will be even better!

[JimBee]

I have to agree with the others that said this series is a little repetitive, and while a few of the figures are really nice, a lot of them seem like fillers. Off the top of my head, the fitness trainer, snowboarder (that's three now?), clown, and the monkey keeper.

I do really like a certain few of them, though, like the British solider, mobster (love that violin case), and the Gladiator.

Wonder why light blue is the color choice, though. Seems a little nonsensical considering S2 was blue, and they could've done purple or red. Ah well, I'm not really one to complain about package design, and it doesn't really matter, just thought I should point it out.

[vexorian]

Fitness instructor Ugh. This figure is way too similiar to the popstar. At least give her different coloured hair, LEGO!

Well, even a blue top would have fixed the problem.

[Sirens-of-Titan]

Well this is another stable and useful series; figures are good, only a few of them are bland, but there isn't one that I wouldn't like to get.

Although it seems people aren't jumping up and down in anticipation it's nice to think of the parts that these will provide. I think these pieces will be quite useful and are fantastic designs:

1) Inuit Hood + sand green fish - rare

2) British Guard (whole figure) - historic fans dream

3) Gladiator helmet + sword + shield - useful accessories

4) Mobster (whole figure) + case - Godfather anyone?

5) Dwarven torso + shield + dark pearl helmet - makes for a nice version of a dark Dwarven faction for the old fantasy line

6) Baby chimp! - I love animal molds and this year is full of them! A small habitat of these in a jungle tree will be superb build.

7) Clown's pie - great addition to limited Lego foods pallet

8) detective hat- self-explanatory, also steampunk and Victorian age MOC applications

9) Cave girl (whole figure) - just begs to be put in Amazonian MOC's

10) Godzilla suit - reminds me of the lizardmen from Warhammer Fantasy. Would love to see a whole army of these armed with spears and shields.

11) Graduate cap - pretty useful piece.

Compound on top of that a ton of new faces, and other useful figures, I don't think we can complain about the quality of S5.

[Aanchir]

What would be the number ID of that colour in LDD, if you please? (my home computer is too old for LDD)

I'm surprised that a new colour would be introduced in a collectible minifig instead of a proper theme. Perhaps the rumoured Paradisia-like theme that was postponed to 2012 would have normally introduced this colour in the summer of 2011.

It's color 325. It's no longer on the default LEGO Universe palette, so we don't get a name for it, unfortunately. Incidentally, two other unreleased colors are on the default palette and do have known names: 323 Aqua and 326 Spring Yellowish-Green.

For reference, we haven't seen any new colors released since colors 315 Silver Metallic (the new silver seen in Kingdoms and Hero Factory) and 316 Titanium Metallic (the corresponding dark silver). So we know these unreleased colors (321-326) are coming soon, but I too am a little surprised to see them making their debut in something other than a designated "girls' theme".

I personally think that people make too much of a fuss about LEGO revisiting old ideas in the collectible minifigures. People make that complaint every series, evidently thinking that any idea LEGO's touched in previous series is taboo for the foreseeable future. I personally think it's great that LEGO's giving people multiple opportunities to get figs for a certain "role", and releasing multiple figs that can go together in MOCs and vignettes.

Besides, just because two minifigures play the same role doesn't at all make them unoriginal-- the skateboarder in Series 1 and the skateboarder in Series 4 are radically different despite having similar roles and accessories. Yes, LEGO's using ideas they've used before, but an idea isn't something that's "used up" after a single use, and as I see it LEGO is just getting as much use as they can out of the ideas they've touched on so far.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

Dude, it's a LEGO ESKIMO. It is simply good to be alive.

[SilentMode]

We'll have to wait a bit longer for those alternate cheerleaders. Bring on the graduates!

[Izzy]

As usual, this series is no disappointment for me and I am already anxiously waiting for the remaining Series 4 and 5 to hit to the stores, so we could just get them all. Lots of unique minifigures, and I am very surprised by the graduate minifigure.

I concur 100% Fangy! There is so much going on in this Series it is just amazing! I am super excited.

I am reading a whole lot of "Wah Wah Wah!" in this thread and to me THAT is what is disappointing, not TLG. Just a big bunch of ungrateful people refusing to look on the brighter side of life. If you like it, buy it. If you don't, don't!

[Inconspicuous]

These look mostly bland to me. A lot of repeats and add-ons to existing "themes". However, I simply love the mobster (violin case! ) the Eskimo, and the graduate. I feel that these are very unique compared to the others and look just great!

I'd prefer it if Lego only did one good series a year. They're flying on and off the shelves, but with series like this, maybe it's not so bad that so many are coming out! I hope more future series are as good as Series 4.

(1400th post! )

[jackmcar99]

Do my eyes deceive me!!! or is the mofia robber carring a guitar suitcase!!!!!!!! This is one of the best, and in the video, if you look cloely at it, it apperars that there is a spit meaning it OPENS LIKE A LEGO SUITCASE!!!!!!I LOVE LEGO!!!!

Do my eyes deceive me!!! or is the mofia robber carring a guitar suitcase!!!!!!!! This is one of the best, and in the video, if you look cloely at it, it apperars that there is a spit meaning it OPENS LIKE A LEGO SUITCASE!!!!!!I LOVE LEGO!!!!

ON ANOTHER NOTE: in series 6 or whatever, possibly the next city hospital, they need to make crutches/ or a wheel chair it seems that we are missing those important parts.

[Joebot]

I am reading a whole lot of "Wah Wah Wah!" in this thread and to me THAT is what is disappointing, not TLG. Just a big bunch of ungrateful people refusing to look on the brighter side of life. If you like it, buy it. If you don't, don't!

There's a big difference between "whining" and "criticism." I haven't read anything on this thread that sounds like whining. Just adult fans of Lego expressing their differing opinions in a thoughtful, respectful manner.

[Blondie-Wan]

I'm kinda dissaponted about Series 5.

It looks like TLC have run out of ideas for the minifigures so they are reycling minifigs and making them a bit diffrent. If you don't know what I mean look out the Cavewoman (Caveman), Skier (Skier), Eskimo fisherman (fisherman), Dwarf (Castle Dwarf) and the woman with the boom box looks the EXACT same as the Series 2 pop singer.

I'll think I'll pass this one Lego

Pompommini out

I actually appreciate the fact there's some overlap and repetition. Many of the figures from the various series are of characters one might reasonably want lots of, but that wouldn't want to appear identical, like they're all in uniform. Someone making a circus MOC might reasonably want lots and lots of different clowns, for example. So many of the figures from the various series fall into this category - people associated with certain periods, locales, activities, etc. that might be seen in large groups, and who all have their own unique looks, or unique variation on the group look. I'm specifically hoping that TLG revisits even more of these characters / roles / archetypes / whatever in future waves (especially the cavepeople, the Native Americans and the zombie). For me, even with the similarities between the pop star and the fitness instructor, the two are still both useful if simply for additional variety in torsos and accessories. They'll help make my LEGO City that little bit more varied.

A couple people have commented on the fact that there this will be the third consecutive series with a minifigure with a fishing pole. Hey, Series 1 had two people with bows and quivers in the same series, and those accessories weren't even as new / distinctive as the fishing pole (that is, the bow and quiver were only slightly different from already-existing counterparts found in many sets over the years, whereas the CM fishing pole is much more different from the extant fishing pole found in existing sets).

I don't have a single complaint about this series, looks like an innovative bunch with many requested figs. The Cleopatra and the Cavewoman are probably my favorites, but I will of course get the entire series.

Also, I don't see what everyone's going on about with the fitness guru being too similar to the Pop Star. She has the same hair and also wears pink. That's about where the similarities end. Granted, having the same hair is a little more similar than I'd like, but it's not like she's just the pop star with different accessories.

Agreed here!

I still haven't decided on my favorite figures from the first three series yet, but I've gotten all of them so far (at least two apiece of every one from the first two series, in fact), and plan on getting every one from Series 4 and 5 as well! As noted, I am particularly excited about the new clown (and especially the fact this one comes with a pie and a bowler, even if just a blue one), and I'm also jazzed about the gangster's violin case, the smaller new 'monkey' (actually a chimp, I'd say, based on its taillessness - great to finally have a real chimp, though odd that it's smaller than the existing monkeys), and several of the other accessories.

Anyway, here's something that's been bugging me. Does anyone think the Cleopatra fig is a bit morbid? Surely she will just be identified as "Egyptian Queen" or something by LEGO, and they'll come up with a humorous explanation of the snake (maybe it's a pet), but regarding Cleopatra herself any ancient history buff should recognize the snake's relationship to her as her means of committing suicide. It's not going to bother me much in the end, but with everyone calling her Cleopatra currently it's a tad unnerving.

Indeed, though it's also interesting to me in that it's a minifigure one can readily associate with a specific historical figure, as opposed to just a character archetype. There have actually been a few historical (or legendary, or literary) persons arguably represented already - Robin Hood, Dracula, and so on - but this one has to be the most strongly-associated one yet (well, after Frankenstein's monster from the still-forthcoming series before this one).

As for her accessory being the method of her suicide, well... yeah, that's odd, but it's also something that's going to totally fly over the heads of kids, unless they're already aware of the historical person, in which case they've been exposed to the story anyway. There's not going to be something about the minifigure that comes out of the baggie that informs kids "this is a woman about to kill herself"; they're just going to read it as being some ancient Egyptian woman with an animal accessory that seems to go with the theme (well, close - speaking of which...)

If I have one minor quibble with this wave, it'd be that it appears Cleo is holding a snake very, very similar to the same old snake used in scads of sets for over a decade now (a rattlesnake, at that). A non-rattler snake is long overdue, and given TLG's amazing willingness to make all kinds of new molds for this series, I'd have hoped we'd finally get a significantly different snake (and so I now hope this is a preliminary accessory). That said, I'm sure I'll still get at least two even if it comes with essentially the same old snake.

[Jargo]

No, there's definitely some nerdy whining going on.

There's an old adage 'you can't please all of the people all of the time' and this collectible minifigs thing proves it despite Lego doing their best to put out product that appeals to the broadest consumer base possible. And despite the fact that quite clearly some of the minifigs shown aren't the finished article.

No-one really cares if someone doesn't buy this figure or the other. It just means more to go round for everyone else.

I think the only thing Lego got wrong is calling them collectible minifigs. Using that C word seems to send people of a certain mentality into a Pokemon-esque feeding frenzy. Yes there are 16 per series to collect but nowhere does it say you MUST collect all 16. or do it with every series. The whole thing is just a smorgasbord. pick and choose, grab some, leave some. wait til the next series hunt out the old series. don't take it so seriously.

[Arigomi]

Yes there are 16 per series to collect but nowhere does it say you MUST collect all 16. or do it with every series. The whole thing is just a smorgasbord. pick and choose, grab some, leave some. wait til the next series hunt out the old series. don't take it so seriously.

The problem is that TLG doesn't want you to pick and choose. The blind packaging prevents people from going into a store and buying the ones they want. You have to put in extra effort by using a method to identify what is in the bag. People complain about "fillers" in each series because they don't like the idea of buying a CM they don't want.

I'm surprised at the a lack of any sci-fi themed CM in this series.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Arigomi

[Dreamweb]

While those series 5 minifigs look a bit recycled, I still see some good-looking characters there! Definitely gonna get some of them.

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but the "lizard suit guy" reminds me of Aquamaniac - Hannibal Smith anyone?

[Nikola Bathory]

Oh, Series 5? Series 4 are not even on the market yet!

Anyway, I'll buy the female Pharaoh!!! I want some Egyptian stuff!

The dwarf too, probably. I don't have any sets with dwarves.

[Fugazi]

It's color 325. It's no longer on the default LEGO Universe palette, so we don't get a name for it, unfortunately. Incidentally, two other unreleased colors are on the default palette and do have known names: 323 Aqua and 326 Spring Yellowish-Green.

Thanks for the info! This is OT, but I wonder what will be the consequence on the current colour palette of so many new colours being introduced for the Paradisa-like theme. Time will tell.

If I have one minor quibble with this wave, it'd be that it appears Cleo is holding a snake very, very similar to the same old snake used in scads of sets for over a decade now (a rattlesnake, at that). A non-rattler snake is long overdue, and given TLG's amazing willingness to make all kinds of new molds for this series, I'd have hoped we'd finally get a significantly different snake (and so I now hope this is a preliminary accessory). That said, I'm sure I'll still get at least two even if it comes with essentially the same old snake.

Just a quick comment here. It's a very personal opinion, but I would rather have a wide spectrum of generic accessories than over-specialised accessories that cover little ground. For example, many people have posted lists of every animal that ever set foot on the surface of the Earth, every possible fish and bird, and then demand new moulds for every one of them. I am happy with the new animal moulds that are being introduced in 2011, but do we really need different types of snakes, different birds, different dog breeds? I wouldn't want TLG to focus (ie spend money) on an infinite array of slightly different animals, long bows, weapons, to the detriment of introducing more generic items or accessories that can hardly be reproduced with existing parts.

A few more comments on Series 5 as a whole: it would seem that we will get about 17 new moulds, which is on par with Series 3 and slightly less than Series 4, but still quite impressive. There will be about 8 existing parts in new colours, which is much lower than what we have in Series 3 and 4, but similar to Series 1 and 2. And finally, we will get 4 female minifigs in Series 5, which is more than in any of the previous series! Overall, the stats are good.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Fugazi

[Jargo]

Just a quick comment here. It's a very personal opinion, but I would rather have a wide spectrum of generic accessories than over-specialised accessories that cover little ground. For example, many people have posted lists of every animal that ever set foot on the surface of the Earth, every possible fish and bird, and then demand new moulds for every one of them. I am happy with the new animal moulds that are being introduced in 2011, but do we really need different types of snakes, different birds, different dog breeds? I wouldn't want TLG to focus (ie spend money) on an infinite array of slightly different animals, long bows, weapons, to the detriment of introducing more generic items or accessories that can hardly be reproduced with existing parts.

I couldn't disagree more. It costs Lego no more to create a new mould than it does to replace an existing worn out one. Obviously they have to pay someone to design it and create the 3D computer model but after that it's just machine tooled. And over the years Lego will have created many many moulds to make that rattlesnake. Moulds wear out quite quickly due to the heat created during injection moulding. so swapping the rattlesnake for a more generic snake wouldn't be cost prohibitive.

Besides which Lego make running changes to bricks all the time. why is changing the shape of an animal any different to changing the design of a brick? Are Lego wasting money by tweaking and changing bricks?

Nobody seriously expects a huge amount of new animals but when a very old part like the rattlesnack (which isn't even native to Egypt) is used it isn't right. It's not asking too much to ask for a sleeker rattle-less snake or a dog other than a wolf/german shepherd. Or a colour change or some change in printing on the animal.

[Fugazi]

I don't look forward to the day that my MOC will be frowned upon because I could have used a proper snake instead of a rattlesnake. I'm all for new parts, but not parts so very specific that they stifle imagination and almost duplicate existing moulds. I also like consistency and unless there is a technical failure with parts I would rather keep old designs going rather that reinvent them every few years for the sake of novelty. I'm probably just getting old!

Besides, I'm pretty sure that there's a limited amount of resources allocated to part design -- either money, manpower or time -- so that every new mould (which likely requires a battery of technical tests and validations) is one of a limited array that can be introduced in a given year. I'm not saying that a new snake would be useless -- but I certainly would have other priorities.

[Big Cam]

I just saw the updated first post, i'm actually a little surprised they went to 5, they need to stop, my wallet can't take this.

[SilentMode]

I just saw the updated first post, i'm actually a little surprised they went to 5, they need to stop, my wallet can't take this.

Can't stop. Won't stop. Uh-uh.

[Space Odysseyer]

Series 5 isn't as cool as Series 4. But I really like Sherlock Holmes, the Royal Guard and the Graduate Student (my favorite).

[Etzel]

I don't look forward to the day that my MOC will be frowned upon because I could have used a proper snake instead of a rattlesnake. I'm all for new parts, but not parts so very specific that they stifle imagination and almost duplicate existing moulds. I also like consistency and unless there is a technical failure with parts I would rather keep old designs going rather that reinvent them every few years for the sake of novelty. I'm probably just getting old!

Besides, I'm pretty sure that there's a limited amount of resources allocated to part design -- either money, manpower or time -- so that every new mould (which likely requires a battery of technical tests and validations) is one of a limited array that can be introduced in a given year. I'm not saying that a new snake would be useless -- but I certainly would have other priorities.

I agree with you, Fugazi. Too specific accessories are not needed, better with generic ones that can used for many different purposes (isn't that the idea with LEGO?). Some people in this topic seems to be disappointed that there aren't more new pieces in series 5, but I think it's much more important to get nice and interesting minifigs than just new pieces. The new axe for the Lumberjack for example is surely a nice and detailed piece, but I find the rest of the fig much more interesting with new head and torso print. If the axe had been the old one it wouldn't have changed my opinion of that fig.

I can agree with that a new snake piece, perhaps in shape of a cobra, would have been a nice one to go with the Cleopatra fig. But the one we got work very well too IMO. It's a rattle snake sure, but it's quite generic at the same time and it's not difficult to ignore the "rattle".

And I do believe that it cost more to make a completely new mould then making one they have already used. Designing isn't free. Anyway, it's also much cheaper to not have too many different moulds, that's part of what caused TLG to nearly go broke in the early 00's.

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

After looking at this new series (which I love, again, btw), I couldn't help but wonder how many of these ideas were originally discussed/requested on CopMike's "What Minifigs are we missing" thread. Obviously it's ridiculous to assume that TLG is directly taking these ideas just from our requests, since many of the figures produced are general ideas that anyone can think up, and additionally we must remember that TLG pays creative people well to just sit around and think of these ideas. So I'm sure their own list probably dwarfs ours.

But, with that being said, I found myself wondering how many of these new figs actually were mentioned during the history of that thread, which began in May 2010 when Series 1 began (let's recall that at that point we'd already seen prelims of Series 2 as well). SO, I've put together a list which records what EB member suggested each figure concept first, chronologically, from Series 5. Throughout that entire thread there's a tremendous amount of re-mentioning ideas already listed by another member (I should know, I thought the Holmes idea was mine!), so if you aren't listed as the originator of the suggestion, it means someone originally beat you to it earlier in the thread. Also listed is what page of the thread the entry was first suggested, as well as a month and year. As I suspected, we didn't mirror all of their ideas:

Series 5

1. ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Detective: Dr. Kilroy –Pg01, May10
   
2. British Royal Guard: Dunjohn—Pg02, May10
   
3. Eskimo: Athos—Pg02, May10
   
4. Lumberjack: Athos—Pg02, May10
   
5. Gladiator: Fluyt—Pg03, May10
   
6. Mafioso: Lego Wargammer—Pg04, May10
   
7. Snowboarder: Jonwil—Pg05, May10
   
8. Cleopatra: Zzz—Pg06, May10
   
9. Graduate: Dfenz—Pg06, May10
   
10. Dwarf: Mo123567—Pg12, Dec10
    
11. Boxer: Lord Embo—Pg12, Dec10
    

*Lomogi asked for any fig with a bowler’s hat, so I guess an honorable mention for the clown technically applies—Pg02, May10

Also, for the sake of reference and credit, here's the same treatment for Series 4 and 3:

Series 4

1. Footballer: Prateek –Pg01, May10
   
2. Hockey Player: Ratshot –Pg01, May10
   
3. Sailor: Ratshot—Pg01, May10
   
4. Mad Scientist: Mr. Elijah Timms—Pg01, May10
   
5. Rockstar (didn’t actually say Mohawk): Peppermint_M—Pg01, May10
   
6. Musketeer: Athos—Pg02, May10
   
7. Artist: Jonwil—Pg02, May10
   
8. Frankenstein’s Monster: Computer Bug—Pg02, May10
   
9. Geisha: Dunjohn—Pg03, May10
   
10. Viking (first to really say ‘viking’ and not barbarian): blueandwhite—Pg03, May10
    
11. Hazmat Suit Guy: Lego Wargammer—Pg03, May10
    
12. Garden Gnome: Dharkan—Pg06, May10 (indianajones suggested the fishing pole)
    
13. Werewolf: indianajones—Pg06, May10
    

Series 3

1. Race Car Driver: Toa_of_Justice –Pg01, May10
   
2. Pilot: Ratshot—Pg01, May10
   
3. Baseball Player: Athos—Pg02, May10
   
4. Hula Girl: Athos—Pg02, May10
   
5. Samurai: Fluyt—Pg02, May10
   
6. Tennis Player: Dunjohn --Pg02, May10
   
7. Vampire: Aredhel—Pg04, May10
   
8. Gorilla Suit: Mr. Elijah Timms—Pg04, May10
   
9. Tribal Chief: Klaus-Dieter—Pg04, May10
   
10. Elf (he said ‘Elfknight’): Elander—Pg05, May10
    
11. Blacktron Astronaut: Dunjohn—Pg05, May10
    
12. Fisherman: Aanchir—Pg06, May10
    
13. Female Snowboarder: SilentMode—Pg07, Jun10
    

So we've gotten many of their ideas right, but several of our other requests have still yet to be produced...Series 6 perhaps? Judging by what I've read through, it seems like the most popular ideas we discussed that TLG have yet to make include: a monk, a judge, a chimney sweep (now in the historical figures set), a highlander warrior, a hippie (m or f), a gardener, a scarecrow, and millions of other ideas that did not meet a large consensus. Either way, it was interesting to study. We'll see what happens...

Edited February 7, 2011 by Mr. Elijah Timms