The Evolution of Star Wars Minifigs

[XimenaPaulina]

This topic has been brought up several times already in various threads, so I guess it's better to have one single discussion topic about the evolution of the Star Wars minifigs.

So you think the current level of detailing is all but part of natural evolution of minifigs or is it becoming too overly detailed?

Share your thoughts here.

[TheBrickHitHouse]

Why on earth would anyone be unhappy with more detailed mini fig prints?

Don't u remember the horrendous 1999 SW figs? U could t tell Luke apart from Darth Vader...

Mini figs are now the key to most sets and approaching almost pieces of art - I want this to continue, give me arm prints, the whole works!

Getting a really great mini fig in a set can make that set truly legendary - the idea we should go without because it might clash with our 'other stormtroopers' is absurd!

[Mr Man]

Why on earth would anyone be unhappy with more detailed mini fig prints?

Don't u remember the horrendous 1999 SW figs? U could t tell Luke apart from Darth Vader...

Mini figs are now the key to most sets and approaching almost pieces of art - I want this to continue, give me arm prints, the whole works!

Getting a really great mini fig in a set can make that set truly legendary - the idea we should go without because it might clash with our 'other stormtroopers' is absurd!

Hmm those lovely figs with simple Legoish charm . lots and of arm and leg prints why not just re design the minifigs to be more proportion .

[sealslip3]

Hmm those lovely figs with simple Legoish charm . lots and of arm and leg prints why not just re design the minifigs to be more proportion .

I totally agree. I think LEGO hit a good point in minifig design from 2005-2008. The minifigs were detailed enough to be distinguishable, but not overly so. Don't get me wrong, my 2010 Boba Fett is my favorite figure, but I just feel like sometimes simple is better, especially for a product like LEGO where imagination has always been emphasized.

[Brickdoctor]

Why on earth would anyone be unhappy with more detailed mini fig prints?

Don't u remember the horrendous 1999 SW figs? U could t tell Luke apart from Darth Vader...

Mini figs are now the key to most sets and approaching almost pieces of art - I want this to continue, give me arm prints, the whole works!

Getting a really great mini fig in a set can make that set truly legendary - the idea we should go without because it might clash with our 'other stormtroopers' is absurd!

Because the simple, minimally-detailed minifigs look like LEGO and they fit in with each other. The newer minifigs don't fit in well with the older ones, and some of them are starting to look like action figures instead of minifigs. I have to disagree, because in '99, you could clearly tell which minifig was which character, and yet they didn't need fancy prints or molds. If anything, it's the older minifigs which are pieces of art: the art of making a minifig the most recognizable, both as a character and as a LEGO, while using the least amount of detailing.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Just my two cents. I love the classic figs, simply because they are classic. I didn't own much, but I plan to buy a couple of yellow classic SW characters that I never got.

However, I liked the change and the new details. I welcomed the greater accuracy.

Now, with the more detailed figs, I'm not complaining. I think that the details are well done, so I find no reason to complain about it. Sure, compatibility is an issue, but I wouldn't keep that from making me enjoy the new figs.

[Piranha]

compatibility with figs already went down the toilet with flesh colored minifigs. Now I really don't care what matches anymore

Edited November 27, 2011 by Macoco

[Thea Neotera]

compatibility with figs already went down the toilet with flesh colored minifigs. Now I really don't care what matches anymore

I haven't been on these boards long enough to find out whether or not this statement makes me a minority, but I love the flesh-tone minifigs. I'm a bit disappointed that LEGO hasn't spread that aspect over to their other non-licensed themes.

[Artanis I]

I haven't been on these boards long enough to find out whether or not this statement makes me a minority, but I love the flesh-tone minifigs. I'm a bit disappointed that LEGO hasn't spread that aspect over to their other non-licensed themes.

Non-licensed themes use the yellow colour to represent skin to make it race neutral*. Licensed themes have the skin colour of whoever the character is.

*although there really is only 1 race: the human race.

[StoutFiles]

Because the simple, minimally-detailed minifigs look like LEGO and they fit in with each other. The newer minifigs don't fit in well with the older ones, and some of them are starting to look like action figures instead of minifigs. I have to disagree, because in '99, you could clearly tell which minifig was which character, and yet they didn't need fancy prints or molds. If anything, it's the older minifigs which are pieces of art: the art of making a minifig the most recognizable, both as a character and as a LEGO, while using the least amount of detailing.

Ehh...

I think that characters with human dimensions can be accurately represented with minifigs from the '99 era, but a lot of aliens require molds to look halfway decent.

Let's not forget that TLG has to compete with other toys, and letting their minifigs stay "pure" isn't going to impress kids and keep them ahead of lesser quality knockoffs. If we're going to argue about their minifig designs changing, then we should support them going back to the old minifig design.

TLG has to evolve. The figures need to keep getting better. The LSW figs now don't mesh perfectly with the '99 figs, just like the Lego City figures of today don't mesh with the '74 figures. It's progress. Lego is doing a great job with their figures while still keeping the signature shape of a figure intact, which is commendable.

Edited November 28, 2011 by StoutFiles

[Cpt. Dan]

I haven't been on these boards long enough to find out whether or not this statement makes me a minority, but I love the flesh-tone minifigs. I'm a bit disappointed that LEGO hasn't spread that aspect over to their other non-licensed themes.

I totally hear what you are saying. I love the flesh tone, and I would like all of my figs to have that aspect. However, I couldn't give up the classic yellow that made Lego so iconic. I guess it makes me a hypocrite of sorts

KDM: I am glad to see I am not the only one either!

[Thea Neotera]

Non-licensed themes use the yellow colour to represent skin to make it race neutral*. Licensed themes have the skin colour of whoever the character is.

LoL... I'm aware of that... I just said I am disappointed that the non-licensed themes still use yellow.

EDIT: I know what you mean, Captain Dan. The yellow is so iconic, even though it doesn't look as good. Nostalgia can be difficult to let go of. I guess part of the reason I feel this way is because I did not get into LEGO until I was an adult.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Thea Neotera

[Huntleyfx]

I must confess, the largest problem I have with this is keeping up with the sheer amount of new figures coming out. It was somewhat easier when new molded heads were not coming out with every set (or so it seems at times) That being said, I am absolutely a fan of the Ki-Adi-Mundi and Panaka molds from this past year.

[Darth Nihilus]

I haven't been on these boards long enough to find out whether or not this statement makes me a minority, but I love the flesh-tone minifigs. I'm a bit disappointed that LEGO hasn't spread that aspect over to their other non-licensed themes.

Sister (or brother ), I'm with ya. I love the fleshies, and I really wish that they would put them into all the sets, licensed or not. Then again, I also love the CW faces, and almost everone hates those.

Anyway, I agree with StoutFiles, and if you want to continue the discussion, make another thread for it.

[XimenaPaulina]

All posts from the 2012 News & Rumors thread regarding minifig detailing are moved here.

Pls. continue the discussion here.

[CMP]

The current sandy Stormtroopers are as far as I'd like detail to go.

[Fighter of Frizzies]

I'm not sure that Han Solo comparison really sells your argument.

[Brickdoctor]

The current sandy Stormtroopers are as far as I'd like detail to go.

I think I agree. Environmental variants in detailing are okay. On the other hand, I feel the new Stormie torso print was much too detailed. It's complicated lines detract from the overall clean look of the armor that I remember from the first time I saw Star Wars.

[Werlu Ulcur]

I appreciate the higher level of detail but I don't like the weathering effect that seems to be the new trend.

[Mr Man]

I think that characters with human dimensions can be accurately represented with minifigs from the '99 era, but a lot of aliens require molds to look halfway decent.

Look at the two Watto figs in KDM's image which one looks more like a Lego fig and which one looks like a mini action fig? Do both resemble Watto? The first is a great representation of him whilst still been legoish.

[vexorian]

LoL... I'm aware of that... I just said I am disappointed that the non-licensed themes still use yellow.

EDIT: I know what you mean, Captain Dan. The yellow is so iconic, even though it doesn't look as good. Nostalgia can be difficult to let go of. I guess part of the reason I feel this way is because I did not get into LEGO until I was an adult.

The yellow looks better than peach.

[Solscud007]

I like some of the evolutions compared to others. I dont own one but the new Gungans, Sebulba, and Watto look so much better. same with the ewoks. However I prefer the EpIII Mace Windu compared to the CW windu face.

Im torn on Bobafett. I like the original but the lack of head articulation kinda kills it. Luke from the Death Star is great. But I dont like his sour demeanor on the new Millennium Falcon fig.

[Darth Nihilus]

The yellow looks better than peach.

That is the point I disagree with. Yellow does not look better than flesh tone, because no one in the world has yellow skin. LEGO is about playing for kids, and when the figures aren't even recognizable as humans it takes away from the play experience. Kids want a toy with people that look like the people in the world that they see, and people with yellow skin don't just go strolling down the street on a daily basis now do they? The other reason I disagree is that when the minifigs have two different skin tones, they aren't compatable with their counterparts in the other color. For example, someone made a fleshie minifig to go with Dino, but it didn't look right, so they had to order expensive flesh parts to replace all the faces of their regular Dino minifigs. That is the problem. If all the minifigs were flesh, the problem would be eliminated. That's my opinion.

[StoutFiles]

Look at the two Watto figs in KDM's image which one looks more like a Lego fig and which one looks like a mini action fig? Do both resemble Watto? The first is a great representation of him whilst still been legoish.

The kids driving the majority of the sales do not care how Legoish the figures are, they just want accuracy. If TLG stagnated on figure design they would get passed by other brands. Old Watto is fine, but the new one is more accurate, hence it is better for TLG.

Figures are getting better. Parts are getting better. TLG is getting better.

[Thea Neotera]

Does anyone else own the LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia? That's the book that ultimately convinced me of just how much better the flesh tone is. Seeing the yellow clash with the gray of the Imperial Uniform or with Leia's Cloud City outfit is awful. The flesh tone is better because it helps bring out the rest of the mini figures. As unfortunate as it is, bright yellow just doesn't match the toned down colors of the SW world.