Ninjago 2014

[pawcanada]

Not sure how I feel about the new designs. On the one hand I'm happy to finally get their hair on a fig and the chest decal looks great. However the lack of decal on their legs is dissapointing and I'm also a bit annoyed once again Lloyd gets the kickass shoulder armour and no-one else does. I know it's an easy fix (which I did for this years) but I like the armour and like everyone looking the same. I'm also on the fence on the half masks as I did like ones used before.

I'm keen to see what Zane looks like (I'm wondering if he'll have a half face like on the promo art) and I am wondering/hoping the purple dragon comes with a sixth, purple ninja. This may be due to the fact I'm a bit of a Sentai/Power Rangers fan but I always like it when an established team like this gets a new member, especially purple as we've not had a purple ninja so far.

I was hoping the grey Nindroid fig from the games was going to get made this time. I'm a bit disappointed they haven't but then again I love the look of the mooks so I don't mind as much.

Minor nitpicks aside, I can't wait for these sets.

[Mandate]

Do we have any idea of who the "purple ninja" is yet?

[Tobias_Jay]

I don't believe there was any confirmation on a "purple ninja". All pawcanada was doing was hoping for a purple ninja. If they were going to introduce a new ninja, it would be on the box art. As we have seen, Zane is the cover-boy for this year. Who knows, Zane might go purple for some reason. Ninjago has surprised us before...

[Niku]

I will surely get the red jet.

[Mandate]

I don't believe there was any confirmation on a "purple ninja". All pawcanada was doing was hoping for a purple ninja. If they were going to introduce a new ninja, it would be on the box art. As we have seen, Zane is the cover-boy for this year. Who knows, Zane might go purple for some reason. Ninjago has surprised us before...

No, there have been rumours circulating about a purple ninja. And I didn't even know pawcanada had posted that when I wrote that XD Anyway, in some leaked episode lists it mentions the purple ninja and "the fall of Samurai X". But we also know thus far that Zane will not be purple. The posters shown, and the box art, say that he'll remain white.

But I guess we'll just have to wait (until after the test ((Half-Life joke, just so no one is confused :P)) )

[Aethersprite]

Wow. The vehicles themselves are pretty standard compared to previous years, but the minfigs are amazing! Definitely getting Kai's jet and the Overborg set, both seem like a steal to me at US$20 each.

On a side note, are those bandana pieces new, or are they the same ones used in the Pirates/Western themes many years ago?

[Mandate]

They're new. They have the wrinkle pattern from the new cowls introduced last year, the Cowboy bandanas don't.

[Aanchir]

I don't believe there was any confirmation on a "purple ninja". All pawcanada was doing was hoping for a purple ninja. If they were going to introduce a new ninja, it would be on the box art. As we have seen, Zane is the cover-boy for this year. Who knows, Zane might go purple for some reason. Ninjago has surprised us before...

His robes end up in the wash with Lord Garmadon's. In all seriousness, I don't really anticipate a "purple ninja", though General Cryptor DOES have purple trim on his robes, and it's possible some other Nindroid characters might have the same.

Rumors about a purple ninja have been circulating since the Green Ninja was revealed: it's easy to assume that we'll see a new ninja each year. A lot of people want or expect said purple ninja to be Garmadon, but I don't think he's any more likely to take on the role of a ninja than Sensei Wu, and will probably just play the role of a second mentor to the ninja and a father to Lloyd.

As for timeline placement, I imagine this will take place a little bit after the series left off, but not as huge a difference in time as between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The Ninja will have had a bit of downtime since the Overlord's attack, but they will not have aged or matured noticeably (of course, Ninjago's timeline has always been a bit peculiar anyway, so that's pretty much a given).

[Aethersprite]

They're new. They have the wrinkle pattern from the new cowls introduced last year, the Cowboy bandanas don't.

I see, thanks.

Anyway, these pictures have me pumped for the Nindroid MechDragon! Definitely looking forward to seeing pics of that one!

[murphquake]

Anyone else think the "05" on the left foot of Cole's mech is some sort of link to the 5 on Lloyd's original look?

[Gatanui]

Is it thus true, my friends, that Ninjago is ineed one of the best LEGO themes ever? Definitely one of my favourite themes ever. The sets look fantastic mostly and have got me totally excited for the new episodes. :)

-Gata

[Sandy]

Meh, I'll just get the minifigs separately from Bricklink. The sets don't do anything for me, being nothing but vehicles.

[Bricknblue]

The sets don't do anything for me, being nothing but vehicles.

That can be said about every set LEGO makes now-a-days.

[Jargo]

I'm only interested in the Nindroids. The Overborg has an Agents theme Spyclops look to him with the mech chair. Really like Kai and Lloyd's hair too. Mmm. The separate mask/bandana piece is pretty cool. The geometric wing piece in red on Kai's vehicle will be useful but other than that i don't see anything exciting.

[Aanchir]

That can be said about every set LEGO makes now-a-days.

Seriously? This year's LEGO City had eight buildings, the most since 2009 — and that's not even counting the City Corner re-release. Only three out of over twenty LEGO Friends sets this year are focused on vehicles, while last year had more than twice that. There are plenty of non-fig-based themes that lack buildings entirely, such as LEGO Architecture and LEGO Minecraft. The new Castle theme has a vehicle in every set, if you count siege engines, but four out of the five sets also include a structure of some kind. Only one of this year's Lord of the Rings sets has a vehicle of any kind in it, and none of the Hobbit sets have had vehicles. (that will change this year, since at least one of the sets due for release towards the end of this year has a boat in it).

Meanwhile, just grabbing a few random examples, there were just two buildings in Town sets released in the year 2000 (a fire station and an Arctic base). Like this year, there were only three major edifices in Castle sets in the year 2000, but that's out of more than four times as many Castle sets as this year. Many of the other sets included siege engines and nothing else of consequence.

You're welcome to complain about things that you think LEGO should be doing more of these days, but you ought to have some perspective, unless you feel thirteen years ago still counts as "now-a-days".

I would also like some kind of larger buildings or structures, and hope there will be some in the other sets we haven't seen yet, but I don't feel like there's anything particularly undesirable about vehicle sets.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Aanchir

[Brickmasta]

Pretty cool but I hope they bring also another, bigger kit... not just small vehicles :D

[Hrw-Amen]

Borg, Borg!! Really?? What next Ninjas on the Enterprise?

[Bricknblue]

Seriously? This year's LEGO City had eight buildings, the most since 2009 — and that's not even counting the City Corner re-release. Only three out of over twenty LEGO Friends sets this year are focused on vehicles, while last year had more than twice that. There are plenty of non-fig-based themes that lack buildings entirely, such as LEGO Architecture and LEGO Minecraft. The new Castle theme has a vehicle in every set, if you count siege engines, but four out of the five sets also include a structure of some kind. Only one of this year's Lord of the Rings sets has a vehicle of any kind in it, and none of the Hobbit sets have had vehicles. (that will change this year, since at least one of the sets due for release towards the end of this year has a boat in it).

LEGO City has vehicle sets that have a small tiny building in the background.

However the whole second wave of the year, Coast Guard and shipping didn't have a single building besides a little tower. Theer are no more days where we would get a restaurant or a post office. Its all vehicles all the time.

And comparing now to the days of 2000 is a joke, LEGO was almost sold to Hasbro back then.

And I'm not going to bother arguing with you, I realize that a waste of time here and completely off topic. More so when we haven't seen half the sets. But LEGO likes vehicles, they willing admit that because little boys like that. it's a fact. It's why Friends have buildings (with no roofs) because girls like playhouses.

[CM4Sci]

Lloyd without his mask. I like this face a lot better! Maybe it's double-sided?

-Sci

[just2good]

{pic}

Lloyd without his mask. I like this face a lot better! Maybe it's double-sided?

-Sci

Oh yes, from this eBay listing. I really like this face! I'm glad they included a new one!

[Dr.Cogg]

I would like to see a Nindroid factory set, where Zane has to save his Father from Cryptor and the Overborg , and a set with an Evil Overborg version of the Samurai Mech .

[Aanchir]

LEGO City has vehicle sets that have a small tiny building in the background.

However the whole second wave of the year, Coast Guard and shipping didn't have a single building besides a little tower. Theer are no more days where we would get a restaurant or a post office. Its all vehicles all the time.

And comparing now to the days of 2000 is a joke, LEGO was almost sold to Hasbro back then.

And I'm not going to bother arguing with you, I realize that a waste of time here and completely off topic. More so when we haven't seen half the sets. But LEGO likes vehicles, they willing admit that because little boys like that. it's a fact. It's why Friends have buildings (with no roofs) because girls like playhouses.

Post office, no, but there IS a pizza restaurant in this year's 60026 Town Square. Furthermore, this year LEGO City got its first museum ever in 60008 Museum Heist. Overall, I feel like we're seeing more buildings in LEGO City since the LEGO Group's designers have shifted towards giving even the perennial Fire and Police themes complete play scenarios, so we have an abandoned house in 60003, a creepy old boat shed in 60009, and of course the aforementioned museum in 60008. It's a far cry from the days when the only emergencies for the LEGO City police to respond to were breakouts from their own prisons! I think this is a great way of giving the kiddies what they love while also giving us AFOLs a little bit more diversity for our own LEGO cities, and I hope to see that trend continue.

Anyway, back on topic, I think it's possible 70725 or 70726 might have some substantial structures, since they're likely the biggest sets for this upcoming wave. But there also could be more structures in the summer sets (assuming Ninjago isn't simply switching to an every-other-wave release schedule like LEGO Castle). Let's not forget that one of the criticisms of the FIRST wave of Ninjago was its lack of buildings (other than Garmadon's Dark Fortress, the closest thing it had to a building was the Spinjitzu Dojo, which was more of an open-air arena). Then the summer sets wowed us with the Fire Temple and Blacksmith Shop.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Aanchir

[LegoBenzine]

Cant wait. Looking foreword especially to the new cyborg headpiece. Now we can have something for Cyborg (The superhero) MOC's or for the Borg from Star Trek.

[Peppermint_M]

Hair and trans-clear weapons! I am off for most of the day and miss this!!! Yowser, these are cool.

[ToaJaller78]

Thats megablocking Sexy. I am getting them ALL. I am excited as all heck to get them.

Dear Santa.............

My X-mas list is settled.