Month: September 2022

Review of nanoblock Snowman Holiday Limited Edition NBC_027

September 29, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Snowman build. The Snowman is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection series? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_027

Number of Pieces: 150

Difficulty Rating: 1/5

This is one of the few kits I have purchased used. I decided it was probably a safe purchase because, in the photos, I was able to see that the build was complete. I also noticed that the spare bricks were in the package in the photos. I bought the Snowman and hoped I would get exactly what I needed to build the Snowman. When it arrived, I had all the bricks I needed; the only problem was some age discoloration on the white bricks.

Now to look at the build. I really liked that the Snowman had a base. A base to me means that you don’t have to worry about the build tipping. As I would expect from a level 1 build, the directions were easy to follow. There is one step where you add the scarf detail and the arms where a lot is going on. It was a little hard to tell where everything went, but it lays out just fine when you start to place the bricks. Other than the one super full step, the directions were very clear.

Overall I really liked the Snowman. It was an enjoyable and straightforward build, which I hope for when its difficulty is 1/5.

Things I liked:

How the scarf has details in the front and the back

Things I didn’t like:

There is one step I think could have turned into two to make things clearer

Review of nanoblock Crystal Lapras NBPM_056

September 27, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Crystal Lapras build. Crystal Lapras is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon Collection? Click Here for a list.

Names:

English: Lapras
Japanese: Laplace

Number: NBPM_056

Number of Pieces: 130

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Crystal Lapras is a version of Lapras that uses clear blue bricks instead of solid blue. Since the build is identical to that of the original Lapras, I’m going to direct you there for a review of the building process. I’m only going to review the final build of the Crystal Lapras here.

This kit is only available at Pokemon Centers in Singapore. I got mine from an eBay order.

Overall I don’t notice a lot of difference between the new model and the original. The blue is a little darker, taking it further away from the Pokemon’s actual coloring. I also tend to have a more challenging time working with the clear blocks because they never seem to fit as tightly as regular bricks. I don’t feel that the clear bricks add much, even when it is sitting in the direct light of my lightbox.

Things I liked:

This was a nice simple build after building the first one.

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t feel that the clear adds much

Review of nanoblock Mallard NBC_061

September 22, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Mallard build. The Mallard is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection series? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_061

Number of Pieces: 110

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Mallards are a type of duck that I grew up seeing. The males have all kinds of coloring, including beautiful iridescent feathers on their backs. There are 2 ducks, one adult male, and I’m not sure what the other is supposed to be for this kit. The second duck is much smaller, so I don’t think it’s a female, but it is also entirely the wrong color to be a chick.

The adult male is straightforward. You start with a pair of bricks and build up from there. There are many colors in the build, creating the colors in the Mallard’s feathers. The head of the male is a little tricky because getting everything lined up can be challenging. It is also tricky to get attached to the body. The second duck is very straightforward with excellent directions.

Things I liked:

That the ducks are on 1 plate to keep them safe
The number of colors on the male duck

Things I didn’t like:

Everything about the second duck.

Review of nanoblock Crystal Gyarados NBPM_055

September 20, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Crystal Gyarados build. Crystal Gyarados is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon Collection? Click Here for a list.

Number: NBPM_055

Number of Pieces: 170

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Crystal Gyarados is a version that uses clear blue bricks instead of solid blue. Since the build is identical to that of the original, I’m going to direct you there for a review of the building process. I’m only going to review the final build of the Crystal Gyarados here.

This build is only available at Pokemon Centers in Singapore. I got mine from an eBay order.

Overall I like this build better than the original build. You can see the eyes better from any angle versus just the select angles in the original build. I don’t like how the light grey looks with the crystal blue. I wish they had chosen a different clear or maybe a different color. I think the light grey stands out, and the number of solid bricks is a little awkward.

Things I liked:

How you can see some of the details more easily

Things I didn’t like:

How the clear looks with the number of solid bricks

Review of nanoblock Pad (NB-020) and nanoblock Pad Mini (NB-053)

September 17, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

NB-020 and NB-053 both nanoblock pads with packaging

The nanoblock Pad is by far my favorite and most used accessory. This is because I find it so useful to create my builds. When I refer to my nanoblock pad or pad, I am generally talking about NB-020 or the larger pad because it is the one I’ve had longer.

What is the nanoblock Pad?

The nanoblock pad is a silicon pad that is used for the creation of nanoblock builds. There are 2 different models. The only real difference is the size of the actual pad.

NB-020

The NB-020 pad has 2 sections that can fold up to protect the studs. 1 section is a pad that has studs. This is the side where you can create nanoblock builds. The other section is a flat section of silicon that is nice for laying out small bricks.

NB-053

Recently a smaller version of the nanoblock pad was released. It is much smaller than the original pad. I don’t use this pad very often because the larger pad has more flexibility about where exactly it goes.

How do you use the pad?

When I start a build, I always try to lay the base layer of bricks on the pad on the side with studs. Normally this works, but sometimes it doesn’t work, and you need to build off the pad.

After laying out the base layer, I add the second layer of bricks as the top layer. Because of how nanoblock designs the builds, the first and second layers are fully connected.

Normally after I build the 2 layers, I build as much as possible on the pad but sometimes, after a few layers, it makes more sense to build while holding the model in my hands.

Review of nanoblock Polar Bear NBC_294

September 15, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Polar Bear build. The Polar Bear is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection series? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_294

Number of Pieces: 160

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

I originally picked up the polar bear kit because I really liked the asymmetric nature of the build since one of his paws is on the ice flow.

I was delighted that I had my nanoblock pad for putting the body together. The base of the bear is larger than most of the classic collection builds. I was also surprised that the bear is made of white and a bit of cream. I couldn’t really see the detail in the photo on the packaging, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Once you layout the base layer of the body, you build up the rest of the body. Then you build the head, which is pretty straightforward. The next step is adding the final details to the back. I find it hard to tell which are the new blocks and the previous layer. Then you need to flip the bear over and add details to the stomach and paws. I liked the use of cream to add more detail to the feet.

Overall, I really liked building the bear. I really like the detail of the cream added to the white to add some detail. I didn’t like that it was hard to tell which layer was when adding details to the bear’s back.

Things I liked:

The use of cream to add contrast

Things I didn’t like:

The directions to add detail to the back

Review of nanoblock Magikarp NBPM_035

September 13, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Magikarp build. Magikarp is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon Collection? Click Here for a list.

Names:

English: Magikarp
Japanese: Koiking

Number: NBPM_035

Number of Pieces: 130

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Magikarp is a useless Pokemon. I remember the days when all he would ever learn was splash before evolving into Gyarados. I know that he now learns other moves, but it really is just about getting it to evolve.

For a Pokemon that is used generally for just killing time, Magikarp has a surprisingly involved build. The body is generally a straightforward rectangle build-up. There are a few places where 1 wide brick sticks out to attach the whiskers and fins. After you build up the body, you need to build fins and whiskers and connect them. The fins and whiskers can be a bit difficult to make and get everything lined up, and in my opinion, this build is a 3/5 difficulty.

Things I liked:

How the whiskers look

Things I didn’t like:

The work to get the detailed whiskers set-up

Review of nanoblock Moon Jellyfish NBC_087

September 8, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Moon Jellyfish build. The Moon Jellyfish is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection series? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_087

Number of Pieces: 200

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Moon Jellyfish appear to be a relatively common kind of jellyfish. They usually are entirely transparent.

The build for either jellyfish’s body isn’t too difficult if you pay careful attention to the layer you are working on. What you have already built is marked in blue, so what you have already done is apparent.

Once you have made the body, you have one of the most challenging steps to complete. You need to attach the tentacles. It is challenging to tell where precisely the tentacle connects to the main body.

After you build the 2 jellyfish, you still need to make a base for them to hang on. There are some simple plants and the blue chains of ball joints that hold up the jellyfish. The chains are incredibly flexible, so it can move around and break when you attach the jellyfish.

Things I liked:

The collection of clear blocks looks unique and cool

Things I didn’t like:

The final build is flexible and easy to break

Review of nanoblock Caterpie and Pokeball NBPM_10

September 6, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Caterpie and Pokeball build. Caterpie and Pokeball is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon Collection? Click Here for a list.

Names:

English: Caterpie and Pokeball
Japanese: Caterpie and Monster Ball

Number: NBPM_10

Number of Pieces: 170

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

This is a unique build in the NBPM line. There are 2 separate builds; they are smaller and more like what you get in the mini collection. First, you get to build Caterpie, one of the bug pokemon that has been around since generation 1. The other build is a Pokeball, which, if you have played any of the games, you know it’s where your Pokemon are stored.

Caterpie

Caterpie is a cute little build. It is basically building up along a rectangle. A transparent block on the bottom keeps your Caterpie from tipping forward. The build overall is very straightforward and enjoyable. The trickiest part is getting the antenna since it is a chain of blocks that are only connected by a single stud.

Pokeball

The Pokeball build is a straightforward build. It is basically just building a sphere starting with 4 of the nanoblock 3 stud L-blocks. I feel it is recognizable as a Pokeball for sure.

Things I liked:

I got two builds for the price of one

Review of nanoblock Green Spotted Puffer NBC_085

September 1, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Green Spotted Puffer build. The Green Spotted Puffer is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection series? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_085

Number of Pieces: 150

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

The Green Spotted Puffer is a real fish. They are often freshwater fish.

This is a sweet little build. I really liked how the fish looked in the package. I was a little worried about how the models would stand up, but when I opened the package, I was pleasantly surprised to find a base for the model to sit on.

There are two fish in this build, a large one and a small one. The large fish overall was a fairly straightforward build. You start with a base that layers up. There are some details and creative use of bricks, like how the eyes are created from the non-ball side of the ball joint. The hardest part for me was getting all the clear bricks lined up. The small fish is straightforward with no real bonus details.

Things I liked:

That there was a nice base to put both fish on

Things I didn’t like:

So many clear blocks to balance