Author: shygal - Page 17 - Shy Gal's Building Blog

Review of nanoblock Red Panda NBC_194

October 20, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Red Panda build. The Red Panda 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_194

Number of Pieces: 130

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Red Pandas are smaller furry animals that live in China and Nepal. Their habitat is getting cut down significantly due to human activity. They look a little like super fluffy raccoons. They are also prevalent in zoos worldwide.

This build is building chunks of the nanoblock and connecting them together to create the Red Panda.

Since the animal is on a slant, you start with the back of the animal and work forward. The first 5 steps are building the body and preparing the base for the head to attach onto.

In step 6, you make the head with reasonable detail, including round eyes and an additional shade of brown to create the cheeks. Once you attach the head, you build the tail with striped detail.

The final step is to connect the paws so that the build sits flat.

Overall I enjoyed this build. I liked building the individual chunks and seeing the red panda come together in larger pieces. In most of my builds, things come together in layers, so the chunks were a nice change. I really like the detail in the face and tail, which are vital to making this build recognizable.

Things I liked:

The amount of detail in the head
The stripes in the tail

Review of nanoblock Dragonite NBPM_011

October 18, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Dragonite
Japanese: Kairyu

Number: NBPM_011

Number of Pieces: 190

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Dragonite is the original endgame dragon from generation 1. He is a lot rounder and more cartoon-looking than the dragons later in the series. In the Pokemon games and TV show, Dragonite can both transport mail and people.

This build starts with the head. You start with a base and build the dragon up. The head has the tricky part of getting the antenna lined up correctly and keeping them in place for the rest of the build.

Next, you build the body in a matter similar to the head.

Once you have a body and head, you attach them to each other. The next step is to build the wings. These are the most challenging part because of the amount of detail to create the illusion that the tan is all on one side and the teal is on the other.

I think the Dragonite build does an excellent job of capturing the fat round dragon, which is how it appears in the games.

Things I liked:

I think the build captures the round dragon well

Things I didn’t like:

The wings took me a couple tries to get right

Review of nanoblock Sushi NBC_220

October 13, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Sushi build. The Sushi 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_220

Number of Pieces: 120

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

I bought the sushi kit as a gift for my husband. I’m not really a fan of Sushi, but my husband loves the stuff.

There are 3 pieces of Sushi (tuna, egg, and roe) and a base. The base is a very simple and straightforward build.

I really liked building the tuna; it has colors hanging off-center, creating details that make it look like the tuna is hanging off the rice.

The egg is also a nice build, but it is more symmetrical than the tuna, so it was more straightforward.

The easiest to build was the sushi roe. It is basically creating a basket to hold loose nanoblocks. I don’t like the fact there are loose nanoblocks in the build because it is easier to lose the bricks even moving things carefully.

Things I liked:

The different kinds of Sushi are recognizable

Things I didn’t like:

The loose bricks that make up the roe

Link to order: Amazon

Review of nanoblock Psyduck NBPM_024

October 11, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBPM_024

Number of Pieces: 130

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Psyduck is a generation 1 pokemon that is known for having constant headaches. The headaches give Psyduck access to psychic abilities. Misty had a Psyduck that would always pop out of the Pokeball in the Anime.

Overall the build for Psyduck is building up from the bottom layer. Each layer builds on itself until you get up to the head. You separately make the duck beak and attach it to the head. After connecting the beak, you continue to add layers until you have a sealed-up duck. Then all that is left is to add the little black feathers at the top of its head.

I like the Psyduck build because it is recognizable. However, in my mind, Psyduck is more of a bright crayon yellow, and the color of the bricks used in the build are more of goldenrod. I do think the little feathers on the head are cute.

Things I liked:

The black bricks used to add the feather detail to the head

Things I didn’t like:

I wish he was more yellow

Review of nanoblock Fantasy Collection(Phoenix, Unicorn, and Dragon)

October 6, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

This review is for a collection of nanoblock builds in a box called Fantasy Collection. These builds are called Phoenix, Unicon, and Dragon. All of these builds are part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. These were the first builds I made that used the ball joints to make moveable parts. Each set is available separately, so I will try to provide links to the individual builds if I can find them.

Phoenix

Phoenix was by far my favorite of these three builds. It looks like the classic phoenix rising from the ashes. It uses the ball joints to create the outstretched wings and the tail. It is made of almost all transparent blocks and appears to float while sitting on a stand as a build. I found working with so many transparent tricky because they seem to stretch more than the standard solid nanoblocks. The hardest part of the build was to get the Phoenix to stand on its base. If things aren’t just layered just right or the tail isn’t centered, the build will just tip over.

Link to order: Amazon

Unicorn

The Unicorn is probably the most straightforward of all the builds. It doesn’t have any ball joints, and it mostly layers up the body of the Unicorn. It is almost all white with a transparent mane and horn. The Unicorn has narrow legs that are stacked 1 stud thick going up. I was worried that the build would have a hard time standing up but was pleasantly surprised when I tried to stand it up. The main thing I don’t like about the Unicorn is I think the horn is too long and wide for the head of the Unicorn.

Link to order: Amazon

Dragon

The dragon build is relatively straightforward. First, you build the body. The hardest part of making the body is getting the arms lined up because it’s a chain held together by one brick. Second, you build the head, which is again relatively simple. The mouth is held together with a ball joint, allowing it to move. The last step is to build and attach wings that contain ball joints so that the wings can move. Overall, I enjoyed the build, and I really like the color of the dragon, which is a reasonably unique color.

Link to order: Amazon

Review of nanoblock Pokemon Quest Eevee NBPM_041

October 4, 2022March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Eevee
Japanese: Eievui

Number: NBPM_041

Number of Pieces: 120

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Inside the primary collection of Pokemon, there have been a couple of subcollections, one being the collection for Pokemon Quest (numbers 36-42). Under the Pokemon Question collection, most Pokemon are simply squares stacked on each other to create a body and head. Each of these also depends on stickers to make a face. Read here for my opinion of nanoblock stickers. So while I own everything in the Pokemon Quest collection, I have only built and will likely only build Eevee. I made Eevee before I knew about the stickers.

The build was really straightforward at the beginning. Starting with a base and building up. This may have been the first time I had seen the ball joint, but it was definitely the first time I had needed to build around the ball. Building Eevee is just building layers to create the Pokemon until you get to the ears.

The ears are my favorite detail but building them took more time and attention since they are slanted. After making the ears, you need to add stickers. My stickers were off-center, so it was a pain to line up; sadly, one of my stickers even ripped even though we were being super careful and using tweezers. The rip isn’t noticeable when you look at the build now that the ears are attached.

You add on Eevee’s tiny feet after building and attaching the ears. The final building step is to connect the tail. Now you have completed the Eevee body! The last step is to add the sticker for its face. Again you need to be careful, so the sticker doesn’t rip and is placed right because you only get one shot.

I think this Eevee is just as cute if not cuter than the original one (NBPM_005). I really like the details of having a moveable tail. However, I had real problems getting the stickers to stick in the right place. Also, even though it has been sitting in a display cabinet for a couple years, the stickers no longer adhere entirely to the build.

Things I liked:

The slightly posable tail

Things I didn’t like:

The stickers

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