Author: shygal - Page 2 - Shy Gal's Building Blog

Review of nanoblock King Doraemon CN-25

May 2, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock King Doraemon build. King Doraemon is part of the nanoblock charanano collection. Wondering what else is part of the charanano collection? Click here for a list.

Number: CN-25

Number of Pieces:

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Doraemon is a robot that comes from the future. There is a line of builds featuring several different characters from the anime in the character line. King Doraemon is for the 50th anniversary of Doraemon and is part of the charanano line, which is unique because of the display boxes.

I really like this build because it has an asymmetrical shape for the body. The build begins with a clear base and an outline of white bricks. You then add a layer of white bricks. It is hard to tell which bricks are part of the new layer and which were in the previous layer when you are laying white bricks throughout the build. In the third step, you add Doraemon’s blue and the cape’s red. You continue to layer up the red, white, and blue to create the build adding various details. In step 6, you add the outstretched right arm and held it in place with 1 stud. The one stud is locked in place in the next layer, so it is sturdy in place. Because the brick from Step 6 is curved, you can angle the arm as you want. The next major step after adding on the arm creating and attaching the scepter. I found this step tricky because the bottom was so flimsy it kept breaking off as I continued to build. I ended up waiting until the end to attach the scepter so that it wouldn’t fall off. The final step for the body is to connect the bell on the front of Doraemon.

The next major part of the build is to build the head. You begin with a ring of blue and white bricks. You add layers of blue and white along with pink and red for the mouth. You continue to add layers, adding facial details and slowly closing up the head. After closing up the head, you add the crown. You add yellow and red that curves up and flatten out to create a crown. You add a final brown brick at the top of the crown. Since the head is completed, you can now attach the head to the body. Once connected, you add Doraemon’s whiskers as the final step of the build.

Now that you have the completed build, it’s time to get it into the case. This build is more complicated than the other charanano builds because the bottom of the robe flows over the edge of the base brick. This means that the cardboard doesn’t curve down over the build.

Things I liked:

The fact I can position the arm

Things I didn’t like:

Getting the scepter to attach properly is difficult.

Review of nanoblock Pacific White-Sided Dolphin NBC_191

April 25, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build and packaging

This post is a review of the nanoblock Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build. Pacific White-Sided Dolphin is part of the nanoblock Mini Collection series. Wondering what else is part of the Mini Collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBC_191

Number of Pieces: 110

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build front view

The dolphin is fairly straightforward. The hardest part is telling whether the bricks for the step are white or light grey. Each step in my directions listed what color was needed for each step, so it was easier to tell which color to use.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build side view

The main body is built in layers. I wasn’t able to build the kit on the nanoblock pad because the base layer has socket joints, so it won’t lay flat.

After building the main section, the nose section is built and added. After adding the nose, the back and dorsal fin are added.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build back view

The next step is to add the tail. Getting the tail centered was a bit tricky because one section is much larger than the other section.

The final step is to build the stand and add the fins. The stand is clear and great because it allows the dolphin to be posed in various positions, which is great.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin build font 3/4 view

Things I liked:

I really liked how posable the dolphin is because of the stand it is on

Things I didn’t like:

Telling the white versus the light grey was really difficult in the directions

Review of nanoblock Orca NBC_136

April 18, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBC_136

Number of Pieces: 110

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

The build is mostly one large section building the main body of the Orca. It goes up in layers and can be built on the nanoblock pad. The layers create a hollow tube that is closed on the ends. The layers are pretty straightforward, but it is difficult to tell the eyes are rounded bricks, and I spent a lot of time looking for a square piece.

After building the body, the next step is to build the fins and tail. These are all attached using ball joints.

Things I liked:

I like how posable the fins and tail are.
I like how there is a clear base, so it looks like the orca is floating

Things I didn’t like:

It was really hard to tell that the eyes were rounded bricks

Link to order:

Review of nanoblock Jurassic Park Pteranodon

April 11, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Jurassic Park Pteranodon build. Jurassic Park Pteranodon is part of the nanoblock Universal Studios Japan collection. Wondering what else is part of the Universal Studios Japan collection? Click here for a list.

Number of Pieces: 130

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

I bought this kit used, so I wasn’t sure if I would get all the parts. While building, I realized I was missing a 4×1 brick. I was able to switch the square 4×1 to a rounded 4×1 brick. The sign that is a stack of bricks with a sticker was also already built with the sticker attached, so I didn’t need to build that.

The first thing that you build is the body of the Pteranodon. It takes work to make sure everything is lined up and centered. This is because many sections combine even and odd bricks, with the center of the odd being between the studs of the even.

The next step is to build the head. The head is fairly straightforward, with long sections hanging off the head.

Next is to build the wings. Each wing is a stack of bricks that are only 1 brick thick. The wings are identical but mirrored. The wings are made of rounded bricks so they can move a bit. This is also where I traded out the 1×4 brick that I mentioned earlier.

The last step is to prepare the build for display. First, a tower of clear bricks is added to the bottom of the Pteranodon. Then the sign is built by building a stack of bricks and attaching a sticker. The Pteranodon is held in place by 2 bricks, allowing the dinosaur to be at an angle.

Things I liked:

I like the color of the Pteranodon. It is an unusual color that isn’t used very often.

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t like how there are a few random teal blocks that don’t match the rest of the build. The color change is completely random, and it doesn’t add anything to the build

Review of nanoblock Statue of Liberty NBM-003

April 4, 2024March 12, 2024shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Statue of Liberty build. The Statue of Liberty is part of the nanoblock Advanced Hobby collection. Wondering what else is part of the Advanced Hobby Collection? Click Here for a list.

Number: NBM-003

Country: USA

Number of Pieces: 620

Difficulty Rating: 4/5

This build is made up of 2 major parts. There is the base and the actual statue.

The base is extremely straightforward. There are several layers of brown. I like the details of the indents that are on the base.

Building the actual statue is a bit more tricky. Each layer builds the outside rings creating a hollow column. There are bricks hanging out to create the flowing robes. I think that the details on the front and back look really nice.

Then you connect the body of the state to the base. The final steps are to connect the arm and the head. The head looks ok but getting the arm lined up properly due to the directions.

The build also comes with several nanoids. I didn’t include them in my build because I don’t feel like they match the scale.

Things I liked:

I like the green that they used for the statue

Things I didn’t like:

That the tablet the statue is holding is just a loose brick

Review of nanoblock Beluga NBC_214

March 28, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBC_214

Number of Pieces: 110

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

I purchased this kit open from Japan. It is not a very common kit, so I was excited to simply get a kit with the instructions. The finished photographed build may have some discoloration because it was built before I didn’t have control of the environment.

This beluga build is very unique amongst the large sea animals. Most of the sea animals are down on their stomachs. This build has the beluga up on its tail.

Since the beluga is standing on its tail, the build is basically a tower of bricks. The tower is much more narrow at the bottom than at the top. Building the tower consists of adding layers from a single 2×3 brick.

Building up from the 2×3 brick is very straightforward. The instructions are very clear, and it is easy to tell which bricks to add. There were also minimal places where bricks needed to be lined up or centered.

The only break in building the tower is to add the flippers to the side of the build via ball joints.

Once the main body of the beluga is built, the final step is to add the base and tail. Building the section is pretty straightforward. However, it is hard to tell where the tail section should connect to the main body. Based on the photos, I lined the tail with the back of the whale so has a smooth connection. However, it is possible that there is supposed to be a step between the back of the whale and the tail.

Things I liked:

I really like the unique pose of the whale

Things I didn’t like:

It isn’t clear how to connect the tail and body sections

Review of nanoblock Tree Frog NBC_007

March 21, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBC_007

Country: 80

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

This build is unusual for an NBC kit because it starts with building 2 sections that are both attached to a clear base. The white section is clear and goes up in layers in a fairly straightforward manner. The green section, however, is different. It needs to be built from the top down, which is tricky to hold while building. Once the white and green sections are built, they are added to a pair of clear blocks to create a base.

Once the sections are added to the base, the rest of the frog goes up in straightforward layers. Eyes are added as details.

The last step is to add the feet. I wanted to use the base, so I couldn’t put the feet on at angles, as shown in the final build.

Things I liked:

I really like the frog, and I feel like it really looks like a tree frog

Things I didn’t like:

I hate when the photos of the final build show the finished build in a position that can’t be done. In this case, it’s angled feet on the square base

Review of nanoblock Bottlenose Dolphin NBC_003

March 14, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBC_003

Number of Pieces: 100

Difficulty Rating: 2

I bought this kit used, knowing I would at least get the instructions. I ended up getting all the bricks to complete the kit. Sadly, however, the white has become yellow with age. The discolored bricks may be visible in my photographs.

This kit is unusual for an NBC kit compared to the other kits I have purchased. The instructions are completely in Japanese. For most other kits I have bought, the colors are at least in English. I think that this could be one of the original kits from one of the early production runs.

The build begins by laying out the stomach. I did this by laying the bricks out on my nanoblock pad. The dolphin goes up in layers and is very straightforward.

The final step is to add the stand, flippers, and tail. The stand is clear and straightforward. The tail adds layers to the bottom of the build, so the stand is needed. There are flippers that are connected by a stud. I think that it is used by a stud because of how old the kit is.

Things I liked:

I like that there is a stand and a base so the bottom of the dolphin so that the stand can’t shift

Things I didn’t like:

I don’t love how the flippers look. I think I prefer when the flippers are held on using a ball joint

nanoblock People

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024shygal

There are 2 types of nanoblock people. They are nanoids and nanobbits. The more common model for people are the nanoids.

nanoid

A nanoid is a little person that is made of nanoblocks. There are 2-3 round 1×1 nanoblocks stacked. Usually, there is also a hair-shaped brick. Nanoids are very common in the Sights to See Collection (NBH).

nanobbit

Nanobbits are articulated little figures. They look more like figures with arms and legs that move. The heads also turn.

Review of nanoblock Toy Poodle NBC_060

March 7, 2024December 7, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBC_060

Number of Pieces: 120

Difficulty Rating: 2

I began by building the body on my nanoblock pad. It was built up by adding several layers that created the curved shape.

Next was building the head, which was very straightforward. I really like the red detail, which looks like bows behind the ears.

Next, I added the 4 legs and paws. It was a bit tricky to tell where exactly the legs connected to the body.

The final step was to build and add the final details. First, there was the tail. Then there is the bowl holding a bone.

The poodle can be attached to the included 10×10 green base. It was a bit tricky to attach the dog to the base.

Things I liked:

I feel like the dog is properly shaped to be a poodle. It even has poofy ears and a poofy tail.

Things I didn’t like:

Attaching the dog to the display base was tricky

Link to order: