Category: nanoblock Review - Page 12 - Shy Gal's Building Blog

Review of nanoblock Robin Mask NBCC_122

March 16, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Robin Mask build. Robin Mask is part of the nanoblock Character collection. Wondering what else is part of the Character collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBCC_122

Number of Pieces: 190

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Robin Mask is a character in the Kinnikuman series. He is an antagonist, but he soon becomes a protagonist and a friend of Kinnikuman. For more information about him, check out his fandom wiki page here.

Robin Mask is different from a typical nanoblock build because his head is at an angle instead of being built straight on.

Robin Mask’s head begins will a layer of Pastel Blue bricks. I was able to build the entire head on my nanoblock pad. The head goes up in very straightforward layers. The hardest part of building the head is getting all the edges to be perfectly square. I like how the head is built around to cover the eyes in a way that they are still barely visible.

The next section is to build the arms and body. I built the body on my nanoblock pad. It is a simple 4 layers of bricks. After building the body from the base up, I flipped the build upside down. Then I added his hands and his hips. I feel that the hands are just blocks, and there isn’t as much detail as there is in some of the other Kinnikuman builds.

The last step is to build Robin Mask’s legs. Each leg is a tower of bricks that are straightforward to build. The only real difference is what brick is on the top of the leg.

After building the legs, the legs need to be attached to the body. It was a little hard to tell where exactly the legs were attached. However, once I attached the legs, the build could stand without problems.

Things I liked:

I liked how solidly the finished build stood. This seems to be uncommon for the Kinnikuman build
I like how the eyes look in the mask of the build

Things I didn’t like:

I didn’t like how tricky it was to get the 1×1 perfectly lined up
I feel like his arms and hands are weak and missing details compared to the rest of the Kinnikuman builds

Review of nanoblock Charizard DX NBPM_080

March 14, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Charizard DX
Japanese: Lizardon DX

Number: NBPM_080

Number of Pieces: 860

Difficulty Rating: 4/5

This is the deluxe build for Charizard. It has a lot more detail than the original Charizard build. It is a much larger build made in pieces and held together with ball joints. I did the build over a few days, so I recommend having a safe place to leave the build spread out while you are working on it.

The nanoblock build begins by creating a base for the body. It takes about 6 steps to make the entire base of cream and orange bricks. You then continue the body by building up rings that get smaller until it closes the body. This build includes slanted pieces that I find stab my fingers when I push them into place.

The next step is to add the feet and arms via ball joints. The feet are built by stacking bricks to create a base to stand on. You attach the feet to a ball joint attached to the body. I had a hard time getting the ball joints lined up to stabilize the feet. You also build arms through a chain of ball joins. The hands are pretty fragile.

Now it is time to build the main section of the head. It is tricky because the head is generally only 3 bricks thick, so there isn’t much overlap, so it’s easy to push the bricks apart. The head is generally just building chunks of bricks onto other chunks until you have a completed head. When I attached the neck, I realized that I had attached the lower jaw in the wrong place, and the whole head fell apart when I moved it.

The following stages are to add the neck and tail. Both are very straightforward builds. The neck is a solid build that you eventually attach the head onto. The tail is a chain of bricks held together by ball joints. The tail includes the clear flame, which is a stack of clear bricks. As a warning, the tail likes to fall off the 1×2 brick that holds the flame.

The final stage of the build is to build the mirrored wings. These are large pieces that are 2-3 layers thick. They are built by creating smaller pieces that connect to the base. The directions are very straightforward and easy to follow. Once you make the wings, you attach them to the body, completing your build.

Overall I’m not sure how I feel about the build. This is the second deluxe Pokemon I’ve done, the other being Pikachu, and the detail is excellent. This is the 4th Charizard type build that nanoblock has made, and while it has the most detail, I would have rather had a different Pokemon. I found the final build to be very fragile and had difficulty posing it to get the photos because the flame kept falling off.

Things I liked:

The amount of detail in the build

Things I didn’t like:

The head isn’t layered super stable and tended to fall apart

Review of nanoblock Buffaloman NBCC_118

March 9, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBCC_118

Number of Pieces: 230

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Buffaloman is a character in the Kinnikuman series. He is a Devil that changes and becomes friends with Kinnikuman. For more information about him, check out his fandom wiki page here.

The build for Buffaloman begins with the head. I was able to lay the build on my nanoblock pad. The head goes up in simple layers, which are fairly straightforward. I needed to be careful to get the round connected properly because, in a few places, the bricks hang on by a single brick. I also noticed that the color of the gold brown bricks looked very different in the direction and in real life.

The next section is to build the torso and arms. The beginning of the torso is a simple 3 layers of bricks. Once again, I built the layers on my nanoblock pad. Then I built the arms and started to build the torso in my hands since one of the arms is at an angle. After adding the arms, I added the top layer, mostly flat pieces. The round piece in the center isn’t squared, which I didn’t notice at first.

The torso’s last step is adding the hands to the build. The hands are straightforward.

Once the hands are attached, it’s time to attach the head. I hadn’t noticed originally that the head is at an angle. This angle is created by having the 2×2 round piece at an angle. I needed to rotate the piece to attach the head, which was an easy update to make.

The next step was to create the hips, legs, and feet.

Buffaloman’s right leg is bent down so he rests on his toes and spikes. The leg is a stack of black bricks with some additional details. The foot is straightforward and connected to the base of the black bricks.

The final step of the right leg is to begin building the hips. The hips are very fragile and are tricky to line up.

Buffaloman is putting his weight on the base of the left foot. The left leg begins with a stack of black bricks. The thighs are added to the black bricks.

The left leg is attached to the right leg, which finishes the hips.

The final step is to connect the torso to the hips.

Things I liked:

How the head is positioned to be tilted instead of straight on

Things I didn’t like:

Getting the build to stand on its own is tricky, and any movement to the table causes the build to move

Review of nanoblock Lucario NBPM_068

March 7, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBPM_068

Number of Pieces: 160

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Lucario is one of the most popular fighting pokemon. I’m pretty sure it’s been in the regional Pokedex of every generation 4. At least, it feels like that is the situation.

The build for Lucario is very detailed, with over 20 steps. Generally, the number of steps on a pokemon, in my experience, is 10-15 steps. Lucario is tall, so it’s building up the height. There is a lot of detail in the head to create the face.

I was surprised to learn that nanoblock was making Lucario. He has a very trim body, basically an hourglass, in the game and I imagined it would not translate into blocks well. Sadly, in this case, the body is much thicker than it is in the games. I also noticed that Lucario’s tail is heavy and knocks the model off balance. I put mine on a base so that it can stand up safely.

Things I liked:

The amount of detail in the build overall

Things I didn’t like:

He didn’t stand, so needed a base plate
Attaching his head was really finicky

Link to order: Amazon

Review of nanoblock Kinnikuman NBCC_117

March 2, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Number: NBCC_117

Number of Pieces: 200

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Kinnikuman is the main character of Kinnikuman. He is working to prove that he is strong enough to rule Kinniku. For more information about him, check out his fandom wiki page here.

Since Kinnikuman barely wears any clothing, this build is almost all blush bricks. The appearance of blush bricks changes a lot depending on what other bricks are around them. Since this build is mostly blush, you can see the color and how close it is to skin tone.

When I looked at this build, I was concerned that Kinnikuman would have a sticker in the middle of his forehead. I normally don’t use stickers when they come with nanoblock builds, so I was worried the Chinese would be missing. However, when I opened the kit, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a custom brick that had the character, so I didn’t need to use the sticker.

This build is unusual because it begins in the center of Kinnikuman’s head. It begins by laying out the eyes and the outline of the head. I used my nanoblock pad for this section. Over the next several steps, the top part of the head builds up in simple layers, and one of the layers adds the custom brick. The last detail is to add the fin-looking thing to the top of the head.

The next chunk of building is to create the lower section of the head and finish the head section. First, I laid out the jaw on my nanoblock pad. Then I added the layers. At one point, a small stack of bricks is added to the back of the jaw to create the back of the head. I missed that the new small stack is added to the back brick. This meant the head didn’t line up, and I needed to rip the build apart and build the sections again. At this point, the top section of the head is added to the jaw section.

The head is flipped upside down, and bricks are added to the bottom of the head. I don’t like building upside down and find it very difficult. I could easily figure out what was needed because the instructions were clear.

The final detail of the head is to add a stack of bricks that are attached to the fin on the top of the head.

The next step is to build the upper body section. The directions for the body are very clear in this section. The head is attached to the upper body section.

The next step is to build Kinnikuman’s hands. Each hand has a section that is the arm and a section that is the actual hand. How to build and attach the sections to the main body section is very clear. It was even clear how to rotate the hands to have them properly positioned so that the thumbs are in the right place.

I found the hips to be the trickiest section of this build. This is because the step to connect the thighs isn’t super clear. It does show where exactly the brick goes, but it doesn’t show the depth. It appears that it connects to a white brick, but it actually connects to a red rounded brick that is right below where the arrow is.

After building the hips, it is time to build the feet, which is very straightforward.

The final step is to connect the hips to the main torso. I set the build on the table and expected it to be able to stand on its own. It didn’t. It actually fell forward. I shifted the legs around and managed to find a position that finally did allow Kinnikuman to stand. However, it was still flimsy, and as soon as the table moved at all, the build fell right back over.

Things I liked:

The custom-printed brick (I really don’t like stickers)

Things I didn’t like:

Getting the build to stand on its own is tricky, and any movement to the table causes the build to move

Review of nanoblock Garchomp NBPM_075

February 28, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Garchomp
Japanese: Gaburias

Number: NBPM_075

Number of Pieces: 210

Difficulty Rating: 3/10

Garchomp is ground/dragon Pokemon that was released in generation 4. It is the final evolution of Gible and looks a bit like a hammerhead shark. It is also the last Pokemon that the generation 4 champion Cynthia.

When I started the nanoblock build, I made a couple of observations. First, it is hard to tell the difference between the black bricks and the navy that makes up most of the build. I was also worried that I would need a base plate because I was concerned the figure would be tippy.

You begin with a base of navy bricks. In the second step, you begin to build the front of Garchomp since he has a tail sticking off the back end of the base. As you build up the layers, you make the orange stomach and the navy back of Pokemon. In step 6, you build the arms, which hang off by a stud. The arms are fragile and may break off as you continue to build. It is relatively easy to reattach the arms if they do break off.

Once you attach the arms, you build and attach the back fins. You then add a few layers to lock the arms and fin in place. Then it’s time to move on to the head.

You begin the head with a base and build it up in layers. In the layers, you add eyes surrounded by black. After a few layers, you add the distinct head to create the hammerhead shape. Then you add a final layer and attach the head. Please note once you attach the head, the build is temporarily no longer able to stand on its own, so be careful when you put it down.

It’s then time to finish up the build by adding the final details. You first build 2 legs that mirror each other and attach them to the Garchomp. Your build will once again stand on its own. The final detail is to finally finish the tail to complete the build.

Overall, I felt this build should be a 4/5, not a 3/5, because it was difficult, and bits kept breaking off as I tried to build the layers. I was presently surprised that the feet are wide enough to keep the build upright. It is a very fragile build, so I don’t recommend putting it near the edge of a shelf where it could fall super easily.

Things I liked:

I really like the amount of detail in the nanoblock build

Things I didn’t like:

I feel like the arms are a bit weak and likely to break if you move the build a lot

Review of nanoblock Kanao Tsuyuri NBCC_116

February 23, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Kanao Tsuyuri build. Kanao Tsuyuri is part of the nanoblock Character collection. Wondering what else is part of the Character Collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBCC_116

Number of Pieces: 180

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Kanao Tsuyuri is a member of the Demon Slayer Corps in the Demon Slayer Anime. For more information about him, check out the fandom wiki page. For more information about the nanoblock builds, check out my collections page for links to other reviews.

This nanoblock build is split into 2 parts. There is the head and the body.

Kanao Tsuyuri’s head is very different from most of the rest of the Demon Slayer heads. Normally there is a large base layer in the other builds, but in this case, the head is built in columns that are connected together. There are several sections that are 1 brick deep with a brick sticking out to connect the sections together.

After connecting 3 sections, the base unit of the head is completed. The rest of the head is building up Kanao Tsuyuri’s hair. In addition to her hair, Kanao Tsuyuri’s butterfly hair decoration is added to the build. The final step of the head is to add the bottom section of her ponytail.

After finishing the head, it’s time to move on to the body.

I began the body by laying the bricks out on my nanoblock pad. The first couple of layers are very straightforward. In the third step, her hand is added to the build. At this point, the build can no longer be built on the nanoblock pad because the hand has a stud sticking forward, so it doesn’t lie flat on the studs on the mat.

There are a couple more straightforward layers to finish building the top of the body.

After finishing building to the top, the build is flipped over, and her skirt is added to the build. Then the clear support bricks are added to the build. These bricks help the build to stay up even though the finished build has narrow feet. The final step of the body is adding her legs, a simple stack of 4 bricks.

Then it’s time to finish up the build. The next step is to attach the finished head to the body. The final step is to build and connect Kanao Tsuyuri’s sword.

When I completed my build, my finished build was very tippy. This is unusual for the Demon Slayer builds, which normally seem to be pretty solid when standing.

Things I liked:

I really like how they created the butterfly hair decoration that holds up her ponytail

Things I didn’t like:

My final build was tippy, which is unusual, and I didn’t really like it

Review of nanoblock Piplup NBPM_079

February 21, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Piplup
Japanese: Pochama

Number: NBPM_079

Number of Pieces: 170

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

The nanoblock build for Piplup has 2 parts. There is the head and the body.

The section you build is the body. It begins with a layer of bricks in various shades of blue. The body is then built up using layers of blue bricks. In building layers, you add the white for the spots on Piplup’s chest. You also add Piplup’s wings.

The second part of the build is the head. The head begins with a layer of blue and white bricks. The head is built by adding layers of bricks. As you add the layers of bricks, you add the details of the beak and eyes. In my opinion, they are super large for the build, so it looks a little funny. The beak looks closer to yellow than the gold bricks that come with a kit in the directions. When finishing the head, I had the unusual problem that the top layer caved in a bit, so adding the final layer of bricks was challenging.

To finish the build, there are a couple steps. First, you need to attach the head to the body. It is a bit challenging to tell where exactly where the head goes. Then you add a final bottom layer of bricks. The final step is to add the feet to the build.

Things I liked:

Piplup is one of my favorite pokemon, so I’m glad we got a build for him

Things I didn’t like:

His eyes are huge and look too big
I’m not sure if changing out the gold bricks with yellow bricks would look better

Review of nanoblock Gyomei Himejima NBCC_115

February 16, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

This post is a review of the nanoblock Gyomei Himejima build. Gyomei Himejima is part of the nanoblock Character collection. Wondering what else is part of the Character Collection? Click here for a list.

Number: NBCC_115

Number of Pieces: 200

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Gyomei Himejima is a member of the Demon Slayer Corps in the Demon Slayer Anime. For more information about him, check out the fandom wiki page. For more information about the nanoblock builds, check out my collections page for links to other reviews.

This nanoblock build is split into 2 parts. There is the head and the body.

The base layer is made up of skin tone. I laid the base layer out on my nanoblock pad. After the first couple of layers, I built the rest of the head in my hands.

The head goes up in straightforward layers. The hair on the back of his head uses dark grey bricks and is topped off with black hair on the top of the head.

In the step following putting in the white headband, several bricks have fewer studs on top than the size on the bottom. (For example, space for 2 studs on the bottom and 1 stud on top). Lining up these bricks was tricky but doable.

The head is finished off by adding the spikes to the center of the hair and Gyomei Himejima’s eyes.

After finishing the head, it’s time to move on to the body.

I began the body by laying the bricks out on my nanoblock pad. The body goes up in straightforward layers to create the main core of the body.

The next step is to create the hands which are attached to the front of the build. The next layers add his beads and finish the base of the neck. Then the hands are added to the front of the build.

Next, I flipped over the build and added the bottom of the coat and hips. Then I added the clear bricks that help to hold up the build. Next, I added the very straightforward legs, which are just 4 brick stacks.

The final step is to connect the head to the body. It is a bit tricky to tell where exactly the head goes on the body but it is possible to figure out by looking and counting carefully.

Things I liked:

I really like that his hands are out in front of him. It’s unique for the demon slayer builds.

Things I didn’t like:

The white on the back of the build seems to be a bit random, but you can’t see it from the front of the box

Review of nanoblock Chimchar NBPM_078

February 14, 2023March 3, 2023shygal

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

Names:

English: Chimchar
Japanese: Hikozaru

Number: NBPM_078

Number of Pieces: 150

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

The Chimchar nanoblock build has 2 parts. There is a head and a body.

The build begins with the body. It begins with a layer of bricks, including clear bricks. The clear bricks will become Chimchar’s flame tail. This is a detail that mirrors the builds of the Charmander family.

The rest of the body is made of cream and brown bricks. The body and the tail are built together in layers of bricks. At some point, you attach the arms. This can be a tricky step because the bricks are chained together. Meaning it is easy for a brick lower in the chain to fall off even after the top is secured. You finish building the body by eventually adding the feet.

After building the body you move on to the head. The head begins with a layer of cream bricks. The head is built up in layers of mostly brown and cream. As you build the layers, you add the details of the eyes, nose, and ears.

The build is completed by combining the head and the body. I personally had some difficulty lining up the head so it was straight on the body.

Things I liked:

The clear blocks for the flame on the tail are similar to how they are used in the Charmander family.

Things I didn’t like:

It was a pain to get the head centered when I combined the head and the body