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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
