This post is a review of the nanoblock Tinkaton RS build. Tinkaton RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R06
Number of Pieces: 690
Difficulty Rating: 3/5
I found this kit incredibly difficult because the colors on the printed instructions don’t match or come close to the actual brick color.
The first step is to build a small body. I was surprised that there were ball joints since I couldn’t see them on the box.
The next step is to build the main section of the head. This includes the eyes.
The next section is to build the bottom of the hair. It is built in 2 sections, left and right. They are supposed to be near mirror images of each other. I goofed up and missed a layer on one side, but I didn’t notice until I had attached the hair sections. I tried to separate the bricks but couldn’t get a gap so I just left the layer out.
The next step is to finish the top of the hair. This was fairly straightforward.
Now, it is time to build Tinkaton’s massive hammer.
The first step is to build the head of the hammer. The hardest part was figuring out what colors to use where because the colors are so different.
Then, it was time to build the handle. This was fairly straightforward, and I like how Tinkaton’s hands are added to hold the hammer.
The final step is to attach the hammer to Tinkaton.
Things I liked:
I feel like this build gets the essential things that make up Tinkaton
Things I didn’t like:
I didn’t like how the instructions didn’t match the colors of the actual brick
This post is a review of the nanoblock Ceruledge RS build. Ceruledge RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R05
Number of Pieces: 500
Difficulty Rating: 3/5
Ceruledge is built in several small pieces that are all connected to each piece. Other than telling whether bricks were navy or black, each step was very straightforward.
Ceruledge was a bit more tricky than Armarouge because of the use of navy and black pieces and the fact that it is hard to tell the difference between the two colors in poor lighting.
The first step is to build the hips. These are only a few steps that are quickly completed.
The next step is to build is to build the 2 legs. There is one set of directions for each leg so that the legs are correctly mirrored.
The next step was to build the torso. It added the ball joints for the arms and the head connection.
The next step is to build the arms. I really like the use of clear bricks to make the blades. Once again, each arm has a set of directions to ensure things are correctly mirrored.
The next step is to build the stand. I really like how they gave Ceruledge a stand since there is no way it would be able to stand on its own.
The final step was to build the head. For some reason, I suddenly started having difficulty telling which blue to use based on the printed instructions. I was able to figure out which colors to use and was able to build the head.
Things I liked:
I really like that they gave you a stand so the model is able to stand up
Things I didn’t like:
I didn’t like how it was hard to tell which shade of blue to use looking at the instructions, and not every step said which blue to use
This post is a review of the nanoblock Armarouge RS build. Armarouge RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R04
Number of Pieces: 600
Difficulty Rating: 3/5
The first step is to build the center body. I built it on my nanoblock pad. It began by laying the base out on my nanoblock pad. It went up very straightforwardly in layers.
The next step is to build the legs. There is an independent direction for each leg. I built each on my nanoblock pad. The directions for each leg are slightly different to get the correct piece to show in the upper leg section.
The next step is to build the hands and arms. There are 2 sets of directions, one for each arm. They are mirrored so that the hands appear correctly.
The next step is to build the shoulder guards. These are straightforward. I like how the arms are poseable even though such large guards are on the shoulders.
I was super excited to see that there was a stand for this kit. Based on how the legs are built, it would be super hard to get the build to stand on its own. The stand was very straightforward to build and attach.
The hardest part of this build was putting the head together. After building the base of the head, it goes up in layers. As I was placing bricks, the placement seemed kinda random, so I had to trust the process. After building the front of the head, I built the flame coming off the back of the head.
Things I liked:
I really like that the build comes with a stand because it was clear that the build wouldn’t stand on its own
Things I didn’t like:
Surprisingly, I had difficulty making the head, so I had to remove and redo several layers. I’m still not sure that the head is 100% right
This post is a review of the nanoblock Quaxly RS build. Quaxly RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R03
Number of Pieces: 280
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
This kit begins with building the main section of the body. It is building the front and back of the body with a gap in the middle. The entire section I was able to build on my nanoblock pad.
The next section is to build the wings. There is a center pillar that has some ball joints for the wings to attach. Then, I built the wings and attached them to the ball joints.
Now that the body is complete, it is time to add the feet. I built 2 identical feet and attached them to the bottom of Quaxly’s body.
The next major section is to build Quaxly’s head. I was able to build the first several steps on my nanoblock pad. The base was fairly straightforward. At some point, I added the dark blue eyes.
After building a lot of the head, it is time to build Quaxly’s most distinguishing feature, his hair. The steps to build the hair are very clear. Building the hair adds a checkerboard pattern in front, which I think looks a little odd. I do like how there is a wave in the front of the hair.
The final step is to add some details to the bottom of the head and to attach the head to the body.
Things I liked:
I like how poseable the figure is between the wings and feet
Things I didn’t like:
I don’t like the checkerboard in front of the hair
This post is a review of the nanoblock Fuecoco RS build. Fuecoco RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R02
Number of Pieces: 410
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
The first thing I noticed when I looked at the directions was how cramped the directions were. This meant that I needed to be more careful as I was building the set since there were so many little cutouts in the directions.
The build begins with building one side of the base of the Fuecoco. Over the next several steps the base of the Fuecoco is built. Once the entire base was built, I began to build the body section in layers. There was one step where it took me a while to figure out what brick was needed. This is because it appeared to be slanted in the directions and I had missed there was a flat piece used in the step.
The next step is to build the stubby little legs off the body and attach them. Overall, the legs are clear on how to build them and attach them.
The next step is to add the little arms.
Next, I built the head. It started from a maroon base of the mouth. Once again, it begins with a corner and builds out to create a base of the mouth. After building the entire base, the rest of the head goes up in layers. Fuecoco has dark grey eyes, which is unusual in Pokemon builds, which typically feature black eyes.
The final step is to build the neck section. The following section is straightforward, and it is clear where to connect the pieces. I really like how Fuecoco can have his mouth open a little bit. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a photo where Fuecoco has closed its mouth all the way
Things I liked:
I really like how the mouth is slightly open because that is how the Pokemon is usually seen
This post is a review of the nanoblock Sprigatito RS build. Sprigatito RS is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_R01
Number of Pieces: 280
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Sprigatito is the grass starter for Generation 9. This kit features a custom brick color for the lighter green.
The build has 3 sections, the body, tail, and head.
The build begins with building the body. I lay the body out on my nanoblock pad. The body is very straightforward.
After building the body, I flipped the body over and added the legs.
The next section to build is the tail. It is also very straightforward.
The last major section is the head. The beginning of the head is a bit unusual because it takes about 10 steps to create the entire base building from the back to the front.
Once the base of the head is created, the rest of the head is fairly straightforward. I just needed to be careful about which slanty pieces I used. The eyes were also a bit tricky to connect because it wasn’t clear where things lined up or when higher than the base.
Things I liked:
I really like the custom green color that nanoblock created for this build
Things I didn’t like:
I wish the instructions were a bit clearer for the eyes
This post is a review of the nanoblock Salamence build. Salamence is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_100
Number of Pieces: 210
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Salamence is a Dragon/Flying type Pokemon that was introduced in generation 3. It’s the final evolution of Bagon. I feel that the finished build is highly recognizable as the Pokemon. I think its wings look very bulky, but I’m unsure how to make things less bulky and keep the shape.
Salamence is built in several different sections that are combined bit by bit to create the Pokemon.
Salamence begins with a layer of grey bricks that need to be laid out. I lay the layer out on my nanoblock pad to begin the build. The body is built in layers. There are a few points where a layer takes multiple steps, making the instructions much more readable.
After building the body section, it’s time to build the head. Once again, it begins with a base layer. I once again used my nanoblock pad to build the head. The head is straightforward. After building the head, it is attached to the body.
The next step is to build the 4 legs. The legs are then added to the body section. Then a few bricks are added to the tail on the body.
The final step is to build the wings. I was surprised that the wings were identical. They are the correct shape, but in order to create the shape, the wings need to be 2 layers thick which causes the wings to look a little blocky. Once the wings are added, the build is complete.
Things I liked:
I like that the colors of the build match the Pokemon
I like the fact that some of the layers are in 2 steps, which makes the steps clearer
This post is a review of the nanoblock Tyranitar build. Tyranitar is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_099
Number of Pieces: 210
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Tyranitar is a Rock/Dragon type Pokemon introduced in generation 2. It’s the final evolution of Larvitar. I feel that the final build is highly recognizable. My only complaint is the color of the stomach plate. I think the plate should be a grey instead of the bright blue.
The build begins with creating the base of the Tyranitar. It takes 2 steps to create the entire base. From there, the bottom spreads out to create the widest point of the base.
The body goes up in a very straightforward fashion. In general, each layer takes 2 steps in the instructions. The fact that each step takes so much space means that it is very clear which bricks to add.
The build goes from the widest point and goes up in layers. Each layer is mostly green, but sometimes additional colors are added to create the claws, stomach plate, and details.
Tyranitar is a solid collection of layers of bricks. This includes the head. The only things not built into the main build are the legs. The legs are built separately and added to the bottom of the build.
Things I liked:
I loved how clear the instructions were and how much space each step has
Things I didn’t like:
I wish the stomach plate was grey, not bright blue, to be closer to the actual Pokemon
This post is a review of the nanoblock Dialga Deluxe Edition build. Dialga is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
Number: NBPM_094
Number of Pieces: 1020
Difficulty Rating: 4/5
Dialga is one of the generation 4 box legendary Pokemon. It is the master of time. Dialga and Palkia are the only Deluxe nanoblock Pokemon that don’t have also have standard builds.
When I opened the box, I was sad to see that the instructions were printed on a huge piece of paper instead of a booklet. Some of the deluxe kits I’ve built have had booklets and I prefer those. There were 13 bags of bricks so I knew I needed to build the Dialga on my table instead of my tray table.
Dialga is built primarily made from navy bricks. While building, the navy bricks appear to be black when I’m digging around in the bags to find the bricks. There are handful of black brciks in the head. After I realized there was black I checked each bag with a flashlight to find the black and noted which bricks were black.
The first section is the main body. The body is very straightforward and I could easily build the body on my nanoblock pad. I was surprised by how many ball joints were in the body while I was building it. I waited until the end to connect the large section together so that I was trying to balance a build and could attach them in a way that made sense.
The second section is the gem on Dialga’s chest. It is a bit tricky to keep track of which slanty pieces are needed for each step. All of the grey slanty pieces are in the bag so it’s a bit tricky to find the right piece. Once again I built this section on my nanoblock pad.
The next section is the fin on Dialga’s back. Each large section of the fin is a tower of nanoblocks. The hardest part of the tower is making sure the layers are properly overlaid so gaps are minimal. However, what makes the fin truly tricky is the center core where all the towers attach. Getting the fins properly spaced out and not overlapping or pushing on each other depends on having everything centered perfectly which is tricky.
The next step is the base of the 4 feet. Each foot is identical and goes up in layers. Each foot is a solid tower of bricks. I was able to lay all 4 feet out on my large nanoblock pad which made it easier to make sure I didn’t miss any steps on any foot because I was looking at all 4 feet at once.
The next step is to build all 4 of Dialga’s legs. Each leg is a combination of adding the leg connection to the foot and the actual leg itself. all of the brick work is fairly straightforward. The biggest problem I had was getting the leg and foot to nicely attach due to how the ball joint was lined up. I wanted the moveable areas on the socket to be at angles but the actual socket only allows for 90 degree movements.
The next 2 sections are the tail and the neck. Both are fairly straightforward with the only real difference being the tail is 3 sections connected with ball joints.
The head is very straightforward to build. The instructions also make it very clear the couple of steps that used black bricks instead of the navy. I really like that the initial head build has studs sticking out the front which allows for building on and creating Dialga’s curved face instead of it being a block.
The final step is to build the head decorations on both sides of Dialga’s head. They are identical other than 1 brick which has a side stud that is used to connect the piece to the head. Both pieces are connected by inserting a round 1×1 into a socket. This is my favorite way of connecting bricks, but I think it works in this case.
After building all the sections I needed to connect them. I would recommend getting a second pair of hands for this part so that each ball joint can be added but pressure can be kept off the already connected ball joints. First I connected the head to the neck and added the head decorations. Next, I connected the tail to the body. Then I attached the fin. Next, I attached the feet. Finally, I attached the head unit to the body.
Things I liked:
The batch builds. Building multiple identical items at once instead of having split-up identical directions.
Things I didn’t like:
I wish the instructions had been in a booklet instead of a huge piece of paper.
I wish the handful of black had been marked in some way. There are so many bricks that the few black ones were difficult to find.
This post is a review of the nanoblock Brilliant Shining ver Pokemon builds. These builds are numbers NBPM_082 to NBPM_088. Each of these builds is part of the nanoblock Pokemon collection. Wondering what else is part of the Pokemon collection? Click here for a list.
With the release of the Brillant Diamond and Shining Pearl video games, nanoblock released Pokemon from generation 4 as Brilliant Shining versions. These builds are identical to the original builds but are built using clear glitter bricks. The Pokemon in this rerelease are Lucario, Leafeon, Glaceon, Garchomp, Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup.
I’m reviewing the Brilliant Shining ver as a group because these builds are the same as the original builds, except each build is built with glitter bricks. Each build will have photos of the glitter builds and a link to the review of the original builds.
Overall I really liked building these. The clear glitter bricks fit together very nicely and tightly. In general, I find clear bricks hard to use because they seem to be tighter fitting, so I had been avoiding building the Brilliant Shining ver builds. I didn’t have this problem with the glitter version of the clear bricks, which was a pleasant surprise.
I really liked the cream bricks that were created for this build to make the main section of the body. It was also easy to tell the difference between the white and cream bricks. It was harder to tell which bricks were white in some of the later builds.
While building this build, I noticed some errors I had made in the original Lucario build, so I was able to fix my original build. I’m not sure what the difference is, but the glitter Lucario can stand on its own, while the original build isn’t able to even after making the corrections. The Brilliant Shining ver stands, but it is still a little tippy, so you want to ensure that the surface you put the finished build on is flat.
I found the Leafeon build super easy to put together. The only real difficulty I had building Leafeon was that the clear glitter white bricks got lost in all the clear glitter beige bricks.
I like the finished build, but many details are lost because of the clear bricks. I feel that the white in the eyes gets lost. It is also hard to see all the details in the ears because of how the light flows through the bricks.
Glaceon is very similar to Leafeon for a building process, so it was also easy to put together. However, it was really hard to tell the clear glitter blue and the clear glitter light blue apart, so I kept needing to recheck the color and take bits apart because I had picked the wrong color.
Overall I like the original build significantly more. This is because I can’t see the details in the build because the blues are similar.
Garchomp is generally a tricky build. This is because so many sections are built unattached to the body and attached once the section is completed. The arms are also easy to pop off as the layers that create the head.
Overall I feel that most of the details of Garchomp are lost with the clear glitter blocks. This is because the body is so dark it seems that all the yellow bricks are much darker, so the color isn’t clear. It is even hard to tell the clear black glitter from the clear dark blue glitter bricks in the actual build.
There was no real noticeable difference between building the original Turtwig and the Brilliant Shining ver.
I personally don’t really like the color of the Light Clear Green Glitter bricks. These bricks make up the main body of Turtwig. The color of the bricks is very close to the color from Leafeon, which is supposed to be more yellow.
There was no real noticeable difference between building the original Chimchar and the Brilliant Shining ver. The hands are still very fragile.
I don’t really like how the final Chimchar looks. The only way I can describe the final build is fuzzy. There are few places where the clear bricks are backed by a dark color, making the edges and color changes unclear. This makes the entire build seem fuzzy and unclear, which is an effect I don’t care for.
Like Chimchar, I can only really describe the finished Piplup build as fuzzy. This is because of the see-through nature of the bricks. I also think it’s a shame that Piplup’s eyes get lost in the dark blue that makes up most of the head.
