Recently my daughter Emma got me hooked on watching the Ninjago® series. Unfortunately I am only on Season 5, but I am fast falling in love with the world of Spinjitzu. Emma has been a big fan of the dragons and has collected many of them and it is easy to see why. They are incredible builds which are not only impressive to look at, but masterfully designed. My passion took a different route. I fell in love with the Mechs and just picked up a couple to build. My shopping cart is now in great danger of finding a Ninjago Mech residing in it often.
It feels a bit like cheating to build set #71794 Lloyd and Arin’s Ninja Team Mech since I have not seen Season 1 of Ninjago: Dragons Rising, but it looked too cool to pass up. The set has 764 pieces, rated for 9+, and includes 7 bags along with an instruction book and sticker sheet. The cost when released was $79.99 USD, which seems a tad steep but keep in mind there are five minifigures included plus some rather large pieces that are incorporated into the Mechs.
The first bag created the “baby” Mech. I am positive that a Mech is designed to be a powerful weapon and should be referenced as such so as not to offend its owner, but this little one can only be described as adorable. Bright yellow and dark green give a pop of color to the armor.
The chest plate stands out since it is in the shape of a dragon’s head with markings that resemble a face printed on each side. The chest section rotates forward to allow access for Arin to jump in. In place of a seat there is a snug standing platform for the ninja to use. The arms and legs are attached with ball and joint pieces, but it is the elbows and knee pieces that I found the most interesting. They are created using a modified bent plate which does not allow for movement, but creates a very natural looking joint position. The wrists are jointed as well and the hands are created with a modified plate with 2 open O clips. This creates a secure attachment for the two sword blades the Mech carries.
Another interesting feature is the armored covering on the knees. They are created with large yellow chest plates and are hinged which allow you to flip them up and see his adorable little knees lying beneath them. Hinged ankles help him fit snugly into the larger Mech and also allow for slight repositioning while it is standing. The many rotating joints and the cuteness factor alone makes this set worth purchasing.
Moving on to the larger Mech we sense immediately that this machine means business and adorable is definitely not a good way to describe it. Imposing and intimidating are better words to use.
Bag two starts creating the torso, but to be honest I had no clue what I was building here until later on. The first thing you notice very quickly is the stability and strength that is built in.
Everything is solid and the joint pieces used are the strongest ones available. The torso is in reality a small section of the machine and doubles as the cockpit which is similar to the smaller one and is standing room only. The one benefit to this larger standing area is Lloyd can wear his swords upon his back, whereas Arin must remove his to fit into the smaller Mech. At the base of the torso a blue axle with pin sticks out which seems a bit odd from an aesthetic element, but is a crucial component later on when the cute little guy decides to hitch a ride.
Strong joint connections attach the torso to the legs.
The upper part of the legs has two black U shaped steps built in that look a bit out of place, but I quickly realized that it supports the feet of little Mech when attached. Strong joints give the knee joints flexibility and green dish pieces give a nice rounded feel to the legs.
The legs extend down and sit atop Geta clogs. I didn’t think there was any way the clogs would support the entire Mech, but they do a wonderful job and it stands up without wobbling. Another interesting feature is the ankle joints. They can rotate slightly forward and backwards, but their greatest movement is side to side. This can help with stability, and also give the freedom to position them in a lot of fun ways.
The arms have a slight comical appearance to them. The upper portions are slim, but the forearms and hands are very large. The shoulder joints can rotate up and forward, but the elbow joints can only bend up and down. The hands and armor plating above them can rotate in a complete circle if you so desire. The fingers are also flexible and can grasp things.
The final design elements are the large green dish that perches above Lloyd and creates a perfect hat for the Mech, and two large armored shields that drape over the shoulders and chest. These pieces of armor I found rather interesting. They are quite large and require you to place full length stickers on the orange panels. The panels are jointed in many places and this allows you to position the shields in many different poses. From shoulder coverings, to what essentially looks like wings on the back. The only complaint I have is with the strength of the connection joint to the body. A small ball and socket is the single attachment point and due to the weight of the armor it struggles to hold up many of the positions that you could place them in. Both sides slowly start to droop downwards.
Overall this is quite the snazzy Mech duo. I am looking forward to seeing them in action when I make it to the season they are showcased in.
The set comes with five minifigures and they look ready for battle.
Lloyd comes in, you guessed it, all green. His print job is nicely detailed and the golden dragon face on his back is a nice touch. His face scarf piece also doubles as a dual sword scabbard upon his back which holds two golden swords. A cowl which resembles a sleek pointed hood covers his head and prevents much of his face from being exposed. His head sports two face prints. One a glaring scowl and in the other he wears a black eye mask and snarls menacingly.
Arin stands out in his bright yellow and orange ninja clothes. He also has a detailed print job on his torso and legs and the image of a dragon head on the front of his shirt which wraps around to a dragon’s tail printed upon his back. He also wears a scarf and scabbard combination like Lloyd, the only difference is the color. Arin’s face print is nicely done and he has a cocky look of “bring it on” which fits him well. His cowl stands out from Lloyds due to the two golden horns which cover his forehead. In addition to his two golden swords, he carries a black rubber grappling hook. This is the first time I have seen this piece, and it is very unique and a wonderful piece to own.
Three Claws of Imperium members are included; Rapton, Imperium Claw General, and Imperium Guard Commander. All three figures wear the same highly detailed print job on their torso and legs. Gold, dark grey, and orange lines create the design which looks like a mixture of armor plating and a computer motherboard. All three also wear black shoulder armor which includes one stud on the back portion.
Rapton’s face stands out as the only yellow face in the trio. His face bears lines of age and battle and a golden visor rests across his eyes. He has a dual face print, but the only difference is his mouth. On one side he frowns slightly, and the other he shows his jagged teeth with a large snarl. A white wavy hair piece sits atop his head. The receding hairline and sideburns give it a unique style. He carries a dual molded sword with a translucent orange blade. I have to say I was impressed with this weapon design and appearance.
Imperium Claw General has a distinct golden head with facial markings on one side and designs for the back of his head on the other side. The designs are created using a shade of gold and black lines. His eyes, and marks on the back of his head, stand out in a deep orange color.
The general’s headpiece has a striking resemblance to the Pike Syndicate in the Star Wars Realm. All black and giving the appearance of a metal design the helmet has two horns that jut out above the eyes. He also carries the same sword as Rapton.
Imperium Guard Commander must have been in a hurry when he dressed since he seemed to have thrown a dishpan on top of his head and called it good. The stud on the front makes me want to put a yellow stud on and turn him into a gold miner hunting deep in a cave. The headpiece definitely makes me smile, but it also fits in very well with the character’s design. His head is black with an identical print on the back of his head as the generals. The front of his face has gold markings and one large red and orange eye. He carries a staff built from various pieces and I have a feeling he could inflict some serious damage with it.
I was greatly impressed with this set and look forward to collecting many more Mechs from the Ninjago world.
