Ninjago 2013

[CoreyKilla]

OOHHHH sorry i thought it was the fire temple lol i haven't watched many older episodes just a few here and there. lol sorry about my long run-on post. I like most of the ninjago sets, its just that like the Ultra Sonic Raider and the Destinys bounty are basically getting dropped for the new vehicles and their last trip.

The Destinys Bounty has turned into a blimp. Thats a clever idea in the show, but i think its like a insult to the toy kinda. I never personally bought the Destinys Bounty becuase it wasnt as near as big as the one in the show, but i understood lego couldnt make it THAT big lol. If a toy changes in the Television show, it should have a reissue of the newer version kinda like transformers(as a used to be fan, i still like it, but not as much to buy all of them :p), but lego couldnt do that either, because of their weird rules, but its also understandable due to their 2-times a year distributing new sets.

[Faefrost]

OOHHHH sorry i thought it was the fire temple lol i haven't watched many older episodes just a few here and there. lol sorry about my long run-on post. I like most of the ninjago sets, its just that like the Ultra Sonic Raider and the Destinys bounty are basically getting dropped for the new vehicles and their last trip.

The Destinys Bounty has turned into a blimp. Thats a clever idea in the show, but i think its like a insult to the toy kinda. I never personally bought the Destinys Bounty becuase it wasnt as near as big as the one in the show, but i understood lego couldnt make it THAT big lol. If a toy changes in the Television show, it should have a reissue of the newer version kinda like transformers(as a used to be fan, i still like it, but not as much to buy all of them :p), but lego couldnt do that either, because of their weird rules, but its also understandable due to their 2-times a year distributing new sets.

Weird rules? I think the only one that applies is "don't have two different versions of the same product on the shelves competing with each other at the same time". The Destiny's Bounty will still be available well into 2013. If you want a blimp version you can make it yourself. It looked like they designed the blimp version in the show at least partially with the blimp part from the 5956 Expedition Balloon set. http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=5956-1

As far as views on the loss of beloved things in the show, some of it such as the Spinjitsu Dojo kind of had to be destroyed. It's often part of the "Heroes Journey" that helps to make a better story. Kicking the Protagonists out of the nest so to speak.

[Tobias_Jay]

Look on the pics- it screams "FEENAL BATTYL" :D

But for reals, we have confirmation from above :)

I noticed . But what I meant is that they could do two waves of the final battle. Making a show that features a giant four armed robot, a large saw bouncy thing (whatever that thing was) and Lloyds mother, you would expect kids to want to play those scenes out with their own bricks. If they are indeed not making more sets I'd say bad move LEGO.

Edited October 23, 2012 by Wall E2624

[CoreyKilla]

Weird rules? I think the only one that applies is "don't have two different versions of the same product on the shelves competing with each other at the same time". The Destiny's Bounty will still be available well into 2013. If you want a blimp version you can make it yourself. It looked like they designed the blimp version in the show at least partially with the blimp part from the 5956 Expedition Balloon set. http://www.brickset....ail/?Set=5956-1

As far as views on the loss of beloved things in the show, some of it such as the Spinjitsu Dojo kind of had to be destroyed. It's often part of the "Heroes Journey" that helps to make a better story. Kicking the Protagonists out of the nest so to speak.

I guess im too used to transformers retooling everything lol my brother has been collecting them for like 11 years and he has a massive collection. Hasbro retools a lot of things, and they have changed one robot to another because somthing happened to him in the show. And about the Destinys Bounty, i was talking about how they will probably never use it again after they get to the dark island because it will be near the end of the show, but it goes back to the progression of the story. I guess i dont like stories :p

Edited October 23, 2012 by CoreyKilla

[DraikNova]

I would love it if one more wave or at least one or two exclusives were released, but I think it´s unlikely.

[Faefrost]

I noticed . But what I meant is that they could do two waves of the final battle. Making a show that features a giant four armed robot, a large saw bouncy thing (whatever that thing was) and Lloyds mother, you would expect kids to want to play those scenes out with their own bricks. If they are indeed not making more sets I'd say bad move LEGO.

One thing to also keep in mind is the production lead time. Take note that we had notice from the Lego designers that they would not be at the next big show because they would be busy presenting the 2014 designs to the higher ups for final approval. The production time frame for a single Lego set is somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 36 months. Whereas the production time frame for an animated TV show is often closer to 12-18 months. So while the people making the show will often have some heads up regarding forthcoming new Lego designs, at best all the Lego designers will have from the TV people is some initial concept stuff and maybe a rough sketch of the plot. The TV people can more easily incorporate designs into the show than the Lego people can incorporate show scenes into the sets. The sets are often designed a long time before the scripts are written. At least beyond some basic outlines and concept stuff. When the Lego designers went to work on this wave of Ninjago sets it is doubtful if anyone even knew that there would be another season of the animated show. This is also why we get these little inaccuracies in sets that seem to revolve around certain scenes. Why is Pythor in the Ultra Sonic Raider? Why are there "Kendo" Ninja on the Bounty? Why doesn't Samurai X's Nya head have goggles? Etc. These are all because the sets were actually designed ahead of the episodes and based on preliminary work and guesses.

[Lyichir]

One thing to also keep in mind is the production lead time. Take note that we had notice from the Lego designers that they would not be at the next big show because they would be busy presenting the 2014 designs to the higher ups for final approval. The production time frame for a single Lego set is somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 36 months. Whereas the production time frame for an animated TV show is often closer to 12-18 months. So while the people making the show will often have some heads up regarding forthcoming new Lego designs, at best all the Lego designers will have from the TV people is some initial concept stuff and maybe a rough sketch of the plot. The TV people can more easily incorporate designs into the show than the Lego people can incorporate show scenes into the sets. The sets are often designed a long time before the scripts are written. At least beyond some basic outlines and concept stuff. When the Lego designers went to work on this wave of Ninjago sets it is doubtful if anyone even knew that there would be another season of the animated show. This is also why we get these little inaccuracies in sets that seem to revolve around certain scenes. Why is Pythor in the Ultra Sonic Raider? Why are there "Kendo" Ninja on the Bounty? Why doesn't Samurai X's Nya head have goggles? Etc. These are all because the sets were actually designed ahead of the episodes and based on preliminary work and guesses.

I think many of those inconsistencies have nothing to do with any disconnect between the show and the sets, and have more to do with what will sell better. For instance, Pythor makes the USR a much more desirable set, since there's only one fig exclusive to it. So why not use a must-have fig like him, to make sure kids buy it? After all, the only antagonist of the USR was the Devourer, which fits better in the set with the Ultra Dragon. In the case of Samurai X, perhaps focus groups just reacted poorly to the masked version. The Kendo ninja make sense in the Bounty because they only appear in one scene of the show, and that setting had already been made into a set. So instead the Kendo Ninja were shunted in whereever they fit, and the Bounty was the closest thing to the dojo released this year. I think for non-licensed themes (even ones with a TV show attached), the distribution of content among sets is according to sales potential rather than on recreating particular scenes from the story.

[DraikNova]

I agree Lyichir, it seems less like an inability to do that and more like a production decision.

[Aanchir]

Also, we've heard from multiple sources that the show is at least written before the sets are designed with any finality. I imagine it's done in stages-- the designers pitch ideas to the writers, then the writers come up with some scripts, then the designers refine the set designs, etc. This could explain why many set functions either take a while to show up in the show (such as the USR's flight module) or never show up at all (like the tread assault's camouflage function).

Also note we've seen concept art of the Destiny's Bounty that doesn't resemble the set at all, and it sounds like it was not based on a prototype but rather made up based on the expectation that the Bounty would be something like a "flying aircraft carrier".

[Flipz]

Actually, it was the Spinjitzu Dojo that burned down (and that happened like a year after it was introduced as a set). Nothing at all happened to the Fire Temple. And personally, I don't mind that Ninjago's story ties up loose ends like that. Eliminating things like the Spinjitzu Dojo or the Serpentine helps to keep the story from stagnating by focusing too much on old settings or characters. By the time the Serpentine were sealed away again, they had basically just become comic relief anyway. By giving them a sort of karmic retribution, they're given a fitting end instead of becoming background characters like Nuckal and Kruncha. Besides, many Lego fans will buy sets because they're cool, whether or not they're relevant to the story as it stands currently.

Sort of off-topic, but I thought the Fire Temple WAS destroyed

in the episode in which the Serpentine get the Fangpyre Fang Blade and Kai discovers his True Potential.

[Aanchir]

In general, I don't think something being destroyed/killed/otherwise written out in-story has any really negative impact on set sales unless it never got much screen time beforehand. After all, kids are still willing to buy LEGO Star Wars sets depicting the Death Star, General Grievous, Count Dooku, Mace Windu, or Yoda. Even if an object or character no longer appears in later installments of the series, kids can still use the sets to recreate previous installments or even (in the true spirit of LEGO) make up their own stories.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Aanchir

[Kai NRG]

. . .In the case of Samurai X, perhaps focus groups just reacted poorly to the masked version. . .

While I do certainly prefer a non-masked Samurai X, I am pretty sure Nya used the mask only when the ninjas did not know here identity. After that, she used her normal voice and no mask. So of course, it then makes perfect sense to release Samurai X without a face mask. In general, I think LEGO does a pretty good job of keeping most of the sets as show-realistic as possible. Whenever there is a change, it usually ends up better for the set (although sizing all the bigger vehicles down doesn't end up quite so good. . . ). (And on the Kendo Ninja, Jay actually re-used his once on the Bounty. I'm not sure, but some of the other ninjas might have done so as well.)

[DraikNova]

Incidentally, the Fire Temple was only damaged. At least, the part outside the volcano still exists.

[PenPlays]

^Is it? I don't ever recall them returning to the volcano after "The Green Ninja." If I forgot that it reappeared (which is very likely, I will accept that ) a nice reminder would help.

[DraikNova]

Well, in "The Green Ninja" the only damage you see to the Temple, even after the volcano exploded, is a couple of rocks falling on the arches.

[Faefrost]

While I do certainly prefer a non-masked Samurai X, I am pretty sure Nya used the mask only when the ninjas did not know here identity. After that, she used her normal voice and no mask. So of course, it then makes perfect sense to release Samurai X without a face mask. In general, I think LEGO does a pretty good job of keeping most of the sets as show-realistic as possible. Whenever there is a change, it usually ends up better for the set (although sizing all the bigger vehicles down doesn't end up quite so good. . . ). (And on the Kendo Ninja, Jay actually re-used his once on the Bounty. I'm not sure, but some of the other ninjas might have done so as well.)

I thought the goggles were more part of the targeting and operating system for the robot. That's why the lenses are different. The MF or CMF "Crazy Scientist" head isn't too bad of a replacement is you are looking to do the Mysterious "Samurai X" fig.

[Aanchir]

I was comparing the Stone Army vehicles to their depictions in last night's Ninjago episode when I noticed something. While the Samurai Bike doesn't have the giant cannon on the back that it has in the show, its flick-fire missiles do seem to be connected to a function of some kind. Pic for reference. Note that they use 3M Technic axles with studs rather than the typical flick-fire missile piece, they're mounted on a Technic beam with a studded half-pin at the end (probably as a stopper for the beam to descend into the body), and there's a Technic piece sticking off the back that doesn't seem to serve any visible function, but which is probably connected to this action feature.

Now, I'm not getting my hopes up for something as incredible as this (the Samurai Bike is far too compact, unless TLG has a brilliant new way of incorporating such a function), but I definitely think we might be speaking too soon when we observe the scarcity of unique functions in next year's sets.

[Kai NRG]

I was comparing the Stone Army vehicles to their depictions in last night's Ninjago episode when I noticed something. While the Samurai Bike doesn't have the giant cannon on the back that it has in the show, its flick-fire missiles do seem to be connected to a function of some kind. Pic for reference. Note that they use 3M Technic axles with studs rather than the typical flick-fire missile piece, they're mounted on a Technic beam with a studded half-pin at the end (probably as a stopper for the beam to descend into the body), and there's a Technic piece sticking off the back that doesn't seem to serve any visible function, but which is probably connected to this action feature.

Now, I'm not getting my hopes up for something as incredible as this (the Samurai Bike is far too compact, unless TLG has a brilliant new way of incorporating such a function), but I definitely think we might be speaking too soon when we observe the scarcity of unique functions in next year's sets.

I think I might have spotted another piece sticking out, right behind the missiles, maybe the function will be similar to this?

[DraikNova]

Not to mention that there seems to be a new "half-pin" piece on top of that bar.

[Aanchir]

Not to mention that there seems to be a new "half-pin" piece on top of that bar.

What seems new about it? As far as I can tell it's just this piece in Bright Blue. You can just barely see the stud sticking out of the back.

The possibility of a more complex function for the Samurai Bike makes me wonder what the other sets might be hiding. Kai's Fire Mech is obviously too small for any functions to be hidden within it, and Cole's Power Driller almost certainly has a gear function to drive the drill. But the possibility of a hidden function to the Garmatron (rather than just the rather mundane Technic spring-loaded arrow) could raise the set's "cool factor" considerably. The Temple of Light's hinged walls have already been discovered, and those make it seem a lot more impressive (since rather than just a flat building facade, it's suddenly able to become more enclosed than even the Spinjitzu Dojo).

Regarding the most recent episode,

I'm kind of uncertain what to think regarding the Temple of Light set's depiction of the location. I recognize that it probably wouldn't have been possible to make it quite as impressive as in the show except by raising the price point or removing the mech. And the color scheme of the set suits the Ninjago theme a lot better than its dimly-lit color scheme from the show IMO. However, the thing that most disappoints me about the set is that the giant bell which is perhaps the most important plot point within the Temple of Light from the show is in the set represented by a rather underwhelming gong. It's not even a large gong; just a 2x2 round tile and an attached mallet.

Meanwhile, it might become relevant in a later episode (like the Golden Mech, which hasn't appeared yet), but currently I can't understand the significance of the flame that is one of the set's main focal points. I think centering the gong/bell would have made a lot more sense.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Aanchir

[Aethersprite]

I haven't caught up with the latest episodes yet - but have all the 2013 sets start to appear in the show?

[Kai NRG]

I haven't caught up with the latest episodes yet - but have all the 2013 sets start to appear in the show?

Most of them. Not Jay and Zane's smaller vehicles, and not the robot, but I think everything else has. As far as the temple of light, I hadn't got that that round gold tile was supposed to be

the "instrument of peace" until you mentioned it. And that flame of fire does seem wierd, but maybe that has/will have something to do with the re-appearance of the sword of fire?

[PenPlays]

Most of them. Not Jay and Zane's smaller vehicles, and not the robot, but I think everything else has. As far as the temple of light, I hadn't got that that round gold tile was supposed to be

the "instrument of peace" until you mentioned it. And that flame of fire does seem wierd, but maybe that has/will have something to do with the re-appearance of the sword of fire?

It could also be TLG's representation of the epic beam of light that powered up Lloyd. It has now become imperative that I MOC this temple to completion. The absence of the bell saddens me so. Not to mention the crystals.

[Kai NRG]

It could also be TLG's representation of the epic beam of light that powered up Lloyd. It has now become imperative that I MOC this temple to completion. The absence of the bell saddens me so. Not to mention the crystals.

Yes, I thought of that. But if so,

How would you get Lloyd to stand up there? A bunch of clear round 2x2s would have worked better. . .

Edited October 26, 2012 by Kai NRG

[DraikNova]

If only LEGO made a translucent gold color.

What seems new about it? As far as I can tell it's just this piece in Bright Blue. You can just barely see the stud sticking out of the back.

It's just so difficult to see that little bit.

Also, the robot has appeared in episode 23.

Edited October 26, 2012 by DraikNova