LEGO Ninjago 2020

[Fenghuang0296]

1 hour ago, Robert8 said:

Thank god cause I don't think Ninjago needs a CMF

 

I think they can release like a "people pack" -like those from City- with the characters that are missing

Um. Do you have any idea how many characters/variants we’re missing?

Just off the top of my head; Dr. Julian. Cole’s dad (and the other Royal Blacksmiths). The Emperor and Empress. Cyrus Borg. Dr. Saunders. Skales’ wife and Skales Jr. Faith (without all her head wrappings). Oni-Garmadon. Casual Harumi (the Prime Empire version isn’t bad but it’s not remotely like how she dressed in S.O.G.). Golden Ninja versions of Jay and Cole (and I’m not particularly happy with the inaccurate existing Kai and Zane either). Prime Empire Zane. Young Lloyd with a wig, not a hood. The Overlord. The Preeminent. Legacy-2 Zane and Nya. (Though I could forgive them not doing Nya since we did get Legacy Samurai X.) Show-accurate casual versions of literally every ninja, both pre- and post-movie. The Police Commissioner, and those two detective partners we keep seeing. Dareth’s screenwriters from Skybound, Nelson and Antonia post-Movie. Young Aspheera. Mambo the Fifth. Kataru. Non-frozen General Vex. Emperor Grimfax and his royal guards. And I’m pretty sure there’s at least a couple of Elemental Masters we never got. 

And that’s to say nothing of the characters we technically did get but were so rare, exclusive and long ago that I think everyone would welcome a rerelease; Casual Pixal, Misako, the postman, Dareth in brown gi, Ed and Edna, Karlof and Griffin Turner. 

[bricksnator]

Ninjago could benefit from a CMF, sure. 

I don't see it ever getting one. Too niche. While I love Ninjago, it's no Star Wars or Harry Potter or Disney or Marvel or DC in terms of mass appeal.

The loss of Toys R Us took away a great avenue to get some of these fringe characters and outfits with the 4-packs. I'm surprised another retailer like Target didn't gobble those up as I'm sure they'd sell heading into the holidays.

Gamer's Market helped with Pink Zane and a weird interpretation of Rocky Dangerbuff, but the Season 13 sets are sadly severely lacking secondary characters. Here's hoping Season 14 doesn't continue that trend.

[Robert8]

Exactly. Not even all Ninjago fans would care about getting all the variants of minor characters

 

2 hours ago, Fenghuang0296 said:

Um. Do you have any idea how many characters/variants we’re missing?

They can release a people pack per year. 

Or even a Ninjago advent calendar

[THELEGOBATMAN]

8 hours ago, Fenghuang0296 said:

Um. Do you have any idea how many characters/variants we’re missing?

Just off the top of my head; Dr. Julian. Cole’s dad (and the other Royal Blacksmiths). The Emperor and Empress. Cyrus Borg. Dr. Saunders. Skales’ wife and Skales Jr. Faith (without all her head wrappings). Oni-Garmadon. Casual Harumi (the Prime Empire version isn’t bad but it’s not remotely like how she dressed in S.O.G.). Golden Ninja versions of Jay and Cole (and I’m not particularly happy with the inaccurate existing Kai and Zane either). Prime Empire Zane. Young Lloyd with a wig, not a hood. The Overlord. The Preeminent. Legacy-2 Zane and Nya. (Though I could forgive them not doing Nya since we did get Legacy Samurai X.) Show-accurate casual versions of literally every ninja, both pre- and post-movie. The Police Commissioner, and those two detective partners we keep seeing. Dareth’s screenwriters from Skybound, Nelson and Antonia post-Movie. Young Aspheera. Mambo the Fifth. Kataru. Non-frozen General Vex. Emperor Grimfax and his royal guards. And I’m pretty sure there’s at least a couple of Elemental Masters we never got. 

And that’s to say nothing of the characters we technically did get but were so rare, exclusive and long ago that I think everyone would welcome a rerelease; Casual Pixal, Misako, the postman, Dareth in brown gi, Ed and Edna, Karlof and Griffin Turner. 

Who would care about those characters besides a few hardcore Ninjago fans? I'll tell you - no one. 

[Exetrius]

11 hours ago, Robert8 said:

I think they can release like a "people pack" -like those from City- with the characters that are missing

That's a nice idea! Or more sets similar to Gamers Market.  

10 hours ago, Fenghuang0296 said:

Um. Do you have any idea how many characters/variants we’re missing?

Just off the top of my head; Dr. Julian. Cole’s dad (and the other Royal Blacksmiths). The Emperor and Empress. Cyrus Borg. Dr. Saunders. Skales’ wife and Skales Jr. Faith (without all her head wrappings). Oni-Garmadon. Casual Harumi (the Prime Empire version isn’t bad but it’s not remotely like how she dressed in S.O.G.). Golden Ninja versions of Jay and Cole (and I’m not particularly happy with the inaccurate existing Kai and Zane either). Prime Empire Zane. Young Lloyd with a wig, not a hood. The Overlord. The Preeminent. Legacy-2 Zane and Nya. (Though I could forgive them not doing Nya since we did get Legacy Samurai X.) Show-accurate casual versions of literally every ninja, both pre- and post-movie. The Police Commissioner, and those two detective partners we keep seeing. Dareth’s screenwriters from Skybound, Nelson and Antonia post-Movie. Young Aspheera. Mambo the Fifth. Kataru. Non-frozen General Vex. Emperor Grimfax and his royal guards. And I’m pretty sure there’s at least a couple of Elemental Masters we never got. 

And that’s to say nothing of the characters we technically did get but were so rare, exclusive and long ago that I think everyone would welcome a rerelease; Casual Pixal, Misako, the postman, Dareth in brown gi, Ed and Edna, Karlof and Griffin Turner. 

I think I stopped watching the show after Skybound, so I suppose that makes me less biased for everything that came after. Beyond the "hardcore fanbase" that was previously mentioned, I think these are the characters that would have broader appeal:

• Pixal from Rebooted (second-to-main love interest character, popularised through fanarts)
• Casual Harumi (idem ditto)
• Emperor and Empress (I don't even know what these look like, but royals will always attract broader interest)
• Garmadon/Overlord transitional form (from a pivotal moment in of the series, and he looks epic :P)
• Elemental Masters and former masters (niche admittedly, but the designs are great. Probably only works if they get some fresh exposure in the show)
• Young Garmadon from Pilot "Battle between Brothers" (main villain)
• Metal Karlof (monochrome, metal-toned figures I should have a wider appeal too, I think)

I like Dareth and the Postman too, but I don't think they speak to the general fanbase.

[Tobias_Jay]

On 6/30/2020 at 11:32 AM, Robert8 said:

Exactly. Not even all Ninjago fans would care about getting all the variants of minor characters

 

They can release a people pack per year. 

Or even a Ninjago advent calendar

That is something many forget, that a CMF line needs to appeal to significant portion of the LEGO market. It’s exactly why the Ninjago Movie CMF contained very few in the way of minifigures that hardcore fans would actually enjoy. Notice there was only ONE actual ninja minifigure in that line and it was a repackaged figure from the set line. (I guess three if you want to count Kendo Kai and Spinjitzu Training Nya, but even they weren’t anything to write home about.) I’m not saying I wouldn’t like a Ninjago CMF, I would love to see it happen. I just can’t see it happening and if it does, I can’t imagine it will give the fans everything they’re hoping for.

Now another Ninjago People Pack, that I can really get behind. I would love to see a Legacy Tournament of Elements People Pack with the four Elemental Masters we’re missing. I predict that next year’s Legacy line will include more fan service-y stuff, seeing as it’s the tenth anniversary of the line. Legacy, so far, hasn’t really given us anything in the way of minifigures we’ve missed out on, bar the Digiverse Zane I suppose, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with the line next year.

[lego_guyon02]

If LEGO uses Legacy in a more smart way a CMF doesn't even have to exist. But so far the figures in Legacy have been kinda meh

[THELEGOBATMAN]

Does anyone know if the two catalogue pictures of Ninjago sets on #legoleaks are real? On the one hand it seems too early and something smells fishy, but on the other... well, catalogue pictures always seem legit to me.

Jay's mech looks REALLY similar to ToE one, only the cockpit is lower, but as it's a Legacy set it could end up being really similar.

The drill also looks REALLY similar to Bane's drill from DC Batcave, so I suppose they are almost definitely fake.

Edited July 1, 2020 by THELEGOBATMAN

[Fenghuang0296]

27 minutes ago, THELEGOBATMAN said:

Does anyone know if the two catalogue pictures of Ninjago sets on #legoleaks are real? On the one hand it seems too early and something smells fishy, but on the other... well, catalogue pictures always seem legit to me.

Jay's mech looks REALLY similar to ToE one, only the cockpit is lower, but as it's a Legacy set it could end up being really similar.

The drill also looks REALLY similar to Bane's drill from DC Batcave, so I suppose they are almost definitely fake.

Where are these pictures?

EDIT: They’re not on #legoleaks for me. Though I have a lot of accounts blocked . . 

DOUBLE EDIT: Found them. Huh. Is that drill pink? Yeah they don’t look massively real, but I’ll reserve judgement. Even if they are real, though, I doubt I’d get them unless they had exclusive minifigures or some such.

Edited July 1, 2020 by Fenghuang0296

[Lego David]

On 6/30/2020 at 4:17 AM, bricksnator said:

I don't see it ever getting one. Too niche. While I love Ninjago, it's no Star Wars or Harry Potter or Disney or Marvel or DC in terms of mass appeal.

 

Ninjago is one of LEGO’s best selling original themes (or used to be, IDK) so it getting a CMF series isn’t as niche as it may seem. Not to mention, I can see a Ninjago CMF series being popular with kids, because they are the main audience for Ninjago and (most likely) they are the ones who watch the Ninjago TV Show the most regularly. 

There have been some niche CMF series (such as Simpsons and the recent DC series, which has a lot of very niche characters) so a Ninjago CMF series happening at some point isn’t unlikely.

[Robert8]

As niche as they might be, you cant really compare the Simpsons with those minor Ninjago characters mentioned above..........

[THELEGOBATMAN]

1 hour ago, Lego David said:

Ninjago is one of LEGO’s best selling original themes (or used to be, IDK) so it getting a CMF series isn’t as niche as it may seem. Not to mention, I can see a Ninjago CMF series being popular with kids, because they are the main audience for Ninjago and (most likely) they are the ones who watch the Ninjago TV Show the most regularly. 

There have been some niche CMF series (such as Simpsons and the recent DC series, which has a lot of very niche characters) so a Ninjago CMF series happening at some point isn’t unlikely.

Simpons are not niche. It's a really popular series with over 30 seasons, for a good reason. The second one was niche and we know it did not sell well.

DC series niche? Are you joking? It may have included a lot of niche characters (or niche variants of popular characters), but it's still a DC series, one of the most popular brands that exist.

So don't compare those two series to a series that would consist of 16 random civilians or variant of ninjas that only hardcore fans want.

[Lyichir]

Two things can be true: that Ninjago could do well with a CMF or people pack, given its popularity, and that it's incredibly unlikely that one would contain all or even most of the characters who have not yet appeared in sets. There are just so many Ninjago characters who haven't appeared, but a CMF or people pack featuring all of them would feel incoherent (not to mention how many designs that would be "accurate" to the show are comparatively underdesigned compared to figs designed for sets and have little in the way of a Ninjago-specific visual identity).

The idea of a Tournament of Elements people pack is a great one and one I've considered before. Not only could it throw in one or two of the main ninja to appeal to kids who don't have as much of a connection to minor characters, but the Elemental Masters are some of the more action-oriented and well-designed characters who are associated with one another, which gives them a lot of appeal (though granted, some could potentially benefit from redesigns like Ash and Shade got in the minifigure pack from 2017 that included them, just to make them look more distinctive). And the Legacy sub-theme offers the perfect opportunity to release one. So far the only season 4 set has been the Jungle Raider, but considering that there were Legacy sets this year that revisited Season 1 and 2 there's always the possibility of more Season 3 and 4 ones as well.

 

[TeriXeri]

I'd always prefer people packs over any form of CMF.

Edited July 1, 2020 by TeriXeri

[Takanuinuva]

So looks like the sets will likely be out in august. Still says Coming soon in Canada. And I don't see a mid month release.

[bricksnator]

Hopefully a brand manager at LEGO begins to look at the longevity of Ninjago and how that pertains to demographics.

Many of the fans/toy buyers who were once kids are now young adults. They want some of the more obscure items that have never been made available.

Ninjago will always be a kids property, much like Star Wars toys have been for decades. But as the original generation ages, their tastes mature, and that's a new market to tap with cleverly designed products that tap deep into nostalgia like the "Legacy" line does. Only taking more creative risks instead of 99% rehashes geared toward Netflix kids.

[Tobias_Jay]

19 hours ago, THELEGOBATMAN said:

Does anyone know if the two catalogue pictures of Ninjago sets on #legoleaks are real? On the one hand it seems too early and something smells fishy, but on the other... well, catalogue pictures always seem legit to me.

Jay's mech looks REALLY similar to ToE one, only the cockpit is lower, but as it's a Legacy set it could end up being really similar.

The drill also looks REALLY similar to Bane's drill from DC Batcave, so I suppose they are almost definitely fake.

I’ll put my money on them being super fake. Those comparisons you’ve drawn are spot on, especially on the ElectroMech, which looks near identical to the original. Legacy remakes have, so far, been incredibly distinctive from the originals. I honestly can’t remember, but it does feel way too early to be seeing pictures of the next wave.

[THELEGOBATMAN]

3 hours ago, Tobias_Jay said:

I’ll put my money on them being super fake. Those comparisons you’ve drawn are spot on, especially on the ElectroMech, which looks near identical to the original. Legacy remakes have, so far, been incredibly distinctive from the originals. I honestly can’t remember, but it does feel way too early to be seeing pictures of the next wave.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure now that they are fake.

[Mizyaz]

Are there any rumours about 2021 winter season? 

An underwater subtheme would be cool. 

[Robert8]

It would be nice if they keep the current theme for another wave

 

 

They just can't keep changing the whole thing every 6 months, right? 

[Renny The Spaceman]

8 minutes ago, Robert8 said:

It would be nice if they keep the current theme for another wave

 

 

They just can't keep changing the whole thing every 6 months, right? 

I wish they'd go back to 1 subtheme per year, two waves gives more time to flesh each one out and would probably help break up Ninjago fatigue if we weren't getting dual bike set, mech, jet, dragon, villain temple every six months

[BrickJagger]

1 hour ago, Robert8 said:

It would be nice if they keep the current theme for another wave

They just can't keep changing the whole thing every 6 months, right? 

They've been doing that for six or so years though. Kids have short attention spans 

[Robert8]

6 years already? 

I really thought the 6 months subthemes were more recent

 

 

I don't know how they will be able to keep that pace

[TeriXeri]

On one hand I don't mind the changes of subject/theme as it adds variation.

On the other hand, when there's a theme like the current Dungeon and Dragon vibe I really like, there won't be more sets 

With Legacy out there however, going to 1 year themes would be nice.

Still, 2020 has more actual sets compared to 2019 which had a lot more spinners.

Edited July 4, 2020 by TeriXeri

[Fenghuang0296]

On 7/5/2020 at 2:38 AM, TeriXeri said:

On one hand I don't mind the changes of subject/theme as it adds variation.

On the other hand, when there's a theme like the current Dungeon and Dragon vibe I really like, there won't be more sets 

With Legacy out there however, going to 1 year themes would be nice.

Still, 2020 has more actual sets compared to 2019 which had a lot more spinners.

I mean technically the Arcade Pods are ‘Spinner Type’ sets. Though I do like the Pods a lot more than ordinary spinners. (Very much on the fence about getting one of the Spinjitsu Burst sets just to see what they’re like and maybe  mess with the exclusive pieces .  .)

I just saw Jangbricks’ review of the Fire Stone Mech, and . . yeah I’m pretty much convinced now not to get it. The detailing is good but it just feels out of place compared to the rest of the theme, since it doesn’t tie in with the board game aspect at all. (I wonder if some executive pulled rank on this, like, “We need a mech in this wave,” “But we have a whole board game theme set up across all the sets,” “I don’t care. Mech. Now. And I know this is Cole’s season but Cole isn’t popular and doesn’t sell so make his big set mostly about Kai,” 
Plus it annoys me a lot that this, a vehicle that’s predominantly Kai themed, is Cole’s only large vehicle since 2016 (not counting the Movie), and it comes during what’s supposed to be a Cole themed season. Honestly, they could have made ‘Cole’s Rhino Creature’ and a ‘Fire Ice Mech’. That would have been good. Bleh . .  oh well, guess I’m once again not going to get a full wave of Ninjago sets. I wonder if they’ll ever again make an entire wave that’s just unambiguously good with no filler.