Itaria No Shintaku

Good one. I should have added that. PRO9- Cheaper sets. Price difference is really outstanding there. PoTC, like PoP, here are selling BADLY because not a lot of people loved them (PoP nearly no one, PotC someone, yes, but ... they don't seem to have sold a lot here). Perhaps you're not sick of reading tons of post on a theme that maybe will never be released. Well I am. It's like a competition on who has the greatest tolkien culture. I read those books, and played the LoTR RPG for 2 years, but I don't come on flooding the forum for that. Nevertheless I ended my post writing "my 2p". And IMHO TLC should have never turned to flesh. I loved those original star wars and HP in yellow. Lego's yellow is like a trading mark. Turning flesh was wrong IMHO.

I actually would welcome 10 times more a CUSTOM FANTASY theme than an official LoTR licence. PRO-1: Cheaper sets. PRO-2: Non flesh minifigures. PRO-3: Less fussy AFOLs arguing on if the correct color for a single piece had to been medium or sand blue. PRO-4: Cheaper sets. PRO-5: Less fussy AFOLs arguing on the fact that the Minas Tirith Tower is only 45 cm tall PRO-6: Cheaper sets. PRO-7: No need to stick on something. PRO-8: Maybe I forgot to add this: Cheaper sets. CON-1: That wouldn't be LoTR (but actually so many LoTR MOCs have been built SO GOODLOOKING that I would add: "who cares?" The stakes of TLC molding new pieces are equal both if they do LoTR than if they do a custom fantasy set). I would welcome a new D&D-bases (not licensed, based) theme with monsters and antropomorphic minifigs (like hydras, nagas, medusae, and the like) more than a LoTR. My 2p

Both. But clearly that was an easy one.

Perhaps this has been already told but... ...if REALLY there is a LoTR wave, considering the designing, production and shipping times, either we are already too late, or they were EXTREMELY skilled at keeping the secret...

I'd welcome LoTR but this means I will sell a lot of heads/hands flesh on bricklink... I can't stand flesh color...

In a perfect world, you would be right. In this world, if I don't' feel the bags for getting (eg) the space marine, I'd buy that on bricklink by a user who has done the same process to get it. Since I'm not stealing, I pay what I take, I have the identical same rights to buy than the customer who picks at random. In minifig building army, mors tua vita mea.

I got different reactions in different stores. In one they were surprised and amazed at my skill, they even got me a discount for the huge amount of minifig bought. In one they said "it's unfair" but they stopped when I said "Maybe yes, but I can't live on doubles" In one the shopkeeper asked me for having himself a gladiator. In one the shopkeeper said I had to stop "because the box is near to the paying queue and you are an obstacle" and there I was bold enough to take the whole box and continue elsewhere. And so on. BTW there are two main things I don't forget while feeling the bags. 1 - The customer is always right. This is the first law of commerce. And as a customer, either you allow me to feel the bags, or I will do the same process in another shop. Your choice. I buy a lot of minifigs, are you sure you want to give up my money for a little bothering in watching me feeling bags? 2 - IF I REMOVE A CERTAIN MINIFIG FROM YOUR BOX, people buying random minifigs will come back looking for that particoular one which is not in the box any more, and come again and again. So, if you are smart, you SHOULD BE HAPPY if I feel the bags in army building. Let's say it all, shopkeeper, I'm helping ya! This said, I can tell for sure that if somebody in my zone was looking for the S5 dwarf, he/she could forget about it. 21 picked in 7 different boxes in 5 different shops. 0 error ratio. I even found multiple shops which were selling it at 2€ instead of 2,50€ S6 will be the largest army building for me even more than S7. I got 100€ ready for that. I'll have to visit all the shops on the first days of January to ensure the boxes are just fresh opened and get my Roman Soldiers, Minotaurs, Highlanders, Genies and Leprechaunes

After some while to think about it, my response: Geek: 2x - Nice to have it, but won't need much. Bride: 2x - Don't need that. Sure that we will have the male counterpart soon. Stunt: 2x - Btw I truly hope the cape is NOT printed. Viking Woman: Nx - I never thought I'd be army building for women, but she deserves it. Jungle Boy: Nx - Barbarians are welcome. Easter Bunny: 2x - Nice concept, but I don't need that. Swimmer: 2x - For me this is a bronze medal, pointing out we will have golden and silver. Tennis Player: 2x - Passing on. Punk Rocker: 2x - I bet the hairpiece is made on soft plastic. Aztec Warrior: 5-8x - Very nice. Bagpipe Scotman: 2x - But the kilt... I'd need tons ... Spacemarine: 2x - I don't build sci-fi... but it's tempting. Hippie: 2x - Doesn't fit in my lego Universe Black Knight TONS - I'd never get enough of this stuff Red Hood: 5x - Red Hood and small cape is worth the fig for me. Neptune: Nx - Welcome aboard, merfolks! As usual, here my "feel the bags" advice for army builders. Bride and Viking Woman: Find the slope as legs, then look for the shield. If there is, it's a viking, either is the other one. Aztec: Unmissable. Headgear is unique. Space Marine: Unmissable if you focus on the armor. Jungle Boy: Unmissable, the Monkey is unique. Scotman: Unmissable, the bagpipe is unique. Punk Rocker: Go for the guitar, watch out you can mistake it for a sword. Neptune: ABSOLUTELY unmissable for the leg piece. Red Hood: Unmissable, the only short legs. Bunny: Unmissable, unique headgear. Knight: The shield should be easy to find. Otherwise, the amour is easy too. Hippie: The hairpiece should be easy to guess. This leaves four which are less easy to identify. The stuntman could be found via the helmet, but it could be mistaken with the space marine. The geek should be found via the cup. The swimmer should be found via the headgear. The tennis player via the racquet.

LEGO win.

One goes on my shelf with the other ones, and one is disassembled for making custom minifigs. It has unique pieces. For me 2x is the minimum buy. Shin

It seems to me that TLG isn't that hostile versus fantasy, since the Castle/Fantasy Era they also produced Elves in collectible minifigs, they re-launched the Dwarf and now in January they're bringing Minotaurs and Highlanders with longswords. I would welcome both a fantasy theme, and a north-european castle theme, like vikings but without those crappy monsters. By the way I strongly believe we will see another wave of Kingdoms in 2012. I didn't welcome Kingdoms, it sounded cliche to me... but this year's wave is awesome!

I really can't wait. I waited too see better pictures in order to comment those... and wow. I always army-built only 3 or 4 minifig per series, but this time it would be worse. Fact 1 : Feeling the bags would be really easier this time! Too many new molds easy to guess. Fact 2 : At least 5 minifig going very well for fantasy scenarios like mine. So here it goes: Space Woman. Pink is not for me. 2x, as usual. Flamenco Dancer. Absolutely unwanted. I will get the usual 2x. Skater Girl. Who really needed one more? 2x Surgeon. Intriguing headwear. But nothing more. 2x Pijama boy. Funny concept. But nothing more. 2x Mechanic. Interesting hair, and face. But 2x is enough. Bandit. I already had enough in WW, but good guess. 2x Grey. No need, but I reckon it may be appealing for other people. 2x Robot. Very interesting concept. Maybe 3x. Statue of Liberty. Perhaps parts are reusable for a fey? If yes 5x, if not 2x. Butcher. Excellent, with cleaver and T-Bone. 4x for sure. Leprechaune. WOW! 6x, I don't go for leprechaunes armies... but at least 5 plus the usual on the shelf. Genie. 6x. See above. Roman Soldier. 11x, too great... maybe more. Minotaur. 11x, I can't buy less. Highlander. THE BEST!! Longswordsssssssssssssssssssss!!! I'll buy as more as I can of this one! And I suppose per Christmas we will have news of series 7!

I found the pictures elsewhere and... yes, same impact to me. The spinners figures could have been done better, furthermore I ask myself: why the hell focusing on serpentmen with tail if you want to do spinners and you need legs? I mean, this is a great project bug, IMHO, they could have done, I can say, goblins, orcs, bearmen or whatever who already had legs! I will surely buy on BL the serpent figures which come out with the sets since they seem nice to me, and perhaps some of the smaller sets but I really am not interested in vehicles!!! The main failure from this series is to mix technology and ninjas... if they kept a more historic approach I surely would have bought more.

Me neither...

Well, of course I also like to have 1x of each minifig, that's why I buy a full box with a friend. Lucky enough that I found a shopkeeper who will sell me the full box for 90€ (thus paying 1.50€ per minifig). The remaining minifigs are usually sold out on bricklink in a small time. :)

Not AFOLS. I wanted only lizardmen dwarves and gladiators from s5 and now I have 10, 15 and 10... and with 0% errors. Feeling the packages is easy if you know how to. I don't feel ashamed, some clerks watch you oddly but also someone asked me to feel it for him too. I never get unwanted minifigs. In s6, with the roman shield and spear it would be easiest. I will build an army. Consider also this thing: the shop owners are really GAINING if you wipe away a certain minifig, for kids will come back every time hoping to get it and getting more minifigs, only for NOT finding it since you bought them all. I don't feel bad for that. Minifig hunt is like other hunts: no rules.

Yes. You told in a line what I tried to say in dozens. The problem is, for a kid Midlle Earth is like a generic castle. BUT it costs 1.5x Of course children do not look for the price, but parents do. And not all parents are AFOL. Mine are. But not everyone.

I do believe it would depend mostly on the loyalties... I mean, I didn't buy a single PoTC set because of those prices. The bricks and the minifigs are really excellent, but I won't pay 50% more (or so) because a certain minifig represents Jack Sparrow. I have a Jack Sparrow minifig and I would give it away easily. It doesn't fit into my own lego universe. I use Harry Potter's stuff to do OTHER things but Jack Sparrow is too specific. However, back on topic, I still see that given the opportunity, TLC would do that if they are sure to sell well. And when I say well, I mean WELL. Alas, AFOLS are not TLC's target. Kids are. And I wouldn't bet my wage on kids going excited for a "Hobbit theme". Perhaps they would do... perhaps I'm wrong... but while spaceships (SW) and pirate ships (PoTC) tingle a kid's fantasy, most of the sets from "Hobbit" wouldn't. My 2 cents. This said and done, were TLC producing LotR, my money would be over in zero time.

Man I give you money you buy them for me!! :D 0.99 is way low!!! I found them at 2€ and that was the cheapest I could see!

Yesterday I made my day! I got home with 4 Evil Dwarf, 4 Roman Warriors and 3 Lizardmen just by feeling the bags... it's way easier than relying on the dotcodes. And the shopkeepèr asked me if I did that for him too!!! :D

I completed serie 1 and 2 by barcodes, then bought extra zombies and spartans, some are on my bricklink shop. Then when it came to serie 3 and 4, I bought the box, and not happy I went around, buying mummies, werewolves, elves (I bought around 20 by feeling the bags, I don't rely on dots) vikings and whatever could fit a fantasy environment. I am ready now for the godzillas and dwarves, I will buy at least 10x of each one, but when it will come to series 6 I will have to buy also leprechaunes, genies, and tons of warlords and minotaurs... I will stock 100€ for eache serie apart from the 90€ that a box is worth to me. And yes, whenever I come to a shop that has minifigs, I buy one at least. I buy the more appealing, or I have someone pick it for me. It's always good to have one more, they are awesome to me. When a new serie comes out, I freak out and buy dozens per time... when a month is passed I cool down and buy one every now and when. I probably own 2 hundreds of collectible minifigs right now, and at least 2x of every serie (one is on my desk, the other is dismounted). So after all you're not alone!

Wasn't already a solid based rumour for series 6 7 8 hence brickipedia putting them on release in 2012? BTW last year Klaus-Dieter provided us description of the incoming series 3 minifigs, but no pictures were leaked until late september, am I right?

Series 1 : I would say the deep sea diver... or the dummy. Series 2 : The weightlifter. Really surplus. Series 3 : For sure the Race Car Driver... a step under the others. And the alien is really ugly. Series 4 : I didn't really find an use for a surfer girl, another skateboarder, and the soccer player. But the skateboarder wasn't really necessary. Series 5 : The fitness instructor is really un-needed. This said, I really love collectible minifigures! Shintaku PS: Thanks to Vexorian, I stay corrected.

Whoa - I really like THAT! :)

Phuckin Awesome!