Japanbuilder

Brickset says I have 322 figures. I only got back into LEGO last December so that is quite an explosion in less than a year. Almost a figure a day! >< ooooh my wallet....

That looks really nice. It practically screams winter! Love it.

Also loved the latest episode. It threw into stark relief how pointless the Clone Wars were. Good to see Rex and the droids start to move on from it. Though admittedly Rex was pretty much defined by the wars. I never realized until I watched this episode how much the Clone Wars series had done to humanize the clones. On film they are treated like disposable people and you don't feel the least bit for them. In fact, you dread them as they will become the first generation of Imperial Storm Troopers. So episodes like these that show their human side are a gem. Wish I could say the same for the droids though. Never have minded watching tons of them get blown to pieces. heh heh.

I was just thinking about this the other day myself as I was using some of the recent Shadow Troopers to fill in a small diorama I had made based on Battlefront. I would love to see more female rebels myself and even female Storm Troopers. It would be great to have at least 6 new battle packs. 2 each for Sullust, Bespin, and the Death Star. We are getting Rogue one BPs by January right? I am sure those will fit right in with the last DLC for Battlefront too. Though I always marvel at the 2 we have now. The rebel one covers either Judland or Jakku and the Empire one covers pretty much the whole game. They look outstanding, though I do wish we had gotten at least one pristine armored storm trooper in the pack. By far though, a Sullust BP would be great! I would like it even more if it had 2 variants for the Rebels (one with Alien heads and one with human heads) Just to round out the roster better.

Got some more blaster pistols and two battle packs! one is 75079 which I got to complete a small Battlefront Diorama I have on temporary display: PA232323 by Macster Tome, on Flickr Those Shadow Troopers look great next to the rest of the Battlefront brethren! PA232321 by Macster Tome, on Flickr And I got a 6th 75131 Resistance Troop Battle Pack as I love those darn Gian-211 speeders and those dual molded helmets! Plus I needed the four figures to even out my Resistance troops who were slightly under-manned compared to my FO army. PA232316 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

I am not sure Vader was that involved. Early on he seems to make it clear the he leaves the recovery efforts to his field commanders. The troopers assumed (I would argue correctly) that the family knew of the importance of the droids and were being uncooperative when they professed ignorance. So they offed them in an effort to minimise exposure of the plans to anyone else who came looking. What astounds the most is that they left no one to check for the missing relative (Luke) in case he returned home and Owen's story checked out. And that is the only conclusion we can probably make since Luke had mentioned Obi Wan but no such report from Owen must've been taken during interrogation which is why Vader did not know about Obi Wan until he sensed him on the Death Star.

Great EP. Sabine looked real cool in the imperial uniforms. Plus the empire is shown winning! They got the cooler toys so it is about time! Was getting tired of seeing perfectly good imperial personnel go to waste on Rebels!

Got another set of 75134. Brings my total to 2. Will probably get another one by the end of the month along with its counterpart set 75133. That will be a good enough amount of troopers to set up a little battle diorama. Already got the gear ready for them heh heh. PA042200 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

You have risen! Empire gets the best toys!

This season has immediately grabbed me! Can't wait to see where it goes!

True but somehow at the end of Empire Strikes back Luke's new hand seemed to be well connected to the nerves. He even felt pain when they poked at them. (Oo) So yeah it is mind boggling. Also mind boggling! Writers need to shore up these loose ends!

I think they need to break that cliche too. I mean they ruled the galaxy until the 2nd Death Star is destroyed, which is a long time. So they can't be totally incompetent. It is tiring actually that that particular impression persists. I hope Rogue 1 breaks that mould. My only gripe about Rebels so far is, we have technology as early as EPIII that gave Anakin Skywalker functional limbs, artificial lungs, etc etc., but we can't give Kanan his eyesight back? Huh what? I mean I know it was used as a good plot device but still. Unless blindness is the one thing that can't be healed in this universe given that one character in Rogue 1 is blind also. But that still seems so inconsistent given everything else they can heal.

I loved the premiere of season 3 it was rock solid. There is a lot to appreciate there specially after a few viewings. Here are a few of my thoughts: . It seems that the writers are making the Kanan/Ezra relationship be a surrogate for what the Obi Wan/Anakin relationship should have been in the prequels. . I appreciate the way in which Kanan is still being fleshed out. I would not be at all surprised if in the end we find Kanan going Dark Side and Ezra maturing into the Light Side. . I got a sinking feeling when the holocron was left with the Bendu. Since it shows up with Maul in the trailer...meaning....best not dwell on it! . Speaking of the Bendu I LOVED that character. For once they show a true force wielder who is like the force itself totally NEUTRAL! I hope they show TONS more of that character going forward. . Rex seems awfully lax towards Ezra despite what happened to Ahsoka. Common Rex! . Good start to a series that is becoming more serious by the episode.

It is a children's activity book. I had never heard of these either. It seems to be a tradition in the U.K. I had bought it from an importer here in Japan it cost me around the equivalent of $11 USD. I can now see the pictures on my browser so the next time you hop on you may be able to see the pictures. If not you can look up the annual on Amazon. It is titled LEGO Star Wars The Official Annual 2017.

No problem. I had never seen one either but I was alerted to it by watching Brickbros UK. Apparently these annuals are a thing in the U.K.. I was so stoked when I got it as it is the only reasonable way for me to get the figures. Totally recommend it to any Rebels fan who needs these figures and can't find the phantom anymore or doesn't want to get the Rebel cruiser set. As an added bonus the games inside really hooked my oldest daughter even though she doesn't speak English.

Actually one of my biggest laments on the figure is the fact that his beard covers that torso piece. Though I suppose it will also help the figure age better since who knows what will replace those drives in the future. Having it hidden means he can go into most any setting seamlessly in the future. You are also right about the details included in the book. It does add personality to the world beyond what is displayed in the series (which sadly paints the knights as petty in some regards). But they are so short and the content of the book so brief that it felt like meh. I would've loved a canon story being played out in comic form or prose, specially more on Merlok's past. If that had been included the book would have been so much better. For those interested here is a close up of his face and torso: P9202158 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

Finally!!!! He arrived in the mail today along with the Book of Knights. Book is meh, but the figure is great! P9202160 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

Not exactly LEGO Star Wars sets per se but I did get the Annual for 2017. Mostly because the figures included would have me spending $83 USD for the Phantom here in Japan. So 1100 yen seems like a good price =) So happy I got these figures now! Though having Ezra in person is shocking because really everyone has been right. He needs some sun. Also why did no one ever say Chopper was that awesome! He is so small!!!! My 2nd fav Star Wars fig so far! Even I am surprised! Go Chopper! P9202141 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202143 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202144 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202145 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202146 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202148 by Macster Tome, on Flickr P9202147 by Macster Tome, on Flickr

Still missing the hiker and Cyborg and Hiker from my collection and the box at the store is getting awfully small....I think I may have missed them completely >< I weep hardcore now.

Let the sales speak for the sets I suppose. On their own I think Assault on Hoth is by far the weakest of the two. It is just a play set not a UCS set as the community has understood UCS up until now. The Death Star set looks great for those of us who do not have it but as with many of the others the price hike for only 200 parts seems way out there. Plus the pricing is odd in every regard. In Europe where the LEGO is produced the pricing ranges by $100s of dollars of difference. Here in Japan Assault on Hoth opened at more than $600 and the Death Star is going for the equivalent of $1,100 on Amazon Japan. This price will match or be very close to the price at ClickBrick (one of the few LEGO authorized shops in the region). And isn't there a plant in China making LEGO in Asia? This puts these sets firmly out of the hands of most collectors and are certainly not the prices most parents or kids would be willing to pay for these things. I am not sure what the fairest price would be but right now $400 USD for it seems so dreamy when compared to what I would have to pay if I had the nerve to get it here in Japan ><

Ugh I want it so bad! But rationing my spending on Nexo. My loose coin is going to Series 16 this month >< I want to get at least 10 unique figs from it (particularly the Hiker and Babysitter) But Nexo has sucked up a lot of cash from me the past two months. I love the theme perhaps a lot more than an AFOL should lol. Glob Lobber Lance's Mecha Horse Merlok's Library 2.0 Macy's Thunder Mace Ultimate Aaron Ultimate Lavaria The King's Mech Knighton Battle Blaster x2 Chaos Catapult x 2 Oo Also thinking forward I really appreciate how LEGO made this series with the elements it did. Basically everything can be converted into a space ship and astronaut set up with just a few modifications. Or getting rid of the trans orange can make more traditional steam punk fantasy looking Humans vs. Orcs type of thing. The fact that the figures are exquisitely printed also helps a ton in customizing to either motif.

If it were flopping it would be a shame. The minifgures are simply wonderful. The builds so far are not yet impressing me (aside from the smaller builds they packed a lot of character in those but tonight when I get home I have the King's Mech to build so that might turn it around for me) but the figures are awesome! I can certainly see myself using them for plenty of things beyond Nexo Knights. Plus if/when the line peters out There will be plenty of fun pieces to make some awesome space rides with cool armor pieces to stand in for space suits.

Finally these hit my region. Got 4/16. The Ice Queen, the Kickboxer, the Mariachi and the Spy. Might get 2 or 3 more today or this weekend, I hope I get the Hiker and Baby Sitter next. My city could use those two.

It has no Japanese version so it saddens me to see all the great deals and promotions other regions get. I try to avoid it generally. Best not to know how much greener the grass actually is on the other side.

Ugh I wish this was not a regional exclusive. I got King Halbert and Macy and only need the Queen to complete the family set! But this set will not ever be released where I live >< UGHGHGH. Gotta save up and pay double to import it ><