It seems as if the legends were true, and Lego One Piece sets will soon be a reality - but I think we all underestimated how many there would be from the jump. One Piece fans, you better start saving.
Following months of leaks after the collaboration was announced in January, we've finally gotten our first official look at the range... and I don't know about you, but it goes way beyond what I'd expected. Yes, there's a brick-built version of The Going Merry Pirate Ship that the eagle-eyed may have already seen via leaked product shots. But there are four more Lego One Piece kits to go with it, and it's not even the biggest one.
You can pre-order the entire range at Lego now ahead of its August 1 launch, and although the jury's still out on whether they'll charm their way onto our list of the best Lego sets, they're certainly impressive. Let's dig in, shall we?
Windmill Village Hut
Price |
$29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.99 |
Ages |
8+ |
Pieces |
299 |
Minifigures |
3 |
Product number |
75636 |
Release date |
August 1 |
The cheapest classic Lego kit takes us to a beachside store in Windmill Village, and it's designed to be a little more open-ended than you might think; although there are the One Piece references you'd hope for (including one of many wanted posters included with each set), Lego is keen to point out that it serves as a generic pirate hut too.
In terms of minifigures, you're getting Luffy, Shanks, and Makino.
Buggy the Clown's Circus Tent
Price |
$54.99 / £44.99 / AU$79.99 |
Ages |
8+ |
Pieces |
573 |
Minifigures |
4 |
Product number |
75637 |
Release date |
August 1 |
If I had to guess, I suspect most people will opt for this kit. Even though it's not the most iconic, it's the most recognizable at a price that won't make you shudder. In terms of minifigs, Buggy's Circus Tent features Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Buggy the Clown Pirate.
This is also a lot more interactive than the set down from it, the Windmill Village Hut; it includes various traps to rescue the characters from, like Luffy's water tank. That means it's a great option as a playset for younger One Piece fans.
Battle at Arlong Park
Price |
$79.99 / £74.99 / AU$129.99 |
Ages |
9+ |
Pieces |
926 |
Minifigures |
5 |
Product number |
75638 |
Release date |
August 1 |
OK, now we're getting to the bigger fish. This kit is even more interactive than the previous one, because you can hit the top of the pagoda to collapse it, and Luffy comes with elongated arm pieces (seriously, why didn't they use this for Mr. Fantastic in the Fantastic Four Galactus kit?). I'm particularly keen on the stalls, namely the shooting gallery you can actually fire at with stud guns.
You're getting five minifigures in the box: Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Chu, and Arlong.
The Going Merry Pirate Ship
Price |
$139.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99 |
Ages |
10+ |
Pieces |
1,376 |
Minifigures |
5 |
Product number |
75639 |
Release date |
August 1 |
OK, now we get to the most iconic set of the Lego One Piece range - the Straw Hat Pirates' ship. This kit is reminiscent of the Lego pirate ships from decades ago, and it feels wonderfully old-school as a result; it's all hard edges and chunky plastic sails.
The minifigures you're getting to crew the ship are Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji.
The Baratie Floating Restaurant
Price |
$329.99 / £269.99 / AU$499.99 |
Ages |
18+ |
Pieces |
3,402 |
Minifigures |
10 |
Product number |
75640 |
Release date |
August 1 |
And here it is, the biggest and most impressive of all the Lego One Piece kits. It's the only one with an 18+ recommended age, crams in around three times as many bricks as The Going Merry Pirate Ship, and has a small army of minfigures to its name. 10, actually; Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zeff, Garp, Helmeppo, Koby, and Mihawk.
You can guarantee it's packed with references and hidden secrets, so will serve as a good centerpiece to any Lego One Piece collection.
Monkey D. Luffy and Buggy the Clown BrickHeadz
While they're sold separately, you can get your hands on two of One Piece's most notable characters for an asbolute steal this August - the cute, wide-eyed BrickHeadz are just $10 / £10 / AU$16. They make good mementos or presents for One Piece fans if you don't want to spend too much or don't have loads of room for displaying kits.
If you're looking for more bricky goodness, why not check out this week's Lego deals?
