A Slugger video! On a Thursday?? Long-time viewers of the channel might raise an eyebrow as I typically try to release videos on Fridays each week. Even longer-time viewers may remember when I used to just release videos the day I finished them. 😅 This isn’t exactly the video I planned to make next; however, I am unfortunately dealing with a rather debilitating throat infection right now and can’t speak above a whisper. 😩 I had recorded this script months ago as a fallback and looks like today’s the day it gets released! I’m going to have to take a few weeks off to recuperate, but I’m looking forward to new videos in 2023! I’ve already began writing so many scripts… once my voice is better, I will put it to good use! Thanks for sticking with the channel this year everyone - and welcome to all the new folks joining us for the first time! I’ve fallen a little behind on reading everyone’s comments, but I will continue to do my best in responding when I can. ❤️ Thank you, and have a safe and happy New Year! ~ Slugger
I think it being "cluttered" actually adds to what this thing is going for. These big, clustered east asian megalopolises are often plastered with mascots and ads on every side and it really does push that colorful Y2K punk aesthetic that so many early 00s visions of Japan, China and Korea had That might just be me though
Thats mostly in city areas where they have more lenient or no city regulations, so you end up with eclectic and vernacular city building layouts and designs.
The mix of languages and cultures is spot on for Asia. I feel like it’s specifically an ethnic neighborhood in another country. Like China town in the city of Yokohama.
Personally, I find the overload of references and signs throughout the set sell the whole "busy city" vibe VERY well. Its very reminiscent of Tokyo or NYC, with neon signs cluttering the skyline and making it a dizzying experience to be there. As for fixing the stools on that patio, I think putting it on a pair of jumper plates and a 1x2 tile, to center it on a 2x3 base instead of a 2x2 one would give enough arm room to fix it.
I feel the unfocused cluttered mess of the set is what makes it authentic and lovable. Dense cities like in Asia for example, it'll be like this, it'll be a mess of hundreds of things, it's an over sensory if you're new to the place as every place needs to super stand out in some way, you won't find an actual lived-in busy dense city that's focused and organized.
As a diasporic Chinese born and raised in Southeast Asia the entire Monkie Kid and Chinese New Year themes are one giant love letter to our culture, even if I don't collect the sets myself. It's refreshing to see a more minimalistic take on the busyness of this set, but I think my biggest takeaway from this review that no one else has mentioned yet is that I do feel sort of inspired to try designing a MOC using the grey, dark red, bright light orange and sand blue color scheme, except I'd probably substitute medium blue or dark azure in my design for just a little bit more vibrancy.
personally I think a little issue is that there is one too many animal head signs littering the city. Not everything needs a big head strapped to it in order for it to fit a theme. Otherwise though it was a very enjoyable set to build and I love how dense everything feels when its all together.
This person gets me! Thanks, haha. 😊 I hope the video shows how the buildings look just as good, if not better without the giant animals distracting the eye from the build.
You had me cackling at the Hero Factory and Bionicle bit 😂 Nice thorough review! I think I will pass on this as the more urban architectural style of sets are not for me, but I might have to pick up someone's unused sticker sheet for that "Hero Factory" reference. 😋
I feel like you would not like the Ninjago City sets, because a cluttered feel is where sets like these shine, cohesion takes away the down-to-earth feeling, that most city sets lack, being all shiny and distinct.
I'm mainly coming from the perspective of someone who really liked what they were doing in the show, but I feel like the kitchy, gaudy, cluttered look of it is kind of the point, such a packed city where so much of it is packed in into as dense a space as possible. Also will say, I think the solution for the eating area is to turn the figs sideways and have them turn their heads, as someone who's eaten in some seriously cramped holes in the wall, it's at the very least true to life
Was surprised to see an R.R.review of a modern day set! I do love this set, so I had to click and I’m glad I did-you had me cracking up from the get go. And thanks for clearing things up regarding the Hero Factory and Bionicle logos…!! Man, I had them backwards all these years 🤭
Gotta say, I'm really glad to see a review that holds a genuine critique of the artistic and stylistic decisions made in a set. Too many will simply pass judgement without any real discussion, and seeing this go so far as to not only discuss, but actively engage with the design is fantastic.
I honestly love how cluttered and chaotic this set looks and feels... But I totally get your point where less is more! Also no I don't like applying stickers
I appreciate the self awareness in this video, especially because I fall into the camp that the overwhelming gawdy clutter is the whole point of the set. It's so thematic to jampacked Asian metropolitan markets that decluttering it seems inauthentic to me. That said, I also loathe stickers (I never get them on right) and I've never been big on modulars. I appreciate it, but it's not for me. I could go for some Boba tea right about now though...
I actually never knew about that dragon mascot for LEGO. I actually would've mistaken it for a cartoony take on the Dragon Masters dragon had I not been given any context
Although I actually LIKE the cramped feeling the set has + the super gaudy signs and design motifs (as it feels super in-line with how over the top the show's environment feels like) I totally get why you dislike that. Still, I believe that hands down this is one of the BEST MK sets to be released so far! 😆I unfortunately haven't had the chance to snag this set, but I do wish it can go on sale soon before it retires! 🤞 I am a bit curious though, do you like the MK theme (or even the show?) at all? 😯 I know it's NOT everyone's cup of tea, but I really love how they adapted the classic Journey to the West story with some interesting twists, alongside a great cast of really fleshed out characters with some equally fun and vibrant sets that feels like a breath of fresh air in the realm of current original/non-IP themes🐵👍
I am mostly unfamiliar with the Journey to the West story, so those connections are lost on me, unfortunately. There are definitely models in this series that have caught my eye before, but as is so often the case with modern Lego, the model I want is packaged in with a bunch of side builds and minifigures I have no interest in. 😟 In the 90's you could buy THE Granite Grinder or THE Chrome Crusher, but had those sets been made today, they would include a ton of side builds, 4 extra minifigures, and cost twice as much... So I would love to get more into Monkie Kid, but I'm afraid it will never be the series I want it to be. (The same thing happened with Hidden Side recently, though for different reasons)
The " one slugs gaudy is another slugs greatness" had me dying xD Also, my favorite recent set to build was the new Galactic Cruiser, which I'm almost done making a stationary base to go with, and my favorite part of the set is NO stickers.
Incredible review, thank you! Due to current world events I had to move, and gave away all my Lego to my cousin's young son. Looking on this set makes me shed a small tear thinking which modules I could have built and displayed. But hey, the kid is very happy, and I have reviews to look at.
Personally i love the over the top advertising in these big city sets. It makes it feel absolutely packed which i think is a major visual motif of cyberpunk
Can't tell if Slugger's stance is genuine, or if he's just being sarcastic, but him thinking that removing elements from a set that's meant to be cluttered is doing it a kindness is straight up disappointing. Also, can't justify taking a dig at Bionicle, a classic and respected Lego theme, followed by Time Cruisers praise, an underrated one (perhaps), but in no way any more unique than the former.
The beauty of Lego is that you can change and modify your models until your heart’s content; this is just how I decided to modify mine, but you can do whatever you wish with yours! You don’t need to agree with my choices. 😊 The Bionicle dig has become a running gag inadvertently on my channel ever since my Galidor video, haha. I’m truly a fan of Bionicle too - in fact, I’ll have a full episode on the theme later this month!
I mean it is only his opinion, liking or not liking the cluttered look is completely fine, personally I don’t love or hate the clutter I can understand you’re disappointment I can, but we all have the ability to change a set into what we want, if you like the base set the way it then I’m happy for ya!:D I hope you have a good day
I want to come at this from an unusual angle but, This was my first big Lego set that I bought after I picked up the hobby again. I only really buy one set every few months or so, so this set was astounding for that reason. It has a price entry but compared to the other option I was looking at Ninjago city, it's price range and aesthetic really stood out to me! While it can seem a bit cluttered for me it made a really enjoyable building experience as well as a set I can just display right up front, and since it is on it's own in a sweat little spot of my room it really makes that area pop! I was trying to figure out how best to light it, but it really feels like a whole aesthetic piece on it's own. It feels full of life with it's competing brands with an over the top cartoon aesthetic to it all. What I am trying to get at is that I really like it as a stand alone piece especially since I don't have any spare minifigs to populate it, so it's smaller features and references can do more heavy lifting to make it feel alive! Great review by the way and I totally understand some points but I just wanted to sing my praises for the set, as it has a special spot in my room.
Yeah the new ninjago city gardens is great but it doesn't beat the original. And the original ninjago city goes for nearly $1000 now..... I will make it my goal to build it SOMEDAY
If R R Slugger joined the LEGO designer team, modern sets would have even less pieces (and sticker)! But on a more serious note, great content as always !
I really appreciate the review! It's refreshing to see this set looked at with your unusual review style. Most others just praise everything as-is, so it's nice to see your suggestions included. My only problems with Monkie Kid are that it's one of the scant non-licensed themes we have, and everything is so dang big and expensive. I prefer smaller to mid-sized sets and with MK you either get one of the myriad of super this size and complexity... or a sub-par 30 euro set that's been buffed with extra detail to the sky. Lego has always been expensive, but MK is clearly ONLY meant for super wealthy people and it just saddens me.
Thank you! Definitely a bit more off-the-wall video here and may not be what everyone is looking for in a review of this set, but I had fun making it. 😊 Monkie Kid is definitely on the pricey side, though I found this one to be fairly reasonably priced for what you get in it. I would like to get more Monkie Kid one day, but it's hard to get anything in Canada for less than $50.
I wish to point out that how cluttered and busy it is is largely part of the point. I feel theyre trying to emulate a cyberpunk sort of dystopia where you cant walk 7 feet without an ad or logo
Definitely, and I’ve been to similar shopping districts in Japan before as well. I guess the point I was trying to get across in the video is that I felt there are certain tacky elements that only serve to distract the eye from the beauty of the buildings themselves; removing these elements doesn’t take away from the busy aesthetic, but it does help one to appreciate the quality of the different models much more. At least, in my opinion!
@@tefnutofhoney2832 I think you’re gonna enjoy it! I had a great time building a set, and honestly it was a lot of fun to come up with ways to modify the buildings as well. 😊
Whoa, a Monkie Kid video?!?! From the Slugger?!? No way! That’s the only new theme I’ve bought anything from, it certainly goes hard, especially on the coffers.
I have a suggestion for the area with the chairs, tables and wok. To stop the minifigures from being pressed against the wall you can place two 1x2 jumpers underneath each of the stools which would offset them by half of a stud. You could tile off the rest of the bottom of that module to complete the look. Then the tables should probably be raised by a plate to keep heights consistent. (Sorry if someone else suggested this first and I missed it!)
Just as I was binging your videos again at work for at least the 3rd time, I'm happy to see this new video appear! Another exciting video again! Truly we are living in a Slugger paradise. I still have to build this set after buying it on black Friday.
It's overcrowded but makes sense to look like a big city, shopping centre especially given Chinese inspiration. However would look better if there were more neutral designed builds and only a few things to focus on
Big laugh at the stairs joke. 😄 I wish I'd known about the Robbi-type robots in this set when I was making a video about the LEGO timeline; I could have put Monkee Kid between Time Cruisers and Aquazone!
I always find myself skipping past the minifigure part of a review so when you just slapped that out of the way for me that felt pretty dang good. WHO THE SLUG CARES LETS GOO TIME CRUISIN! Now I realize what that robot head was referencing and was able to recreate the robot using a head from that one creator set. I am very much looking forward to the Magic Mountain Time Lab review now. The Bionicle slander and the stairs joke were great btw. This video also made me question the true pronunciation of karaoke. Please reconsider a Pirates of Barracuda Bay review, or uh retrospective I guess. Something like this video for a set like that would be incredible. I'm not even really interested in the City of Lanterns set but this was well worth the watch. For me its too pricey, no interest in the figures, and I do not like stickers. I hadn't considered the cluttered look a major weakness and personally I like the animal signs. But nevertheless I still really enjoyed the modifications. I would also love to see a moc or series in the color scheme of the Lotus Hotel. Anyways, get well soon and happy new year!
Thank you Pelegocan! You know what? You’re right! I never thought about it, but I totally skip past minifigure explanations in other creators videos as well. I guess I just like to show them and then get it over with, hahaha. I just built that Cyber Drone Creator 3 in 1 set last night! Been looking forward to it since it came out. 😊 I tried my best to look up the proper pronunciation of karaoke for the video, though I’d be lying if I said I don’t just use the standard Americanized pronunciation like everybody else. 😅 We’ll see about Barracuda Bay… problem is, I don’t have much to say about it other than it’s fantastic and it’s a crying shame that Lego discontinued it already. Thanks again, and see you in the New Year!
Did you see the new Friends sets, one of them has a 1x6 in dark turquoise! Rock Raiders supremacy. I love the bots in this set. The set itself is nice but a bit pricey for me so I'm gonna miss out on it unless the price craters.
It's like looking at Cloud Cuckooland from The Lego Movie. Creative, but unfocused and chaotic. Though ironically, Cloud Cuckooland in The Lego Movie was more cohesive in its design philosophy.
I'm a huge fan of the giant Ninjago City sets that Lego has been releasing; they're really the only modern sets I buy, and their cluttered yet intricately-detailed designs are a huge part of that. They may be gaudy and they may clash a lot, but I think that's a big part of the appeal (to me, anyway). This set is a lot like those ones in that way. I think that the clutter and clash help its design rather than hindering it.
For the seats, two of part 34103 per seat would let you move the chairs over half a stud. The added height might need to be adjusted for, but it would give the figures space.
As a fíx for the wok table area, why not try a 2x2 turntable plate right below the brown pieces, and use one of those 1x2 round plates for the seat (or even 1x1 round plates) and maybe reduce the height by usng 2x2 round plates. They would be facing each other at an angle. I am not sure this would work...
Are those dark turquoise rail elements I spy? 👀 They look like they’d make some cool rails for Rock Raiders themed minecarts or something Also that cutoff at 10:41 got me good lol
Stickers are a mixed bag for me. While i like prints, and with how much some things are we should get perfect prints on most everything; sometimes they are off center and i can get a more dialled application with a sticker. Its also pretty satisfying when you do get it perfect. But sometimes the colour matching sucks or the cut is off which makes me like stickers less. Also i sucked at them as a kid so i understand those who struggle
With what rumours we've heard of Lego DreamZzz it feels like this notable Time Cruisers cameo may have been more of a prelude then we initially thought! Fingers crossed (given it *IS* a semi spiritual successor to Time Cruisers) it lives up to the legacy!!
I honestly thought the same thing when I first saw the set. It has a ton of talent and passion poured into it, but it isn’t designed the greatest. I feel like the ninjago city sets do this but so much better. Now, I don’t have them because I just recently got back into Lego. I’m also a technic/bionicle guy myself, but those sets look so cool and have the perfect level of detail for a display piece in my opinion.
I haven’t… though I don’t have much to say about it other than how great it is and how it should have been made available for years and years to come. 😢
@@RRSlugger I just like hearing your ideas on how to alter parts of sets and stuff ahah! And yes it's a great set. Im glad I got it before it retired 💀👍
@@lopmon.apologist That’s fair! To my knowledge, I haven’t made any alterations to my copy. I simply can’t imagine any of the classic pirate sets being better than Barracuda Bay!
Almost completely unrelated but i wish i paid more attention to hero factory while it was out. I was so salty that they ended bionicle that I just ignored hero factory completely, but looking back some of the waves were pretty cool
As much as I enjoy the nostalgia bait, your criticism is valid. Also, I can only assume it’s comment bait switching up Bionicle and Hero Factory stickers 😅 you got me for sure
Two jumper plates on the left, and a 1x2 flat tile on the right to fill the remaining gap. The chair would not be centered on the two studs of the jumpers.
This is like a criticism of downtown Tokyo, at least based of the photos I've seen of the place. Gaudy doesn't do it justice. It definitely wasn't considered how they would all clash.
I've been back and forth on whether I should buy this and this video helped a lot. I'd love to see sets like this and the Ninjago city sets be released but with a more generic style. Lego needs a city theme set in the future that isn't dominated by one culture.
@@RRSluggerou know how much I love lego friends:D can’t wait to see those mods! There’s a couple stickers from the Ninjago city sets ( Galidor and Adventurers ) that would suit your needs more probably, have a great day 😊.
Hi slugger! This video rules!! I know you said that you wouldn't want to do a review of Barracuda Bay, seeing as it's retired, but I know I and many others would love to hear your insights!!
2:23 Why, just why While I get it's probably cheaper for the lego company to do sticker sheets rather than printed pieces, I wish they would stop doing it for round pieces like that. It's such a pain to line them up and they always wind up off-centered. At least with the square pieces it's a lot easier to line them up
The worst one was by far the shrimp sign - it's a pill shaped sticker on a rectangle shaped part where the rounded edges of the sticker have to align with other pieces added later to the model. 💀
We got ninjago city with 2 extensions and now this. Hopefully the next time they do one of these it’s, it’s inspired by a different country or a fantasy or sci-fi setting. Might just be my fatigue in general with Asian locals in lego as of recent though.
It's a set I'd had little interest in however I can see the potential in taking each module and building up to a full 16 wide modular I'm the creator expert format for a city layout much like the bookstore townhouse set the Chinese inspired flavor of done properly could make a realy cute Chinatown district for a large traingarden city the train as it stands is more appropriate as a shuttle tail thing for a amusement Park perhaps I've a hard time justifying anything that isn't on the standard track format and easaly motorized as a proper train but that's just my geeky lego train obsession
Indeed, and I’ve been in similar shopping districts in Japan. I’d argue there’s a distinction between “cultured” and “cluttered”, personally. I think a lot of the giant anthropomorphic animals are distracting from the real charm of the set, but your mileage may vary.
A Slugger video! On a Thursday??
Long-time viewers of the channel might raise an eyebrow as I typically try to release videos on Fridays each week. Even longer-time viewers may remember when I used to just release videos the day I finished them. 😅
This isn’t exactly the video I planned to make next; however, I am unfortunately dealing with a rather debilitating throat infection right now and can’t speak above a whisper. 😩
I had recorded this script months ago as a fallback and looks like today’s the day it gets released!
I’m going to have to take a few weeks off to recuperate, but I’m looking forward to new videos in 2023! I’ve already began writing so many scripts… once my voice is better, I will put it to good use!
Thanks for sticking with the channel this year everyone - and welcome to all the new folks joining us for the first time! I’ve fallen a little behind on reading everyone’s comments, but I will continue to do my best in responding when I can. ❤️
Thank you, and have a safe and happy New Year!
~ Slugger
Throat infections are awful. I hope you get well soon and still have a Merry Christmas!
@@l.d.murphy Thank you Travis! Sounds like the rest of the family is sick too, so at least I’ll be in good company, haha. 😅
I think it being "cluttered" actually adds to what this thing is going for.
These big, clustered east asian megalopolises are often plastered with mascots and ads on every side and it really does push that colorful Y2K punk aesthetic that so many early 00s visions of Japan, China and Korea had
That might just be me though
Thats mostly in city areas where they have more lenient or no city regulations, so you end up with eclectic and vernacular city building layouts and designs.
The mix of languages and cultures is spot on for Asia. I feel like it’s specifically an ethnic neighborhood in another country. Like China town in the city of Yokohama.
Common metro hodgepodges commonly found around the world - not just Asia, but some of the most impressive nonetheless.
Personally, I find the overload of references and signs throughout the set sell the whole "busy city" vibe VERY well. Its very reminiscent of Tokyo or NYC, with neon signs cluttering the skyline and making it a dizzying experience to be there.
As for fixing the stools on that patio, I think putting it on a pair of jumper plates and a 1x2 tile, to center it on a 2x3 base instead of a 2x2 one would give enough arm room to fix it.
yes lego buildings are always very proper. but in real life there are dozens of signs around it
I like to imagine Znap is the offical company behind the guard rails of the city, afterall its all they're good at lol
Haha, that’s awesome! 😊
I feel the unfocused cluttered mess of the set is what makes it authentic and lovable. Dense cities like in Asia for example, it'll be like this, it'll be a mess of hundreds of things, it's an over sensory if you're new to the place as every place needs to super stand out in some way, you won't find an actual lived-in busy dense city that's focused and organized.
As a diasporic Chinese born and raised in Southeast Asia the entire Monkie Kid and Chinese New Year themes are one giant love letter to our culture, even if I don't collect the sets myself. It's refreshing to see a more minimalistic take on the busyness of this set, but I think my biggest takeaway from this review that no one else has mentioned yet is that I do feel sort of inspired to try designing a MOC using the grey, dark red, bright light orange and sand blue color scheme, except I'd probably substitute medium blue or dark azure in my design for just a little bit more vibrancy.
Loved the stair joke, really made me chuckle and a nice detailed review over all. Keep it up!
Haha, thanks! 😊
That Bionicle/Herofactory bait was amazing!
Hahaha, I couldn't resist! 😂
@@RRSlugger No wonder I saw a video in my recommended calling you diabolical in the thumbnail!
personally I think a little issue is that there is one too many animal head signs littering the city. Not everything needs a big head strapped to it in order for it to fit a theme. Otherwise though it was a very enjoyable set to build and I love how dense everything feels when its all together.
This person gets me! Thanks, haha. 😊
I hope the video shows how the buildings look just as good, if not better without the giant animals distracting the eye from the build.
You had me cackling at the Hero Factory and Bionicle bit 😂
Nice thorough review! I think I will pass on this as the more urban architectural style of sets are not for me, but I might have to pick up someone's unused sticker sheet for that "Hero Factory" reference. 😋
I haven’t had any “um, actually” comments yet, but I’m sure they’re on their way haha. 😂
@@RRSlugger They will come and when they do they will make the joke better 😂
I feel like you would not like the Ninjago City sets, because a cluttered feel is where sets like these shine, cohesion takes away the down-to-earth feeling, that most city sets lack, being all shiny and distinct.
I think you’re probably right. 👍
How Slug wasn’t crucified after this video is beyond me 😂
Hahaha, yeah, this one was a little spicy. 😅
6:07 an easy fix would be to use the 1x3 double jumper plates [34103] , to center the seats .
I'm mainly coming from the perspective of someone who really liked what they were doing in the show, but I feel like the kitchy, gaudy, cluttered look of it is kind of the point, such a packed city where so much of it is packed in into as dense a space as possible. Also will say, I think the solution for the eating area is to turn the figs sideways and have them turn their heads, as someone who's eaten in some seriously cramped holes in the wall, it's at the very least true to life
That’s a good point! My claustrophobia gets to me in those eateries. 😅
I love that this set looks so lived in, like the life of the set comes from how messy and bold it is
"One slugs highlight of the building process is another slu- THANKS FOR WATCHING EVERYONE!"
BEST CHANNEL LMAO
Hahaha, thanks! ❤️️
I can’t get over building alternate builds because of this channel! Thank you so much!
That’s awesome!! You’re very welcome! 😊
Was surprised to see an R.R.review of a modern day set! I do love this set, so I had to click and I’m glad I did-you had me cracking up from the get go.
And thanks for clearing things up regarding the Hero Factory and Bionicle logos…!! Man, I had them backwards all these years 🤭
Hahaha, no problem! 😂
I never thought you would make a video on this! I think Monkie Kid is one of the best current LEGO themes.
Love that you bring up ways to modify the sets!
Gotta say, I'm really glad to see a review that holds a genuine critique of the artistic and stylistic decisions made in a set. Too many will simply pass judgement without any real discussion, and seeing this go so far as to not only discuss, but actively engage with the design is fantastic.
Thank you! I appreciate that. 😊
I honestly love how cluttered and chaotic this set looks and feels... But I totally get your point where less is more!
Also no I don't like applying stickers
Finally, someone else who enjoys applying stickers. Nice to know i'm not mad! ...right?
Special review, I liked the approach very much :)
I appreciate the self awareness in this video, especially because I fall into the camp that the overwhelming gawdy clutter is the whole point of the set. It's so thematic to jampacked Asian metropolitan markets that decluttering it seems inauthentic to me.
That said, I also loathe stickers (I never get them on right) and I've never been big on modulars. I appreciate it, but it's not for me.
I could go for some Boba tea right about now though...
I actually never knew about that dragon mascot for LEGO. I actually would've mistaken it for a cartoony take on the Dragon Masters dragon had I not been given any context
2:21 Hmmm Yes, the Bohrok were my favorite Hero Factory villains, and the H standing for Hahli is a nice nod to the every popular Toa of Water 😉
Hahaha 😉
As a constraction fan, mislabeling the bionicle and hf references gave me a good chuckle
😉
Although I actually LIKE the cramped feeling the set has + the super gaudy signs and design motifs (as it feels super in-line with how over the top the show's environment feels like) I totally get why you dislike that. Still, I believe that hands down this is one of the BEST MK sets to be released so far! 😆I unfortunately haven't had the chance to snag this set, but I do wish it can go on sale soon before it retires! 🤞
I am a bit curious though, do you like the MK theme (or even the show?) at all? 😯 I know it's NOT everyone's cup of tea, but I really love how they adapted the classic Journey to the West story with some interesting twists, alongside a great cast of really fleshed out characters with some equally fun and vibrant sets that feels like a breath of fresh air in the realm of current original/non-IP themes🐵👍
I am mostly unfamiliar with the Journey to the West story, so those connections are lost on me, unfortunately. There are definitely models in this series that have caught my eye before, but as is so often the case with modern Lego, the model I want is packaged in with a bunch of side builds and minifigures I have no interest in. 😟
In the 90's you could buy THE Granite Grinder or THE Chrome Crusher, but had those sets been made today, they would include a ton of side builds, 4 extra minifigures, and cost twice as much...
So I would love to get more into Monkie Kid, but I'm afraid it will never be the series I want it to be. (The same thing happened with Hidden Side recently, though for different reasons)
That one sure was a surprise, but a welcome one. Such a unique spin on this set, I quite enjoyed it!
Thank you! ❤️
The " one slugs gaudy is another slugs greatness" had me dying xD
Also, my favorite recent set to build was the new Galactic Cruiser, which I'm almost done making a stationary base to go with, and my favorite part of the set is NO stickers.
The thing that made me want to buy this was the Bionicle reference...I like simple pleasures
2:24 This frame incites violence amongst the Constraction fanbase.
WTF How did it survive the stairs?!?
Hahaha, it’s that solid modern construction!! 😂
Incredible review, thank you!
Due to current world events I had to move, and gave away all my Lego to my cousin's young son. Looking on this set makes me shed a small tear thinking which modules I could have built and displayed. But hey, the kid is very happy, and I have reviews to look at.
Personally i love the over the top advertising in these big city sets. It makes it feel absolutely packed which i think is a major visual motif of cyberpunk
6:36 - Bro you took away THE CHEF robot xD
Willa the Witch had something else cooking up! 😊
New Slugger drop, must stop what I’m doing
Really nice and funny review!
Thank you! 😊
Can't tell if Slugger's stance is genuine, or if he's just being sarcastic, but him thinking that removing elements from a set that's meant to be cluttered is doing it a kindness is straight up disappointing.
Also, can't justify taking a dig at Bionicle, a classic and respected Lego theme, followed by Time Cruisers praise, an underrated one (perhaps), but in no way any more unique than the former.
The beauty of Lego is that you can change and modify your models until your heart’s content; this is just how I decided to modify mine, but you can do whatever you wish with yours! You don’t need to agree with my choices. 😊
The Bionicle dig has become a running gag inadvertently on my channel ever since my Galidor video, haha. I’m truly a fan of Bionicle too - in fact, I’ll have a full episode on the theme later this month!
I mean it is only his opinion, liking or not liking the cluttered look is completely fine, personally I don’t love or hate the clutter
I can understand you’re disappointment I can, but we all have the ability to change a set into what we want, if you like the base set the way it then I’m happy for ya!:D I hope you have a good day
I want to come at this from an unusual angle but,
This was my first big Lego set that I bought after I picked up the hobby again. I only really buy one set every few months or so, so this set was astounding for that reason. It has a price entry but compared to the other option I was looking at Ninjago city, it's price range and aesthetic really stood out to me!
While it can seem a bit cluttered for me it made a really enjoyable building experience as well as a set I can just display right up front, and since it is on it's own in a sweat little spot of my room it really makes that area pop! I was trying to figure out how best to light it, but it really feels like a whole aesthetic piece on it's own. It feels full of life with it's competing brands with an over the top cartoon aesthetic to it all. What I am trying to get at is that I really like it as a stand alone piece especially since I don't have any spare minifigs to populate it, so it's smaller features and references can do more heavy lifting to make it feel alive!
Great review by the way and I totally understand some points but I just wanted to sing my praises for the set, as it has a special spot in my room.
For sure! It's an amazing set, especially at that price point - I mean it when I say there's nothing else quite like it in Lego's current catalogue. 😊
Yeah the new ninjago city gardens is great but it doesn't beat the original. And the original ninjago city goes for nearly $1000 now..... I will make it my goal to build it SOMEDAY
If R R Slugger joined the LEGO designer team, modern sets would have even less pieces (and sticker)! But on a more serious note, great content as always !
4:27 This is more or less the colour scheme of Chima Lions.
I really appreciate the review! It's refreshing to see this set looked at with your unusual review style. Most others just praise everything as-is, so it's nice to see your suggestions included.
My only problems with Monkie Kid are that it's one of the scant non-licensed themes we have, and everything is so dang big and expensive. I prefer smaller to mid-sized sets and with MK you either get one of the myriad of super this size and complexity... or a sub-par 30 euro set that's been buffed with extra detail to the sky. Lego has always been expensive, but MK is clearly ONLY meant for super wealthy people and it just saddens me.
Thank you! Definitely a bit more off-the-wall video here and may not be what everyone is looking for in a review of this set, but I had fun making it. 😊
Monkie Kid is definitely on the pricey side, though I found this one to be fairly reasonably priced for what you get in it. I would like to get more Monkie Kid one day, but it's hard to get anything in Canada for less than $50.
I wish to point out that how cluttered and busy it is is largely part of the point. I feel theyre trying to emulate a cyberpunk sort of dystopia where you cant walk 7 feet without an ad or logo
Definitely, and I’ve been to similar shopping districts in Japan before as well. I guess the point I was trying to get across in the video is that I felt there are certain tacky elements that only serve to distract the eye from the beauty of the buildings themselves; removing these elements doesn’t take away from the busy aesthetic, but it does help one to appreciate the quality of the different models much more. At least, in my opinion!
@@RRSlugger this is entitely valid yeah. I actually finally got the set during the promotions back at the start of the month but havent built it yet.
@@tefnutofhoney2832 I think you’re gonna enjoy it! I had a great time building a set, and honestly it was a lot of fun to come up with ways to modify the buildings as well. 😊
Whoa, a Monkie Kid video?!?! From the Slugger?!? No way! That’s the only new theme I’ve bought anything from, it certainly goes hard, especially on the coffers.
Haha, it certainly does! 😅
I have a suggestion for the area with the chairs, tables and wok. To stop the minifigures from being pressed against the wall you can place two 1x2 jumpers underneath each of the stools which would offset them by half of a stud. You could tile off the rest of the bottom of that module to complete the look. Then the tables should probably be raised by a plate to keep heights consistent. (Sorry if someone else suggested this first and I missed it!)
Just as I was binging your videos again at work for at least the 3rd time, I'm happy to see this new video appear!
Another exciting video again! Truly we are living in a Slugger paradise.
I still have to build this set after buying it on black Friday.
It's overcrowded but makes sense to look like a big city, shopping centre especially given Chinese inspiration.
However would look better if there were more neutral designed builds and only a few things to focus on
Agreed!
Big laugh at the stairs joke. 😄 I wish I'd known about the Robbi-type robots in this set when I was making a video about the LEGO timeline; I could have put Monkee Kid between Time Cruisers and Aquazone!
I always find myself skipping past the minifigure part of a review so when you just slapped that out of the way for me that felt pretty dang good. WHO THE SLUG CARES LETS GOO TIME CRUISIN! Now I realize what that robot head was referencing and was able to recreate the robot using a head from that one creator set. I am very much looking forward to the Magic Mountain Time Lab review now. The Bionicle slander and the stairs joke were great btw. This video also made me question the true pronunciation of karaoke. Please reconsider a Pirates of Barracuda Bay review, or uh retrospective I guess. Something like this video for a set like that would be incredible. I'm not even really interested in the City of Lanterns set but this was well worth the watch. For me its too pricey, no interest in the figures, and I do not like stickers. I hadn't considered the cluttered look a major weakness and personally I like the animal signs. But nevertheless I still really enjoyed the modifications. I would also love to see a moc or series in the color scheme of the Lotus Hotel. Anyways, get well soon and happy new year!
Thank you Pelegocan!
You know what? You’re right! I never thought about it, but I totally skip past minifigure explanations in other creators videos as well. I guess I just like to show them and then get it over with, hahaha.
I just built that Cyber Drone Creator 3 in 1 set last night! Been looking forward to it since it came out. 😊
I tried my best to look up the proper pronunciation of karaoke for the video, though I’d be lying if I said I don’t just use the standard Americanized pronunciation like everybody else. 😅
We’ll see about Barracuda Bay… problem is, I don’t have much to say about it other than it’s fantastic and it’s a crying shame that Lego discontinued it already.
Thanks again, and see you in the New Year!
Did you see the new Friends sets, one of them has a 1x6 in dark turquoise! Rock Raiders supremacy.
I love the bots in this set. The set itself is nice but a bit pricey for me so I'm gonna miss out on it unless the price craters.
I love all the Dark Turquoise in modern sets! It warms my heart seeing Lego turn it into one of their mainstay colours. ❤️
It's like looking at Cloud Cuckooland from The Lego Movie. Creative, but unfocused and chaotic.
Though ironically, Cloud Cuckooland in The Lego Movie was more cohesive in its design philosophy.
I'm a huge fan of the giant Ninjago City sets that Lego has been releasing; they're really the only modern sets I buy, and their cluttered yet intricately-detailed designs are a huge part of that. They may be gaudy and they may clash a lot, but I think that's a big part of the appeal (to me, anyway). This set is a lot like those ones in that way. I think that the clutter and clash help its design rather than hindering it.
"Who cares about Bionicle anyway?"
Me: I'm about to end this man's whole career...
For the seats, two of part 34103 per seat would let you move the chairs over half a stud. The added height might need to be adjusted for, but it would give the figures space.
I mean he did toss a flight of stairs at it XD
I can't think of a single other set that could withstand such punishment. 😂
Man, we need time twisters back
damn that diss on the mk characters tho
The bionicle slander, joking or not, hurts my soul 😅
Sorry! 😅
As a fíx for the wok table area, why not try a 2x2 turntable plate right below the brown pieces, and use one of those 1x2 round plates for the seat (or even 1x1 round plates) and maybe reduce the height by usng 2x2 round plates. They would be facing each other at an angle. I am not sure this would work...
Are those dark turquoise rail elements I spy? 👀 They look like they’d make some cool rails for Rock Raiders themed minecarts or something
Also that cutoff at 10:41 got me good lol
this set looks neat but i definitely don't have enough room for it lol
It's a big one, for sure. Not quite as large as the Galaxy Explorer or Barracuda Bay, but still big enough to be annoying to photograph. 😅
Stickers are a mixed bag for me. While i like prints, and with how much some things are we should get perfect prints on most everything; sometimes they are off center and i can get a more dialled application with a sticker. Its also pretty satisfying when you do get it perfect. But sometimes the colour matching sucks or the cut is off which makes me like stickers less. Also i sucked at them as a kid so i understand those who struggle
Dang, MK and Mei be looking different in the thumbnail. xd
I couldn’t resist. 😂
@@RRSlugger lol xd
Not one comment on the Kim Mitchell reference? 😤🍁
Well I’m glad somebody caught it! ❤️🇨🇦
With what rumours we've heard of Lego DreamZzz it feels like this notable Time Cruisers cameo may have been more of a prelude then we initially thought! Fingers crossed (given it *IS* a semi spiritual successor to Time Cruisers) it lives up to the legacy!!
I’m holding out hope! 😅
this set reminds me of the mangaka Ueshiba Riichi’s highly detailed manga panels
I hate applying stickers. For me it lies somewhere between an annoyance and a cosmic horror.
2:22 I'm pretty sure that's the death star
I honestly thought the same thing when I first saw the set. It has a ton of talent and passion poured into it, but it isn’t designed the greatest. I feel like the ninjago city sets do this but so much better.
Now, I don’t have them because I just recently got back into Lego. I’m also a technic/bionicle guy myself, but those sets look so cool and have the perfect level of detail for a display piece in my opinion.
I couldn’t help but cringe when he “accidentally” mixed up the Hero Factory and Bionicle symbols. Lol. Best joke in the video!
Hahaha 😉
U could fix the stools easy with jumper plates
Would the rails in this set work in some Rock Raiders moc? 👀🤔
Ooooo! They most certainly would!
Monkie kid sets always look good in the pictures but when I build them something always feels off, that might just be me though.
i think this could be a good base for a cyberpunk esc mock
Kinda disapppointed we didnt see you drooling over the dark turquoise rails.
Otherwise nice review !
I would love to hear you talk more about Barracuda Bay!! Unless you already did and I missed the video ;_;
I haven’t… though I don’t have much to say about it other than how great it is and how it should have been made available for years and years to come. 😢
@@RRSlugger I just like hearing your ideas on how to alter parts of sets and stuff ahah! And yes it's a great set. Im glad I got it before it retired 💀👍
@@lopmon.apologist That’s fair! To my knowledge, I haven’t made any alterations to my copy. I simply can’t imagine any of the classic pirate sets being better than Barracuda Bay!
those robot heads just reminds me of mars mission and lego battles
also was that an exo force robot in that ninjajo photo? (also was in lego battles)
Gritted my teeth at the Bionicle joke, lol 😅 Neat video, anyway 👍 No plans to pick up any Monkie Kid sets, but I still enjoyed this review
Haha, sorry about that one - I couldn’t resist! 😅
Almost completely unrelated but i wish i paid more attention to hero factory while it was out. I was so salty that they ended bionicle that I just ignored hero factory completely, but looking back some of the waves were pretty cool
As much as I enjoy the nostalgia bait, your criticism is valid.
Also, I can only assume it’s comment bait switching up Bionicle and Hero Factory stickers 😅 you got me for sure
6:10 Jumper plates
Two jumper plates on the left, and a 1x2 flat tile on the right to fill the remaining gap. The chair would not be centered on the two studs of the jumpers.
This is like a criticism of downtown Tokyo, at least based of the photos I've seen of the place. Gaudy doesn't do it justice. It definitely wasn't considered how they would all clash.
There’s another monkie kid set in the new January wave that has a time cruisers reference
It sure does! 😄
I've been back and forth on whether I should buy this and this video helped a lot. I'd love to see sets like this and the Ninjago city sets be released but with a more generic style. Lego needs a city theme set in the future that isn't dominated by one culture.
Given your insight here, I would love to hear your thoughts on the "Andrea's Theatre School" set #41714
I haven't built it yet, but I will be surely making a ton of modifications to that one!
@@RRSluggerou know how much I love lego friends:D can’t wait to see those mods! There’s a couple stickers from the Ninjago city sets ( Galidor and Adventurers ) that would suit your needs more probably, have a great day 😊.
Amazing partpack this set is!
And I do agree I wish lego just m,ade all buildings 8x16 for easier connection.
Time Cruisers! YEAH!
Hi slugger! This video rules!! I know you said that you wouldn't want to do a review of Barracuda Bay, seeing as it's retired, but I know I and many others would love to hear your insights!!
Maybe one day! I did recently disassemble much of the model for cleaning, so you never know. 😊
2:23 Why, just why
While I get it's probably cheaper for the lego company to do sticker sheets rather than printed pieces, I wish they would stop doing it for round pieces like that. It's such a pain to line them up and they always wind up off-centered. At least with the square pieces it's a lot easier to line them up
The worst one was by far the shrimp sign - it's a pill shaped sticker on a rectangle shaped part where the rounded edges of the sticker have to align with other pieces added later to the model. 💀
We got ninjago city with 2 extensions and now this. Hopefully the next time they do one of these it’s, it’s inspired by a different country or a fantasy or sci-fi setting. Might just be my fatigue in general with Asian locals in lego as of recent though.
I kinda want to get this because its be great for a space city moc. Not classic space.
It's a set I'd had little interest in however I can see the potential in taking each module and building up to a full 16 wide modular I'm the creator expert format for a city layout much like the bookstore townhouse set the Chinese inspired flavor of done properly could make a realy cute Chinatown district for a large traingarden city the train as it stands is more appropriate as a shuttle tail thing for a amusement Park perhaps I've a hard time justifying anything that isn't on the standard track format and easaly motorized as a proper train but that's just my geeky lego train obsession
Man I should've bought this set
It’s still in production, if you’re considering it. 😊
@@RRSlugger I have a certain lion castle that I am saving up for lol
2:23 did you swaped names of these 2 themes on purpose, right?😅😉
😉
Can you do a video on Lego Modulex? I think you'd find it fascinating
If I had any!! 😭
dude this is set based on cities in china, it's meant to be very cultured as that's jsut what shopping districts look like their
Indeed, and I’ve been in similar shopping districts in Japan. I’d argue there’s a distinction between “cultured” and “cluttered”, personally. I think a lot of the giant anthropomorphic animals are distracting from the real charm of the set, but your mileage may vary.
@RRSlugger have you looked at all the signs in the 4 Ninjago city sets think there one for Rocket Racer
I might need to look at that set again for it! 😮
The cliche decor, I think, is actually quite a draw of the set. This, combined with the clutteredness of the set, gives the set a lot of personality.