Review: 71858 Four Weapons Blacksmith
Posted by CapnRex101,
The first scene of NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu features Master Wu visiting Kai and Nya at their blacksmith shop, hunting for 'something special' there. 2508 Blacksmith Shop was introduced to accompany the series in 2011, although a more detailed design is much needed.
Fortunately, 71858 Four Weapons Blacksmith is precisely that! Unlike many location-based models from NINJAGO, this one adheres as closely as possible to the onscreen setting and I think it looks fantastic. The minifigure selection also has much to offer and there are a number of Easter eggs to discover as well.
Summary
71858 Four Weapons Blacksmith, 1,259 pieces.
£89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 | 7.1p / 7.9c / 7.9c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
It has taken a long time, but this is the definitive LEGO Four Weapons Blackmsith
- Richly detailed, inside and out
- Very faithful to the animation
- Desirable minifigures
- Lots of clever Easter eggs
- A few areas for improvement with the figures
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Even though Kai has appeared in countless outfits since 2011, we have never received a truly accurate version of the character in his original blacksmith attire. I am pleased to see a proper attempt here, but its execution is disappointing. The torso looks good, but the apron printed on the legs is a different colour, inexplicably. I am more forgiving of the hair element because there was little chance of the original rubber piece returning.
Nya, on the other hand, is fantastic. This recreation of her pilot season design is accurate and includes decoration on the back of the torso, which was missing from her 2011 minifigure. Nya sports a bracelet in early seasons of the animated series and I wish that had been represented, but the details look excellent otherwise.
Both minifigures re-use their standard heads, which works for Nya, but less so for Kai. I think a return to his classic head was necessary, especially if NINJAGO Legacy is planned to continue, so it could be used again. Their accessories are great though, notably including Nya's twin gold blades from 2172 Nya.
Continuing the pilot season theme, Master Wu is dressed in his classic white robe. The black belt and floral symbol correspond with his original minifigure from 2011, although the grey trim and printed sandals are modern features, more closely resembling Wu's figure from The LEGO NINJAGO Movie.
While an exact recreation of Wu's appearance in the pilot episodes may have been nice, I like this minifigure too. However, I am not sure about the angry expression, as Master Wu typically looks more serene, even engaged in battle. Speaking of which, the figure comes equipped with a tan bo staff.
Although not properly introduced until later in the animated series, Kai and Nya's parents, Ray and Maya, make a welcome return here. The characters have appeared just once before and their minifigures from 70627 Dragon's Forge have become quite sought after. These iterations are arguably even better though, equipped for the Serpentine War, when they were the Masters of Fire and Water.
I love the metallic gold dragon design on Ray's armour and the dark red robe underneath, with dark tan straps holding the armour together on the back. Maya's attire more closely resembles traditional samurai armour, with visibly defined segments around her midriff. The decoration on the breastplate looks superb and both characters' colours reflect their elemental powers.
Maya thinks Kai inherited his father's hot-headed nature and Ray's angry expression suggests so. Maya, on the other hand, re-uses a generic head with one fairly neutral expression, which I find disappointing. Female characters often seem to receive standard heads in licensed sets, so it is a shame to see that repeated here. Otherwise, these minifigures are brilliant.
Recent waves of anniversary sets have often contained exclusive minifigures, whether for Star Wars, Harry Potter or the 10th anniversary of NINJAGO. The trend will continue in 2026 for the theme's 15th anniversary, with seven minifigures depicting the group of Elemental Masters from the Serpentine War, such as the Master of Earth supplied here.
The masters only appeared quite briefly onscreen and were never planned to become physical minifigures, hence they used designs from other sets. This character therefore includes a torso similar to Gimli from the original The Lord of the Rings range, albeit decorated in silver and with a unique symbol on the torso, which complements his golden helmet.
The double-sided head returns from 31168 Medieval Horse Knight Castle and looks pretty good, although his facial hair should really be black. Dark tan and grey parts, attached to a trans-clear accessory holder, denote the Master of Earth's elemental power.
Anniversary minifigures are often presented on a display base and this example for the Master of Earth looks nice. Its style reminds me of early NINJAGO sets and I like the 15th anniversary logo, printed on a 2x2 round tile. Technic pins are included to attach this base to those found in other sets.
Reference
Source - ninjago.fandom.com
The Completed Model
Four Weapons Blacksmith is quite a simple building, compared with many others in NINJAGO, but this model is brilliantly detailed. Additionally, it is very faithful to the building as it appears in early episodes of the animated series, pictured above, which is an unusual consideration for the NINJAGO theme, given its sets and animation are normally developed together.
The shop is compact, only measuring 22cm wide, 15cm deep and 19cm tall, so its substantial piece count of 1259 seems surprising. However, you do feel the piece count while assembling this model and quite a few parts are needed to ensure the blacksmith is completely finished on all sides, which it is.
The front is certainly the most visually interesting area, including wooden supports outside and an attractive lattice window. The standard lattice window element is not a precise match for the source material, but I still think this was a fine choice, fitted sideways and neatly integrated with the surrounding walls.
In addition, I love the rocky texture around the base. This kind of rock structure is a hallmark of set designer Chi Wing Lee, found in some of his previous models and always used to excellent effect. I particularly love the lime green parts and flowers. Also, a sign warning minifigures not to walk on the grass is included, in reference to one of Lloyd Garmadon's misdeeds from season one, where the blacksmith appears in the background.
The steps up the door are constructed to look as though they have been carved from the rock, which is a clever detail. Once again, the sign mounted over the entrance corresponds with the animated series, other than the stickers, which have been updated with Ninjargon letters rather than generic kanji. These read 'W' and 'F', which could denote the elemental powers of Water and Fire, or perhaps stand for 'Four Weapons' if the flags are swapped.
Also, I have only just noticed that official images of the set and the instruction manual actually show the central sign upside down, which I copied when building. Fortunately, you can just flip this 2x4 tile over to match the animated location, featuring the titular four weapons.
The map to the Golden Weapons is hidden behind the sign in the animation, represented here by a printed 2x2 tile. The onscreen map is wider, so a 2x3 tile would have been ideal, although there is not enough space for a bigger element. Pushing a button inside the shop dislodges the sign to reveal the map.
The roof is relatively plain, but faithful to the show, nevertheless. I like the bands of dark brown elements among the black slopes and the decorative details on top are attractive. In fact, there should be similar decorations on every tier of the roof and I wish the older fish ornaments could have returned here because they would look perfect.
While the blacksmith is fully enclosed, its interior is still readily accessible, thanks to hinges on the back. The central section of the roof can be detached and the two halves of the blacksmith shop open to reveal as much detail inside as there is outside, including a couple of accessories hidden in the roof.
Impressive detail continues inside, again reflecting the show as much as possible. The golden gong near the door is a memorable feature, for example. This appears in the pilot episode and later reveals the blacksmith's basement in season seven. Similarly, the blue telephone attached to the wall is often visible onscreen.
I like the hot coals on the stove against the wall, while this anvil is designed in reference to the original 2508 Blacksmith Shop. Its blocky shape matches the 2011 version almost exactly, now resting on a round woodblock. The weapons in the rack on the wall have also been chosen very deliberately, so I will come back to those shortly.
The cobblestone floor is stunning, mounted at a 45-degree angle and including a lovely mix of dark tan and medium nougat tiles. The design is fairly parts-intensive and probably could have been simplified, but I consider the extra detail worthwhile for such a vital location, particularly in an anniversary set.
A pearl dark grey samurai helmet is kept in the rafters, appearing for the first time in this colour since 2013, which surprised me. Kai's ZX mask is included too, hinting to the character's future and recreating an element produced for Kai minifigures in 2012.
Minifigure-scale versions of the cards packaged with the Spinners debuted in 70751 Temple of Airjitzu and they have appeared several times since. Another card is hidden behind Kai's mask, appropriately originating from 9561 Kai ZX. The card looks superb, but I wish these pieces had been printed from the outset.
The raised platform and bed in the corner are taken directly from the animated series, as is the stickered painting on the wall. I am impressed by how this bed is assembled, using tan window panes to create the desired texture. The landscape painting also looks perfect, hanging with an image of Ray and Maya alongside.
Furthermore, a double-bladed dagger is displayed on the wall, with '2011' written in Ninjargon underneath. This and the aforementioned weapons on the rack might be familiar to long-time NINJAGO fans because these accessories were available in Kai and Nya's original Spinners, 2111 Kai and 2172 Nya, both released in 2011!
Before becoming a ninja, Nya takes on the mantle of Samurai X and her helmet from that era can be found in the attic. A staircase leads up to this floor in the animation, but space is pretty limited inside, so I understand the decision to simplify the interior a little.
Another stickered card is kept behind the Samurai X helmet, this time based on a card in 9566 Samurai X. Nineteen of these character cards have appeared in sets since 2015, though those remaining are probably the hardest to accommodate, as most belong to Skulkin and Serpentine characters.
Overall
NINJAGO fans have been waiting for a definitive recreation of the blacksmith shop and 71858 Four Weapons Blacksmith absolutely delivers. I think the designer has struck an ideal balance between architectural detail and accuracy to the television series, particularly given the relative subtlety of the many references included.
The price of £89.99, $99.99 or €99.99 attracted some criticism when this set was revealed and understandably so, as the model looks small for the price. However, the value feels reasonable to me, given the density of detail. I am more concerned about a couple of the minifigures, which deviate more from their animated designs than I would like, but this is still an outstanding set to mark fifteen years of NINJAGO.
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18 comments on this article
I would get this to incorporate into one of the moduars, probably the city docks. It doesn't interest me otherwise.
It ain't no Medieval Blacksmith I'll tell you that
This looks so good. Gonna be grabbing it as soon as it drops. I’m excited to see the rest of the anniversary line!
Such a set and an anniversary set at that, would have deserved more printed parts especially at this price point. Really appreciate the closed off, openable house though.
Will most likely get this. Pilot season and season 1 of Ninjago are quite nostalgic too me.
Love this! But it will be a restaurant in my Ninjago District.
Would love to see some size comparisons, maybe relative to a modular or a Ninjago City section.
They missed an opportunity to bring back the fish decorations from the original Ninja line.
I can't wait to get this set. So far, it's the only Jan 1st release I want ot get on day one.
I truly love this set and I think it's pitch perfect; but a single story two-room house is a big ask for $100. It's definitely not a case of price-per-piece but rather if the value is there; I think $80 would be ideal, and even then I'd wait for it to hit the $60 price range on sale.
imo instead of their parents, it should've come with a pair of skeletons
@Harmonious_Building said:
"Would love to see some size comparisons, maybe relative to a modular or a Ninjago City section. "
They're larger.
It truly is a great model, and I would consider getting it - at a discount - if not for the Kai minifig, which is just lazily inaccurate. Thanks for pointing out the issues with it, Cap'n.
There wouldn't be a problem with the original rubber piece returning if they had kept it around in the first place (or just updated it to a matching plastic piece), instead of switching over entirely to that ridiculous derpy-ass hair from TLNM. The face is an even easier fix - a simple reprint - but they couldn't be bothered with even that. Probably to maintain their "all Kai minifigs must look identical so the 6-year-olds can see that they represent the same character" shtick. Because 6-year-olds are going to be interested in a set based on a location seen in the show 15 years ago, right. Either the Ninjago design team is once again showing that they don't even know who their target audience is, or they just can't be bothered to get sets "celebrating" the show right.
Speaking of which - Wu's sandals here are shared with his minifig in 71866, so that's just budget-saving. Still, they're are unnecessary additions in both cases because they're inaccurate.
My only other minor nitpick (besides the missing fish pieces on the roof) is that, while the rockwork around the base is nice, I would have preferred the building to sit on just 1-2 plate layers, so that the base could be extended out front to give the minifigs someplace to stand on the model. That would likely necessitate losing detail on the interior floor, but it would also have saved a few hundred parts.
It is too small and the interior is lame.
Reminds me of the dragon stone shrine. Beautiful display piece that isnt ucs price levels but decent enough play features. Plus can easily fit on any desk. Easy pick up for me
@Crux said:
" @Harmonious_Building said:
"Would love to see some size comparisons, maybe relative to a modular or a Ninjago City section. "
They're larger."
And this shop is tiny.
I love almost everything - which isn’t surprising considering how delighted I was by the Dragon Stone Shrine from the same designer - but that print error on Kai is disappointing. I do wish they’d sort out their printing issues.
If I'd ever actually seen the show, I have a feeling I'd be all over this.