Review: 40921 Up-Scaled Blue Astronaut Minifigure
Posted by Huw,
40921 Up-Scaled Blue Astronaut Minifigure is set to join the collection of 6-scale minifigures next month, a figure that fans of the 6x-scale models have been waiting for since they debuted in 2021.
As you'd expect, this one is much the same as its predecessors in terms of design, although the hip joints have been improved considerably.
Summary
40921 Up-Scaled Blue Astronaut Minifigure, 793 pieces.
£54.99 / $59.99 / €59.99 | 6.9p / 7.6c / 7.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
The 6x scale minifigure we've all been waiting for!
- Good rendition of a much-loved minifigure
- Revised hip joint has increased stability
- Air tanks look excellent
- Could do with an accessory
- Helmet chin area is a bit chunky
- Subassemblies incompatible with earlier figures
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Parts
The most notable new part is this 6x5x1 panel printed with the classic space logo. There are also a number of parts that have been recoloured in blue, but I'll direct you to New Elementary's analysis once it's been published.
Construction
The internals of the torso that hold the sides at an an angle and provide friction on the arm joints is much the same as that in the older figures, but the hip joint is much improved. Earlier ones used a pair of Technic ball joints on each leg which provided the required movement but were prone to wobbling because they relied on friction and the body of the figures is quite heavy.
The astronaut uses Technic click-hinges instead, which are much more stable and secure.
The completed model
The figure stands about 26cm tall and looks pretty good from every angle, especially the back for a change, where the detail on the air tanks can be appreciated.
The helmet's chin guard, made using four Brick, 1X3X1 2/3, Circle Arches and a 1x4 version that I am not familiar with, looks slightly chunky from this angle.
The figure is constructed in, and can be broken down into, subassemblies, but they do not replicate those on the real figure exactly. The head can't be removed from the helmet, and the neck strap of the tanks is affixed to the torso rather than to the tanks themselves.
Slightly annoyingly, the hip's interface with the torso and the way the head is attached are different to those in earlier figures, so you can't put Santa's legs on the spaceman's torso, for example, without some rebuilding.
As with 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure, there's a 'pilot' inside the head, accessed by removing the top of the helmet. This time it's a robot which closely resembles those in classic space sets who sits inside, in front of a pair of printed control panels.
Verdict
Fans of up-scaled minifigures have been waiting for this one, and they will not be disappointed!
It would have been nice if it had come with an accessory such as a radio, metal detector, or 'torch' like those carried by the LEGO space pioneers of the late 1970s, but that would of course have increased the price.
Talking of which, it's priced the same as the first single regular retail one, 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure. ($59.99, £54.99, €59.99), which is a pleasant surprise.
If you want to build an accessory for it, you'll find instructions for the aforementioned ones on typewriter designer Steve Guinness' (aka The Brick Consultant's) Facebook page. I wanted to do so for this review, but didn't have all the required parts to hand.
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21 comments on this article
Day 1 purchase for me. Already got parts to replace the some of the visible studs.
Just wish there was a matching minifigure.
Also day 1, also wish it had a matching minifig. Benny aside, blue is glaringly missing in the recent reissue campaign. Maybe this is a sign they're saving it for something else down the line...
Seems like you put the right hand "fingers" in the opposite way. Space mutant. :D
Damn now 40767 wants a father (or mother)
Looks great, especially with the spacebaby! I can't say as this is a need, but who knows what discounts might happen and tempt me.
Oh, that price increase on 40649 escaped my notice. It was €49.99 when it was released:
https://brickset.com/article/95212/40649-up-scaled-lego-minifigure-arrives-on-lego-com
It is nice, but the lack of consistency really shows in the tiling of the foot area. The large spaceman has 6 nobbly toes on each foot whereas the baby one does not. Some in the past do, some don't. I know it is a simple fix by adding a couple of plates but LEGO not doing it seems like they don't care about details. It would also have been nice if LEGO had tested and optimised the hips and so on first time around and had consistency between parts so that they could be switchable, although then I guess people would complain that they are lazy recolours rather than new models.
I didn't get the others but I'm not gonna miss this.
These must be selling if they keep making them, and they are cool to look at, but I just find them very monotonous in reality (with the exception of 40504 pirate).
Now, an upscaled version of Grogu...but I doubt we'll see more licensed figures in this line.
Definitely buying this!
Love that last pic.
Great stuff.
Hopefully LEGO will do a Galactus figure in this scale and style.
I can’t wait! I’ve been wanting this since they first released these upscales figs, and it looks perfect! Got the space baby already, too!
I would buy a pack of parts with the CS logo on them in different sizes, colors, etc.
When I first saw it I remember thinking well thats just the same as the red one, before remembering as soon as I got the Octan Figure I quickly merged with the Original and made some Red hands and Legs to make my own. Sticker for the logo and a parts from a Monkie Kid set to fashion the oxygen tanks. I'll be getting this pretty quick. Just need Lego to make the former Lego House Exclusive Pirate available. {Lego if you are listening. Make Lego House exclusives available, 1 year later if need be without any parts saying Lego house so we can all get something like it... please}
How different is the leg interface? Comparing pictures of the two they seem pretty close?
Regardless, small (but kinda annoying) flaw on an otherwise great set! Surely gonna get this!
As for the hip joints, is that really an improvement? I mean, click hinges might be a bit more stable (though never had problems with my 40649), but now you're limited to those click-positions.
@CDM said:
"Also day 1, also wish it had a matching minifig. Benny aside, blue is glaringly missing in the recent reissue campaign. Maybe this is a sign they're saving it for something else down the line..."
Two more years until the 50th anniversary, we can only hope.
With each release I'm getting more tempted to pay over the odds to get 40504 to complete the set!
I'm waiting for someone to mod the chinstrap to be broken.
If you want to fix the bottom of the chin guard and remove the two small 2x2 with angle plates (24297 and 24307) which look unfinished, you can replace that with 2 99781 (6163471 in blue) and 2 5404 (6513920 in blue) - not perfect but better. You will also need 2 6636 (4118785 in blue) for the feet. As for the neck, we will need to see the instructions to get the proper tiles while maintaining the integrity of the build. We will also need to wait a bit to see how to properly tile the top of the helmet. I have already ordered those parts and will be ordering the rest when I see the instructions. Now begins the hunt for those 6x5x1 bricks in all sorts of colour (red white and black would suffice, I think!)
I am also not sure if the click hinge is an improvement. Preset angles vs inifinite positioning...
I suppose this will the set to buy (plus some small city sets) to get the Japanese restaurant GWP.
Can't wait! And thanks for the link to The Brick Consultant's accessories :)
This is gonna be great--so when are we getting the upscaled 6805 to put him in???
@ra226 said:
"This is gonna be great--so when are we getting the upscaled 6805 to put him in???"
Uh uh. It’s 6809, 6824, or nothing.