Review: 70629 Piranha Attack
Posted by CapnRex101,
The LEGO NINJAGO Movie range has been very impressive on the whole, even at relatively low price points. I have therefore been looking forward to 70629 Piranha Attack very much indeed as this set seems to offer excellent value, containing two vehicles and four minifigures at a remarkably reasonable price of £14.99 or $19.99.
Comparisons will inevitably be drawn between this set and 70607 NINJAGO City Chase as they share the same price point and both include a generous number of minifigures. That certainly bodes well, especially since I think these two models look even better than those found in the earlier set and the fairly even split between heroes and villains is ideal for play.
Minifigures
Kai is probably my favourite ninja from a visual perspective as the red and black colour combination works beautifully. His robe is simple but it looks brilliant, featuring a loose belt around the waist and Wu's golden insignia on the back of the torso. I love the metallic gold tunic visible beneath the robe and the dark red diamonds on the legs are delightful too.
This Kai minifigure does not wear a head wrap so comes with a dark brown hair piece, the shape of which resembles a flame. A similar element appears in sets based upon the animated series but this one is made from a hard plastic rather than rubber. The double-sided head also looks quite familiar, with some scarring alongside smiling and angry expressions. Kai wields two katana which can be stored in a sheath on the back of the figure.
Lady Iron Dragon was omitted from the first wave of sets, instead appearing as Misako in the latest Collectable Minifigure series as well as 70620 NINJAGO City. This heavily armoured minifigure looks marvellous on the whole but the printing on the head is poor, appearing washed out in relation to the yellow hands as insufficient ink has been applied. I find this very disappointing as such an issue would surely have been obvious to the graphic designer, although I suppose you could imagine that Misako is wearing a thin veil.
Otherwise, the figure is excellent. The colour combination of orange and pearl dark grey works very nicely and I like the intricate moulding on Misako's quiver and shoulder armour. The printing on both sides of the torso is also highly detailed, with a few metallic silver highlights against the pearl dark grey base colour.
A fabric component wraps around the legs and is decorated with a striped design to match that on the torso. It looks great but is quite difficult to fit with the front hanging properly and its width obstructs the arms, as shown in the image above. It is unfortunate that the arm printing seen in the movie is absent but I am still reasonably satisfied with this minifigure. Lady Iron Dragon lacks her dao from the film but is instead armed with a black bow.
Ray works as rickshaw runner in NINJAGO City and includes a new torso. He wears a medium nougat coolie like Shen-Li in 70609 Manta Ray Bomber and his head is decorated with black sideburns, eyebrows and a frightened expression so matches that seen on Takuma in 70610 Flying Jelly Sub. It would have been nice to see a second, more versatile head as well, although I think just one is satisfactory given the small size of the set.
The sand blue printing on the torso and legs is also unique. I like the detailed fastenings and the creases in the fabric look perfectly natural but I am not so keen on the dark tan sleeves. Having said that, some colour variation is welcome and the sandals printed on Ray's feet look superb, as does the dark orange belt wrapped around his waist.
A simple Shark Army Thug completes the set. These characters appear in almost every set from The LEGO NINJAGO Movie and this combination of parts is particularly common which is a bit of a shame, although they look good together. The eye patch and stubble is ideal for a villain and he appears suitably angry, with arched eyebrows and a grim expression.
Most of Garmadon's troops wear sand blue vests with a grey chest rig over the top and this figure is no different. The splashes of metallic silver work very nicely and I like the printing on the legs too. Oddly, the thug does not come with any weapons. This is disappointing but I suppose he spends most of his time in the cockpit of the Piranha Mech where separate accessories would not be required.
The Completed Model
NINJAGO has become one of LEGO's most successful themes with both children and adults in recent years. I think this can be attributed, in part, to the blend of traditional Japanese design with fantastical and outlandish elements such as dragons. 70629 Piranha Attack epitomises this trend, including a detailed rickshaw which could slot into an authentic Asian setting alongside a delightfully bizarre Piranha Mech!
The rickshaw is the smaller of the two vehicles but it looks great, featuring a single seat for a minifigure that is protected by an ornate awning. This is ingeniously constructed using a pair of car bonnet components to create a realistic shape and two stickers are applied to add some extra detail. I particularly like the stickered pattern on top which matches that seen just above the back of the seat. The inclusion of a little stepladder for the passenger is also very pleasing and is undoubtedly necessary given the size of the rickshaw.
Two enormous wheels allow the rickshaw to roll back and forth. These are attached facing inwards so some of the moulded detail is not visible but this does give the model a narrower profile which I like very much. Of course, you can always flip the wheels around to widen the rickshaw if you prefer. A couple of black lanterns are suspended from either side of the roof and these look superb in contrast with the red awning.
I am sure the rickshaw will appeal to almost everybody but the Piranha Mech might be more divisive. The LEGO NINJAGO Movie includes several unusual vehicles based upon sea creatures but this may be the strangest of them all. It is evidently designed to resemble a piranha but includes a pair of spindly legs with large flippers as the feet. The design looks absolutely ridiculous but I think that makes it all the more appealing! Its size is also surprisingly impressive as the mech measures over 17cm in height.
The vehicle is constructed around a large aircraft fuselage component which is cast in sand blue for the first time. Such big pieces sometimes look out of place on small models but this one is perfect, with an attractive curved shape that loosely resembles a real piranha. A few jagged teeth are fitted around the mouth while a translucent dish forms what could be a sensor of some kind or a window for the driver.
The upper section is constructed with the studs facing backwards while the lower half is built using more conventional techniques, with the majority of the studs pointing upwards. They are joined by just two click hinges but the connection is remarkably sturdy and the snapping jaws work very well, revealing another row of irregular teeth.
Opening the mouth all the way allows access to the interior. There is room for a single pilot to sit at the controls and I like the decorative barbs beside the seat. The printed 2x1 slope looks great too and is fairly rare, having only previously appeared in three other sets. As one would expect, the Piranha Mech is armed with a couple of different weapons, including two flick-fire missiles which are seen being assembled in 70631 Garmadon's Volcano Lair.
It is not entirely clear whether the bulbous eyes on either side of the cockpit serve as windows for the pilot or are simply decorative. In any case, they look marvellous and the primary means of navigation seems to be the periscope rising from the top of the vehicle. This is mounted on a Technic pin so can rotate all the way around, much like the thrust pods beneath the tail fin which also have a limited range of motion.
The Piranha Mech includes nine stickers featuring hazard stripes, a vehicle identification number and the symbol of Garmadon's army. These are quite easy to apply and they look splendid, as do the tiny legs on which the model walks. I love the apparent inelegance of this design and the broad feet ensure absolute stability, albeit at the cost of articulation. Creating a walking pose is very tricky as there is no forward or backward motion but I think this is excusable given the weight placed on top of such narrow legs.
Overall
This is a brilliant set. I love the unusual design of the Piranha Mech and the pulled rickshaw includes an exceptional level of detail given its small size. The spread of minifigures is also very satisfying as Ray is currently exclusive to this set while Lady Iron Dragon only appears elsewhere in the much larger 70632 Quake Mech. Kai and the Shark Army Thug are less interesting as both are found in several other sets but they are ideal for play.
Furthermore, the price of £14.99 or $19.99 seems extraordinarily low for a set containing 217 pieces, a few of which are quite large and have been moulded in a new colour here. The issue with the printing on Lady Iron Dragon's face is frustrating but in all other respects I think this is an excellent set and it is certainly a worthy purchase for fans of The LEGO NINJAGO Movie range, especially if you enjoy some of the wackier vehicles!
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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16 comments on this article
Neat set!
@CapnRex101 What sets has the control console appeared in previously?
oddball design + low price point means a must-have!
@Echolord - 70610 Flying Jelly Sub, 70614 Lightning Jet and 10739 Shark Attack. I would normally include a link to the sets in the article but the printed console is missing from LEGO's current inventories.
I love misako's samaurai dragon pauldron!
Great review!
When I see the piranha mech I think the designers stole the concept from futurama's reverse scuba suit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvRQ4d76ZV0
I think piranha chase and ninjago city chase would go well together,both have impressive play value!
The rickshaw is great. The rest in the parts bin.
Its a great set but I much prefer the Garmadon Base, let's see if the wants and not change.
This is another 'win' for TLNM series. Very well executed and a terrific value for the $19.99 cost.
That is such a fantastic mech. I was sold on it when I first saw the pictures, especially at the $20 price point, and the review has just cemented that for me. TLNM sets are just super good on average, it's actually pretty impressive.
shaase, don't forget LEGO also was inspired by the 'brain slug' of Futurama with the head aliens in Alien Conquest.
You guys know that L-loyd's mom in the Ninjago Movie is named Koko, right?
Misako is Lloyd's mom on the Ninjago TV series.
Definitely a buy for me. After the Jelly-sub, the Piranha mech is my fav vehicle of this series. Also £15? Total bargain for such a good array of bits and figures.
It’s utterly weird...I love it!
When do these come out???