Top Ten Most Expensive Ninjago Minifigures: Male vs. Female
Posted by Huw,
This article has been contributed by SearchlightRG:
Ninjago celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, which has prompted both the LEGO group and many fans to look back on the decade the theme has run thus far. For me, this has prompted a recent look at the theme’s minifigures, and how expensive some of them have become in the time since their release.
In the course of my research, I discovered what, according to the Brickset database, are the top ten most expensive Ninjago minifigures. However, upon discovering that all ten figures are based on male characters from the series, I decided to go through and compile a second list of the most expensive female minifigures.
I set a couple of group rules in compiling these lists together to share with you. First, when I say minifigures, I mean minifigures: no Big, brick-built, or animal figures are included on this listing.
Secondly, I’m not including any of the figures released in 2021, most especially the Golden Tenth Anniversary figures we’ve seen in the first half of the year. While the Golden Wu released with Ninjago City Gardens definitely would make this list, I feel like the price may have been overinflated somewhat by certain folks capitalizing on the figure’s exclusivity to a particularly expensive and sought after set.
I also left out an “exclusive” Sons of Garmadon Nya variant that came with a book, but was identical to the set version except for lacking a skirt piece. All prices given here are in U.S. Dollars, and may have fluctuated by the time you read this article.
NOTE: Spoilers ahead for the Ninjago animated series.
#10: njo135: Skylor (Jungle Robe) and njo060: Pythor Chumsworth
The tenth most expensive female Ninjago minifigure is the original version of Skylor from 2015, which is currently listed on Brickset as being worth $9.86 new.
Though she appeared in only one set, 70746 Condrai Copter Attack, said set was thankfully only $30 at the time of its release. As such, it was presumably pretty easy for folks to get their hands on. Skylor’s price is thus affected primarily by the fact that the set came out six years ago.
The tenth most expensive minifigure (both male and overall) is another original variant: Pythor from 9449 Ultra Sonic Raider, all the way back in 2012. This set went for $80 back in the day, making it a bit less accessible for Ninjago fans without a generous supply of cash.
Its price, coupled with the fact that Pythor was a fan favorite character and that this was the only set in which that version of him appeared, have brought Pythor’s price up to a whopping $31.37 on Brickset, three times the value of Skylor’s figure. Folks looking not to pay as much for the original Pythor as they would have for the whole set in which Skylor came are undoubtedly grateful for the 2019 Legacy version.
#9: njo383: Harumi and njo417: Neuro
The ninth most expensive female Ninjago minifigure is 2018’s Harumi, specifically her princess variant from 70643 Temple of Resurrection.
Once again, exclusivity to an expensive set matters, with a new Princess Harumi minifigure being valued at $12.92 on Brickset. This is $3 more than the Skylor variant discussed previously, despite the fact that the Skylor figure is three years older.
Those who are fans of the show may be a bit less disappointed not to get this variant of Harumi, which was only present in one or two episodes. Of course, a more casual version was prominent for much of the show’s season eight, but has yet to be released physically.
Harumi’s male counterpart, at least in terms of these listings, is Neuro, the Master of Mind.
Neuro was introduced in the animated series in 2015, but did not receive a physical release until 2017. Though his introductory set, 5004938 NINJAGO Minifigure Collection, was only $20 at release, it was exclusive to Toys ‘R’ Us.
This fact, coupled with the apparent popularity of the Elemental Masters, has caused Neuro’s price to climb to $31.55.
#8: njo288: Maya and njo066: Acidicus
Eighth on the list of most expensive female minifigures for Ninjago is Maya, mother to Kai and Nya. She’s currently priced at $13.15, having originally been released in an $80 set, 70627 Dragon's Forge.
Maya debuted in the animated series in 2015, though it wasn’t until 2017 that we got a physical version, her name, and confirmation that she was Kai and Nya’s mom.
There’s been indications that Nya will be appearing in an upcoming season of the series, though whether that will eventually lead to a new minifigure is impossible to say.
Maya first appeared in flashbacks fighting in the series’ historical Serpentine War; it’s therefore somewhat fitting that the eighth most expensive male Ninjago minifigure is Acidicus.
This Serpentine General currently lists for $33.20 on Brickset, perhaps beating out Pythor due to only getting one variant to date. Then again, Acidicus was also exclusive to a rather more expensive set: 9450 Epic Dragon Battle.
Sadly, the other Serpentine General exclusive to that set, Skalidor, doesn’t currently make the top ten most expensive Ninjago minifigures.
#7: njo286: Samurai X (P.I.X.A.L.) and njo014: Samukai
Well, how’s this for a funny coincidence? The 2017 version of Samurai X, later revealed to also be a version of 2014’s P.I.X.A.L. takes the seventh most expensive female minifigure slot. Exclusive to the $50 70625 Samurai VXL, P.I.X.A.L.’s first incarnation in this form currently rings in at $13.04.
While she came in a cheaper set than some of her less expensive predecessors on this list, perhaps either the popularity of P.I.X.A.L. or of the Samurai X aesthetic-or both-is enough to make this figure more desirable.
From one whose name includes the word samurai to one whose name is a play on samurai, we attend to one of the very first villains of the theme.
Samukai’s Brickset price currently stands at $35.36, not surprising given that only one minifigure version of him has been produced to date, way back in the first year of the theme. While not quite as exclusive as Pythor or Acidicus, the two sets he came in were $70 and $120.
Coupled with his unique design, it’s enough to make Samukai one of the most desirable-and thus expensive-Ninjago minifigures.
#6: njo484: Harumi and njo418: Nindroid White
We don’t have too many cases of characters with multiple variants on these lists, but Harumi is one of them.
The version of her that comes with a uniquely printed Oni Mask of Hatred appeared exclusively in 5005257 NINJAGO Minifigure Collection, sadly the last Toys ‘R’ Us Ninjago Bricktober pack to be released before the company’s bankruptcy.
The #6 slot on the male list goes to another Bricktober exclusive: the White Nindroid, who came in the same minifigure pack as Neuro.
Though essentially just a white repaint of General Cryptor, it is currently priced at $36.92 to Harumi’s $15.13.
#5: njo485: Nya - Kabuki and njo291: Time Twin, Old (Krux / Acronix)
Bricktober figs occupy quite a few spots on this list, and the number five most expensive female Ninjago minifigure is no exception.
The kabuki version of Nya appeared in the same minifigure pack as the masked Harumi we just discussed. Currently priced at $16.05, she’s nearly as expensive as the pack was when originally released, and a little over half the price for a mint condition version of the set according to Brickset.
Nya’s behind the other Ninja in her number of variants, and minifigures that take inspiration from the animated series rather than the other way around are almost always a plus.
Opposing Nya on the male/overall most expensive Ninjago minifigure list is Krux, the older (according to the animated series) of the Time Twins who served as primary antagonists of the Hands of Time season/wave of sets.
Brickset’s database currently has him valued at $30.92 new, just over half the original price of the single set in which he appeared, 70626 Dawn of Iron Doom. It’s not exactly clear why Krux isn’t quite as expensive as Acronix, the younger of the Time Twins.
A second, younger variant of the character did appear in the same Bricktober pack as the White Nindroid and Neuro, so perhaps that’s why the older version doesn’t seem to be in quite so high demand.
#4: njo415: Nancy and njo049: Fangtom
The fourth most expensive Lego Ninjago female minifigure is a rather unusual entry, not being based upon or having inspired-so far as I’m aware-any actual character within the franchise.
Nancy, currently priced at $17.53, was exclusive to 70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON!, a The LEGO Ninjago Movie set originally priced at $80. Though she serves only as a hapless civilian whom Lloyd must defend from Lord Garmadon, two members of his Shark Army, and a massive mech, Nancy comes with a couple unique parts that evidently make her quite desirable.
These consist of her head, which features a print with some considerable corrective dental equipment at work, and a torso featuring an M-Tron logo referencing a now over thirty-year old subtheme of Lego Space.
Rounding out the collection of Serpentine leaders/generals on this list is Fangtom at $38.30.
The two-headed Fangpyre appeared exclusively in 9445 Fangpyre Truck Ambush, which originally sold for $50. However, his rare status as a two-headed figure on top of the rare snake-tail lower body he sports have allowed him to edge out the other Serpentine leaders on this list.
The same cannot be said for his colleague Skales, who like Skalidor did not make the top ten for this list, possibly because he was the only general to appear in two sets.
#3: njo301: General Machia and njo108: Lloyd DX
From one snake general to another: the third most expensive female Ninjago minifigure is 2017’s General Machia, second-in-command to Acronix and Krux.
The sole female member of the Vermillion faction of villains, Machia definitely stood out, including accessories that allowed her to be converted from a standard minifigure design to a configuration perhaps intended to resemble the earlier Serpentine Generals, but with a brick-built lower body rather than a single molded tail piece.
Machia appeared exclusively in the same set as the 2017 version of Samurai X, and a new minifigure of her is currently priced at $18.38 on Brickset.
Spot #3 on the male/overall list goes to a somewhat unusual entry: Lloyd DX.
Whereas the other figures on this list were either created for the Ninjago or movie lines, or else inspired by the animated series, this figure is a mish-mash of concepts. It depicts Lloyd in DX ninja robes, which were sported by the original four Ninja in 2011.
Lloyd was not introduced or made a Ninja until after his teammates had stopped sporting these outfits, however, and his armor and cowl pieces were, like the character, introduced in 2012. The sole set in which this figure appeared was a 2014 Target exclusive, which may have contributed to its climbing to a price of $39.90.
#2: njo086: Pixal (P.I.X.A.L) and njo292: Time Twin, Young (Acronix / Krux)
P.I.X.A.L. takes not only second place in terms of female minifigure price, but also a second spot on the list that outdoes even Nya, the most prominent recurring female character in the theme.
P.I.X.A.L.’s original 2014 variant lists on Brickset for $18.86, nearly a third the original asking price for her sole set appearance, 70724 NinjaCopter.
Her counterpart on the male list is Acronix, the younger of the two Time Twins, who is currently listed at $52.18.
Here’s hoping Krux is only less highly priced because he has two variants to Acronix’s one, and not because Krux is the old man of the pair.
#1: njo521: Akita and njo107: Overlord (Golden Master)
Last, but certainly not least, the highest priced female Ninjago minifigure according to Brickset is Akita. Appearing solely in 2019’s 70678 Castle of the Forsaken Emperor Akita is now listed for $21.78 new on Brickset, a little over a fifth of the $100 original price for the entire set.
Her exclusivity is undoubtedly a big factor in that price, as are her unique accessories. Akita comes with a unique cape and combination hair/headdress piece, and her torso, leg, and face prints are also exclusive.
All of these contribute to quite the aesthetic, which makes it quite desirable to the serious collector, if a bit frustrating for those with less disposable income...or desire to spend so much of it on a single Lego minifigure.
Rounding off the list of most expensive Ninjago minifigures, as listed by Brickset, is the 2014 version of the Overlord. Comprising just one unique component less than Akita, the Overlord nevertheless is currently valued more than twice her price on Brickset, being currently valued at $52.40.
It’s no surprise for the original ultimate evil of the Ninjago theme, and one who remains popular despite having been almost entirely absent from the series for seven years now.
Of course, the price is undoubtedly also influenced by his exclusive appearance in a single set: 70728 Battle for Ninjago City. Originally sold for $120, a new copy is now listed on Brickset for just shy of $200, from more than twice to nearly four times the current list price for the Overlord.
Many fans are undoubtedly grateful that Ninjago: Legacy has introduced a couple variants of the Overlord as alternatives to the excellent but now rather difficult to obtain original version. We may also be grateful that, since 2014, the main villains of various Ninjago waves tend to be available in two or more sets rather than being exclusive to one.
This has undoubtedly helped to keep most of them cheaper and thus easier to obtain for those fans, older and newer, who aren’t fortunate enough to be able to get them or their accompanying sets the first time around.
Speaking of years, now that we’ve looked at each minifigure, here’s a breakdown of the most expensive minifigures by year they were released:
- 2019: 1 (Akita)
- 2018: 3 (Princess and Masked Harumi, Kabuki Nya)
- 2017: 8 (Acronix, Machia, Krux, Maya, Neuro, Samurai X, White Nindroid, and Nancy)
- 2016: 0
- 2015: 1 (Skylor)
- 2014: 3 (Lloyd DX, P.I.X.A.L., and the Overlord)
- 2013: 0
- 2012: 3 (Acidicus, Fangtom, and Pythor)
- 2011: 1 (Samukai)
Interestingly, most of the twenty figures we’ve covered here are from just four years ago, rather than nine or ten as you might expect. After all, when it comes to merchandise age typically leads to scarcity and from there to increased expense. In the case of our 2017 figures, however, I suspect that the price hike may be from the fact that the year’s regular Ninjago wave had to share a year, and possibly some budget, with those sets based on The LEGO Ninjago Movie. Could be some of these figures would have been a bit less exclusive otherwise.
Well, that concludes my analysis. I hope you find it an enjoyable read.
Note: all images are from BrickLink.com and displayed here with permission. All values quoted are also from BrickLink and are based on items recently sold there. Values vary over time and may have changed since this research was conducted.
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57 comments on this article
An interesting article. Fortunately for me the only minifigure I would consider buying from this list is Samurai X.
Great article. I guess I should hold onto my Rebooted Pixal then!
@SearchlightRG , A really interesting article! Thank you for that.
Having the female entries interspersed among the overall/male list makes it challenging to follow which minifigure is where. I appreciate that re-arranging the article now would be too much of an undertaking. Instead, would it be possible to provide a summary table (without pictures) with the rank, name, year and $ value of the top ten overall/males and a separate summary list of the top ten females?
Would love to see a Marvel/DC version of this article.
I would normally find a top 10 or 20 most expensive Ninjago figures interesting but I found the format really confusing. Why compare male and female figures in a theme that has a ton more male figures? I found it really odd jumping from a $15 one to $30 one to a £20 one. Am I the only that doesn't care what gender the figure is, I just want a list in order.
@Jelippo said:
"Would love to see a Marvel/DC version of this article. "
And I would like to see SW version (If it wasn't already XD).
@zander, you can see them in order by sorting the list https://brickset.com/minifigs/category-Ninjago by 'value new' (desc).
Thanks for a very nice article. I learned a lot from it as someone who has several of the sets, but doesn't watch the show. I also appreciated how you interspersed the male and female characters. For those who are asking for an ordered list separating males and females, I'm pretty sure they can just write one for themselves if they simply re-read your very fine article.
@Huw said:
" @zander, you can see them in order by sorting the list https://brickset.com/minifigs/category-Ninjago by 'value new' (desc)."
@Huw, Thanks. I didn’t know about the value sorting.
Oddly, for some minifigures such as Misako, Skull Sorcerer and Oni Villain with Scabbard, the used value is higher than the value new.
Buyer: ‘Do you have a Misako minifigure for sale?’
Seller: ‘Yes. It’s currently brand new, never used. But I was going to use it in a MOC and let my kids play with it first to increase its value!’
I realise that that is not what has happened and is actually due to supply, demand and relatively small numbers of sales, but it does paradoxically appear to be true.
Set link for most expensive female Minifigure - Akita - doesn't work, as she appears in set 70678, rather than 70768, which doesn't exist. Thank you for compiling this interesting list though SearchlightRG, and for reminding me that I've made some poor financial decisions by skipping out on many of these excellent Minifigures, lol :)
@Huw , the link from " 1: njo521: Akita and njo107: Overlord (Golden Master) " is wrong. It should go to: 70678.
Legacy PIXAL, please!
@CCC That's one conclusion that can be drawn, but there's also the villain - non-villain pattern. The male side is made up of 8 villians (excluding Neuro), while the female side has only two villains.
I'm grateful that Akita's parts were all on B&P, minus the (awesome) 4-tailed cape. 3-euro-something for the hair/hat, but worth it.
@Huw said:
"you can see them in order by sorting the list https://brickset.com/minifigs/category-Ninjago by 'value new' (desc)."
I can't help but notice that if you sort it by 'value used' instead, the list shuffles somewhat: most dramatically, Akita and Kabuki Nya leap much higher due to the fact that, bizarrely, they are both - at time of writing - *more expensive used* than they are new.
Even comparing their used prices against everyone else's new prices puts them into the overall top ten from where I'm standing; while on new prices alone, Akita barely makes the top *twenty*.
I have to confess, I'm not entirely sure what to do with this piece of information!
Nice! I believe that the most expensive minifigures are male for two reasons:
1. The Ninjago audience is primarily male so there is a higher affinity and thus demand for male minifigures.
2. The arch-villians tend to be the most sought since they generally appear in only one set, and they are usually male.
What's interesting though is the comparison of villians on the male list vs. villians on the female list. Of the top 10 most expensive figures, 8 are bad (the white nindroid could be either depending on the season but I am assuming it is an antagonist) while only 2 are good. On the other hand, only 3 of the female characters are villians, but these are really the only female villians in Ninjago.
Shouldn't golden Wu be on this list? He costs about $45 new.
Maybe I should pay more attention to my Ninjago figures... I found several of them on the list, and I don't even collect Ninjago, but buy sets, I do find interesting. Thanks for the heads up.
I’ve been looking to buy Ninjago minifig a and this helps a lot! I really want that kabuki nya and the samukai. Thanks for this article. :)
Guarnición the only minifigure from this list that I Night get is Akira, she looks awesome.
I was expecting to find Akita here, although not necessarily at the number one position.
She (and her wolf form) is just exceptional! And she is one of my most prized minifigures :-)
I appear to have ended up with one of these in my collection despite not actively collecting Ninjago.
Granted, it is the lowest one on the list
I started late on Ninjago and about ten of these figures are on my want list :(
@Romans122 said:
"Nice! I believe that the most expensive minifigures are male for two reasons:
1. The Ninjago audience is primarily male so there is a higher affinity and thus demand for male minifigures.
2. The arch-villians tend to be the most sought since they generally appear in only one set, and they are usually male.
What's interesting though is the comparison of villians on the male list vs. villians on the female list. Of the top 10 most expensive figures, 8 are bad (the white nindroid could be either depending on the season but I am assuming it is an antagonist) while only 2 are good. On the other hand, only 3 of the female characters are villians, but these are really the only female villians in Ninjago.
Shouldn't golden Wu be on this list? He costs about $45 new."
The article specifically states it isn't including this years figures. It even literally addresses Golden Wu ;)
Wow- I have one of these! Not a Ninjago collector/fan, but I picked up that Target exclusive (minifig cube) many years ago . . . and never opened it . . . what a pleasant surprise!!!
@Jelippo:
So you want an article that’s a exclusively about SDCC/NYTF exclusive minifigs?
@Zander:
It actually makes perfect sense if you understand how both buyers and sellers use Bricklink. Since you can Want List an item by Used, New, or both, many frugal buyers exclusively buy Used because they assume the price will _ALWAYS_ be lower and don’t even bother to compare against New prices. Likewise, many Sellers use the function that allows you to price items as a percentage against either the 6mo Sold or Current For Sale price guide data, again without ever bothering to cross-check New vs Used. If the market skews heavily enough towards Used, the market can get totally imbalanced over time, and the only people who will see it are those who actually pull up the catalog page and check all of the prices.
Cool article idea!
I appreciate the male/female side by side comparisons!
I elected to buy Akita last year for about $16 and I felt it was worth it instead of the entire Fortress for much more. I've only recently realized how unique the Ninjago line is for minifigures and I'm trying not to go overboard.
I personally wish they'd release more of the old serpentine with unique heads sculpts.
@PurpleDave, It can also happen due to ‘distortions’ in supply and demand. For example, the Skull Sorcerer was not originally a particularly common minifigure, i.e. supply was constrained. However, it has recently been re-released in the UK, Germany, Poland and some other European markets with the fairly inexpensive Ninjago Magazine. That has pushed the price of this minifigure in new condition down but that hasn’t yet fed through to impacting the used price. So the latest new price is lower than the used price, an artefact of timing and the influx of new minifigures.
cool top 10 list and Akita is one of my favorite minifigs, just love the detail and colors.
@Terreneflame said:
" @Romans122 said:
"Nice! I believe that the most expensive minifigures are male for two reasons:
1. The Ninjago audience is primarily male so there is a higher affinity and thus demand for male minifigures.
2. The arch-villians tend to be the most sought since they generally appear in only one set, and they are usually male.
What's interesting though is the comparison of villians on the male list vs. villians on the female list. Of the top 10 most expensive figures, 8 are bad (the white nindroid could be either depending on the season but I am assuming it is an antagonist) while only 2 are good. On the other hand, only 3 of the female characters are villians, but these are really the only female villians in Ninjago.
Shouldn't golden Wu be on this list? He costs about $45 new."
The article specifically states it isn't including this years figures. It even literally addresses Golden Wu ;)"
Sorry I should have clarified that. I know that the article specifically mentions Golden Wu, but I feel that he should have been included since he costs so much and would place third in this list.
@Zander:
That’s true. In addition to not checking the price guide for everything at the time it’s first listed, very few people will ever manually groom their prices like that. What may have made perfect sense at the time of listing can see the market shift much lower without anyone blinking an eye. If the market shifts higher, on the other hand, the Seller will usually be notified by way of actually selling their item.
And this is not unique to minifigs. It can happen with sets, though less commonly, I’d guess. And I’ve definitely run into cases where a rare part will actually sell for prices higher than the one set it came in is listed for.
On the Buyer’s side of things, something else that can throw the market out of whack is assuming that it’s always cheaper to place fewer orders to save on shipping. I’m knowingly guilty of that just because my MOC part lists can get bad enough that I’ll gladly pay a slight premium for a lot of convenience. Still, I did run into one seller who had the majority of my Want List, only to end up with a shockingly high cost showing in my cart. When I checked a few key elements, I found that not only were their 8x8 dark-bley plates the most expensive in Bricklink at the time, they were several times more expensive than the next most expensive listing, and about 10x as expensive as the market rate. So I Least Favorited that store, emptied my cart, and started over. But if you aren’t pay attention to any pricing, or plugging in a few alternate options, it’s entirely possible to help shove the market in a weird direction. If every Buyer inadvertently buys the most expensive lot, and every Seller uses 6mo Sold to price their wares, you can get an ugly feedback cycle going (at least as far as Buyers are concerned).
@PurpleDave said:
"And this is not unique to minifigs. It can happen with sets, though less commonly, I’d guess. And I’ve definitely run into cases where a rare part will actually sell for prices higher than the one set it came in is listed for."
I have seen that happen with minifigure parts too where, for example, a torso assembly costs more than the entire minifigure from which it came (both new). I’ve even seen it within a single BL store! I’m very careful to check for those aberrations when placing an order but imagine that not everyone is.
BL’s price anomalies and the reasons for them would make an interesting article in an economics journal :~P
Wow, I own all but three of these. I'm still perplexed they haven't remade Samukai figure for the legacy line. Would be a must buy for me.
@Romans122 I feel like the price of Golden Wu has been rather inflated. There are several other unique Minifigures in that set, yet not one of them is listed for above $15 at the moment.
@ArcticPine you’re not the only one.
Huh, so here I am with $100 worth of old Ninjago figures having sporadically bought a few sets over the years. Bizarre.
I don't collect Ninjago but I like the Asian style so I sometimes get individual figs from Bricklink. Kabuki Nya is easily my favourite on this list but I've never paid more than £7 for a fig and there are only one or two I would consider doing it for.
Wow!! I've never seen most of these; they're really beautifully made and there are some very unexpected things here. I definitely need to watch Ninjago more closely.
@Zander:
Oh, have you looked at minifig hands? Common colors are really bad for that because there are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of different torsos that include those hands, but only a few Sellers part them out. It’s too much work to Want List _all_ of the torsos that come with, say, yellow hands, so it’s just so much easier to shop for loose hands that you end up paying more for the hands than you would for a lot of the really basic torsos that come with them. And if you’re shopping in those stores anyways, you can probably grab some uncommon to rare hands on the same order. I’ve placed more than a few orders that were just 100-200 hands and whatever else I could find that I needed right away.
I think I have a couple of these in a box somewhere. Most notably Overlord which I bought that set on clearance to turn the building into a Chinese restaurant. I thought Ninjago Minifigures were worthless.
Akita is a stunning minifig, I found the Fortress for $90 USD complete with all minifigs last year so I scooped it up. I'm not a completionist, but I'm considering picking up her character in wolf form just for the aesthetic. Nice article, thanks.
Hehe, I have 13 / 20 of the ones listed. Fun times.
@Galaxy12_Import said:
"I'm not a completionist, but I'm considering picking up her character in wolf form just for the aesthetic."
In-universe Akita’s animal form is indeed a wolf, but that feels weird to me and probably a lot of people in Asia. In Japanese, Korean and Chinese mythology, the multi-tailed, sometimes white creature that can take the form of a human woman is a (sometimes oversized) fox, not a wolf. It is known as a kitsune, kumiho or huli jin depending on language/culture. I bought 70671 in Japan and don’t follow Ninjago lore so think of mine as a kitsune.
Now I really want that M Tron torso I didn't know was made.
Im not much into Ninjago, or minifigs in general for that matter, but I absolutely adore the Kabuki Nya figure. Its easily one of my favourite minifigs of all time, and it was very frustrating that due to the timing of its release while TRU was in its death throws, the set was, to my knowledge, simply never available here in Australia.
Gender equality FTW, said the snakes and monsters it seems. I’d say to stop lifting the snakes skirts!
I got 12/20 of the ones listed. Most of them i bought on secondhand market and those sets weren't too overpriced, except for the 'dawn of the iron doom' whose price was more than doubled! But it was worth it to me, taking into consideration it comes with the only Acronix figure ever.
I also got some of the bricktober packs, including the white nindroid, stone harumi, nya and neuro. Those figures are great and rare of course, but the packs were like 30 € which made it hard decisions for me to take. But i have no regrets on buying them.
The one figure i really missed out is definitely the original PIXAL from 2014. I really need her, but since i don't buy figures loose, i'm afraid the complete set with Zane's copter is too expensive. I think she deserves the 2nd spot most definitely.
Akita on 1 is a big surprise, being so recent, and being from a season i thought many people disliked. But as for me, i love the figure as well as her wolf which we got in a very cheap little set. She's a nicely designed character so deserves her spot in this list.
The overlord also comes as a surprise to me, having more recent (and wellmade!) editions in the legacy waves, but seeing in what set it was released in it's understandable. 'Battle for ninjago city' seems like a wonderful set, but i think way too overpriced now.
Anyway, thanks for this wonderful article. More of this kind please!
BTW, where is Misako in the female's list? She must be somewhere near the top 10, since she only comes in the temple of airjitzu right? And she's quite important in the series too... That was my first Ninjago set and i wasn't aware at all the Misako figure - as well as Dareth and the Postman - were so rare, but now i'm happy with them.
Please can we have more articles like this? :)
I think Overlord is one of the best looking minifigs overall, especially that face
Despite being a big Ninjago fan, the only minifigure I have on this list is Skylor. My budget in past years would likely explain it. Still, I'm thankful for my collection and for this article. Great work!
I like articles like these because they show me things I didn’t know were cool, wouldn’t necessarily see in detail by looking at a set thumbnail, and now reeealllly want way more than I should.
Gimme more miniminiminiminifigures....NOMNOMNOM!!!
@LINK_O_NEAL what do you have in mind?
4 outta' 20...considering I'm not a hardcore 'Ninjago' fan:)
Skylor, Harumi (Oni Mask), Nya, and Pixal (P.I.X.A.L)...seriously thought about getting Akita, but...don't know: didn't really like how they botched the 'Kitsune' thing (foxes, not wolves...). I mean the character still looks good, and I just started watching the animated series again when they started running that storyline...
Side-note: wish TRU (who still exist up here...), or someone would bring back the 'Bricktober' Minifigure Pack. No, the only thing coming out 'round that time now seems to those 'micro-Architecture' packs...if anything...
@brick_r yeah, that or something similar. It was a nice way of getting Minifigures based on the show. I find it hard to imagine that we’ll get figs for the likes of Kataru, Antonia, or Vangelis without it.
Oh my.... and I have all the snakes (except Pythor 2012 version, owning just the re-release and the white one about him)
Didn't know that they worth as much. And no one wants to buy this cca. 10 snakes for 150$... so I guess there is some problem with the bricklink prices :)
in my opinion Akita(which I very happily have) owes a least some of the desirability to the fact that she is very similar to Princess Mononoke is some ways
Great thanks xxx My treasured sets are Lotr/the hobbit & marvel but in the last couple of years since watching the show from start to finish after seeing the movie. (grandkids didn’t want to see it so nearly 50yr old Granny dragged along my 60yr old big kid friend who loves any animation film) Since then my love for ninjago & my collection has grown nicely x All through my love of Dragons x Some great figs and I have quite a few on the list x Thanks again
Hmm... I've got 17 of the 20 figures listed in the list. All of them are from my Ninjago set collection.
Interestingly, had 3 of the Ninjago Battle city set as I loved the temple design a lot.