Review: 71032 Collectable Minifigures Series 22
Posted by CapnRex101,
Licensed series of Collectable Minifigures, which have become prevalent, sometimes overshadow traditional selections. However, that infrequency when compared with licensed minifigures might develop greater anticipation surrounding 71032 Collectable Minifigures Series 22.
Twelve minifigures are included, featuring many unique elements and portraying interesting characters. They originate from different sources, including fantasy and modern settings, while brilliant costumed minifigures are also supplied. This selection should therefore maintain the established excellence of Collectable Minifigures.
Box Distribution
Collectable Minifigures series now contain twelve minifigures, rather than the previous sixteen. Each box accordingly contains 36 minifigures, which are distributed as follows:
- 3 - Robot Repair Tech
- 3 - Chilli Costume Fan
- 3 - Troubadour
- 3 - Snow Guardian
- 3 - Horse and Groom
- 3 - Figure Skating Champion
- 3 - Night Protector
- 3 - Forest Elf
- 3 - Birdwatcher
- 3 - Raccoon Costume Fan
- 3 - Space Creature
- 3 - Wheelchair Racer
Furthermore, the packaging for these Collectable Minifigures remains unchanged. LEGO has already committed to replacing non-recyclable packaging, so these bags will certainly change, albeit not yet.
Minifigures
Numerous robots have appeared among the Collectable Minifigures, now including the Robot Repair Tech. This character makes impressive use of existing elements, notably incorporating the welder's mask which is decorated with digital eyes. I appreciate the industrial aesthetic here, clearly distinguishing this minifigure from other robotic Collectable Minifigures.
The yellow colour scheme appears effective too, especially with complementary orange, dark bluish grey and black highlights covering the torso and legs. Decoration continues across the sides of both legs and the robot's left arm, featuring an intriguing 'S' symbol. Moreover, these asymmetrical arms look great and two attachments are provided for the bulkier arm, including either a claw or a drill.
Removing the aforementioned welder's mask reveals a smiling face underneath, surrounded by metallic gold circuitry. The intricacy of these circuits is outstanding and a battery icon is present on the reverse, which remains exposed when the helmet is attached. A hammer and a support robot are also provided. This includes enormous printed eyes and looks absolutely adorable, with two tiny legs!
Costumed minifigures are even more common than robots, reflecting their consistent popularity. The latest series therefore features two such designs and begins with the Chilli Costume Fan, whose costume is undoubtedly recognisable. The dual-moulded stem and surrounding sepals appear perfect, while the curved shape also seems appropriate.
Furthermore, I love the double-sided head inside, where the minifigure is sweating profusely. Evidently wearing this costume feels as hot as its inspiration! The other side features a more conventional smile and the torso is decorated too. Such details have not always appeared on these costumed Collectable Minifigures, so their increased frequency is welcome.
Of course, detaching the costume also leaves an open stud on the minifigure's head, hence a hair piece is also supplied. This red component looks splendid for the character and has never been available in this unusual colour before, unsurprisingly. The minifigure also carries a carton of milk, displaying the updated design introduced during 2021.
The charming Troubadour attracted particular attention when these Collectable Minifigures were announced, doubtless related to his mediaeval origins! This striped tunic and magenta collar look fantastic and matching magenta accents adorn both arms. Stripes continue across the sides of the dual-moulded legs too, alongside dark brown boots.
An elegant magenta feather further complements the collar, while the Troubadour's lovely hat originates from the Forestmen subtheme. The headwear has not appeared in blue before, but looks splendid. This minifigure's friendly facial expression is appealing too, fitting the mediaeval environment and troubadours' entertaining role quite nicely.
Furthermore, some outstanding accessories are present. The exclusive lute includes brilliant detail and closely resembles the original musical instrument, featuring realistic printing across the front. Two decorated coins accompany the lute. Once again, they reflect the historic setting and a spare coin is included as well.
Warriors representing various cultures are another routine addition to Collectable Minifigures series. The new Snow Guardian is certainly an impressive example, sporting dramatic furs around his neck and hat. This dual-moulded component features exceptional texture which beautifully complements the returning collar component, especially when viewed from behind.
Despite lacking actual texture, matching fur continues across the torso and legs. Once again, dual-moulding is employed to brilliant effect here, with two-tone sleeves and dark blue boots. The guardian's belt features wonderful detail too, displaying a silver snowflake emblem with husky designs on either side. I appreciate the balance between fantasy and realism here, as either setting would suit this minifigure.
Naturally, the Snow Guardian wields a sword and a decorated shield. This realistic sword was introduced with the Tournament Knight from series nineteen, but appears equally suitable here. The husky which accompanies this minifigure seems appropriate too, featuring an updated hair colour and eyes following past appearances. However, I would rather LEGO had developed an entirely new cold-weather dog!
Another animal joins the unusually-named Horse and Groom, which suggests this minifigure should be considered less important than her horse. Nevertheless, this teenage character is a fun addition to the Collectable Minifigures range, wearing a hat and hair component which was designed for Hidden Side. This dark red and black colour combination is new though.
However, my favourite aspect of this minifigure is her double-sided head, which features visible braces on one side and freckles on both. Variation among female heads is relatively lacking, so something completely distinctive is always appreciated. The detailed jacket also looks excellent. Sand green and dark green plaid adorns every available surface and I can imagine this element proving useful for many minifigures.
An exclusive pony is provided, continuing the pleasing trend of introducing new animals with Collectable Minifigures. The component combines dark orange and dark brown plastics and these colours look superb together. However, the head shape appears inconsistent with the standard LEGO horse, which is disappointing. This carrot is a good addition though.
8804 Collectable Minifigures Series 4 featured an elegant Ice Skater, whose male counterpart appears here. The matching Figure Skating Champion therefore wears an extremely familiar costume, featuring exactly the same light royal blue colour. The blue stripes, metallic silver stars and tiny dots also correspond with the previous minifigure.
These complementary minifigures sometimes prove repetitive, but over ten years have passed since the original Ice Skater became available, so the consistency between that figure and this iteration is exceptional. Their hair pieces are also comparable because this minifigure includes the element designed for Tan France in 10291 Queer Eye - The Fab 5 Loft, albeit now in blonde.
Given his apparent champion status, the minifigure includes a golden trophy and ice skates. These cannot connect to studded surfaces, so the designers have cleverly provided a trans-clear minifigure stand which allows you to display the character while wearing his ice skates. Following their introduction two years ago, the versatility of these minifigure stands has been remarkable.
Night Protector appears more outlandish than the earlier Snow Guardian, but I am surprised that two minifigures fulfilling similar roles appear in the same series. Their designs are totally different though, as this warrior sports elaborate light bluish grey and purple armour! These colours are attractive together and the white decoration looks beautiful as well.
Moreover, the teal hair piece and aqua skin tone further distinguish this minifigure from more traditional examples. These colours seem appropriate for a character operating overnight, as the Night Protector presumably does, so their selection is appealing. Of course, dual-moulded elements are splendid too, representing purple sleeves.
That purple accent colour continues on her equipment, as the Night Protector carries a trans-purple sword and shield. The shield looks especially striking, with a wonderful crescent moon symbol at its centre and ornate scrollwork around the edge. By comparison, the sword seems rather basic, so perhaps something more unusual could have been supplied instead.
Fantasy is further represented by the Forest Elf, whose delightful headgear features fantastic moulded detail. The component seems incredibly realistic and is approximately the same size as actual acorns, leading me to wonder whether this elf is intended to be extremely tiny. Such theming continues throughout the minifigure, as the torso features a subtle leaf pattern.
The cape also takes inspiration from the forest, representing an oak leaf. The distinctive shape is immediately recognisable and its green colour accentuates the bright green and dark green elements comprising this minifigure. This double-sided head also appears perfect, displaying rosy cheeks with two smiling facial expressions.
Charm remains an obvious priority with the Forest Elf's accessories, which include a magical living mushroom! This combines a white fez and a 2x2 dish, featuring similar spots to another dish from previous sets. However, these spots are interrupted by a happy face, maintaining the joyous atmosphere surrounding this minifigure. A reddish brown cane also accompanies the elf.
Several hundred Collectable Minifigures have been released since 2010, but certain relatively obvious subjects remain absent. I think the Birdwatcher is one such character, although her minifigure seems rather simple beside others. This combined hat and hair component looks excellent though and I like the short-sleeved shirt, which seems appropriate for investigating exotic locations in search of rare birds.
The legs are also dual-moulded, representing rugged boots. However, my favourite feature is undoubtedly the watch printed on the Birdwatcher's wrist. Such details are extremely unusual, so I can imagine this torso and the dual-moulded arms proving versatile. Additionally, the dark pink satchel is new in this colour.
Naturally, the Birdwatcher includes a pair of binoculars and an exclusive bird. This toucan is immediately recognisable, featuring the enormous and vibrant beak which distinguishes this creature. Different plastic colours are again combined to exceptional effect here, with printed highlights creating additional detail. Lime green foliage is also provided.
The second costumed minifigure is named the Raccoon Costume Fan, therefore wearing an elaborate ensemble inspired by these North American mammals. As normal, the headgear is beautifully detailed and features reasonable colours, although a brown streak should appear between the eyes to interrupt the raccoon's characteristic mask.
The tail could also have been improved. While its texture appears perfect, alternating stripes would achieve superior accuracy to actual raccoons. Nevertheless, these compromises are common for costumed Collectable Minifigures and the simple torso decoration is traditional, matching the Llama Costume Girl, among other minifigures.
Raccoons are known for scavenging in bins, so fitting accessories accompany the minifigure. The green bin is available in many sets, while this white sack has only previously appeared in 21326 Winnie the Pooh and the Build-a-Minifigure bar at LEGO stores. This minifigure includes a light bluish grey hair piece as well, matching the head which depicts an older character.
Aliens are another frequent addition to Collectable Minifigures series. Even so, the distinctive Space Creature seems certain to prove popular, ingeniously integrating the antenna element introduced with the Bumblebee Girl. The antennae are decorated to form eyes on stalks, while the pink head underneath displays a gaping mouth! The resulting alien seems totally different to anything produced before.
Furthermore, this minifigure includes a purple Classic Space torso, expanding the available colour selection. Hopefully the associated air tanks and helmet will be released in the future. While these printed arms and legs would be removed when creating a purple Classic Space astronaut, they are certainly a welcome addition to the Space Creature.
The alien also wears a trans-bright green tank on its back, doubtless housing some mysterious substance. The printed warning labels on each side look nice and I think this tank could prove remarkably versatile. A teal ray run is also provided and thereby introduces another colour for this popular weapon, which originates from 8683 Collectable Minifigures Series 1.
LEGO has explored various disabilities recently and the fantastic Wheelchair Racer continues that improving representation. The minifigure wears a unique helmet which would appear ideal for wheelchair racing or cycling, featuring authentic ribbed texture. Highlights representing the foam inside may have been effective, although I think the component looks impressive without them.
The minifigure wears a matching jacket, featuring familiar branding. This mountain symbol has appeared on various athletes and sporting minifigures, hence its continuing appearance is fun. In addition, a metallic gold medal is present, also returning from earlier Collectable Minifigures and fitting neatly around the Wheelchair Racer's neck.
An exclusive racing wheelchair complements the minifigure, featuring an aerodynamic profile and angled rear wheels which demonstrate tremendous realism. These opaque wheels could prove extremely useful, while the trans-clear front wheel usually appears on bicycles. There is ample room for the minifigure to sit and a 1x1 round brick connects the racing wheelchair to the requisite Collectable Minifigure base.
Overall
Collectable Minifigures have shown increasing ambition, as moulding and printing techniques have become more sophisticated. 71032 Collectable Minifigures Series 22 certainly continues the improvement evident from past series, encompassing many themes and therefore hopefully providing something for everyone. The balance between contemporary and fantasy characters seems especially outstanding.
The lovely Robot Repair Tech, Troubadour, Forest Elf and Wheelchair Racer are among my favourite minifigures from the series, while lesser designs are elevated by their accessories. I am therefore pleased with the new range of Collectable Minifigures, primarily because the individual standard of each minifigure remains incredibly consistent throughout the selection.
These minifigures were provided for review by The LEGO Group, but the review represents an expression of my own opinions.
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58 comments on this article
"Toss a coin to your witcher... (and the spare one too...)"
A nice blend/balance of realistic and fantasy CMFs for sure. The robot, birdwatcher, pepper girl and Night Protector are on my short list to get! the Thanks for the terrific review.
Great wave, lots to pick up
The Night Protector armor kind of reminds me of the Ancient Falmer armor from Skyrim.
I'm looking forward to seeing a Guinness MOC with that Toucan. :D
The Space Creature is brilliant
The question isn't which of these do I like, but how many bards are too many bards? What a great series, though!
My favorite: the Night Protector-love the teal hair as well as the trans purple accessories, and the teenager with the foal. I also want the male ice skater to go with the female from the earlier series, so now they can be a pairs team. I will probably end up getting them all, but my least favorite: the Robot tech & the Troubadour.
odd little thing with the alien, it looks like they've reintroduced the breathing holes in the top of the minifig head, based on the picture of the tank on the back.
The Robot Repair Tech actually looks like one of the decontamination team from the movie "Mosters, Inc."
I like all of these.
I hope to feel out a troubadour packet but will be anxious before opening it due to pre-minstrel tension!
Where can people usually buy a complete sealed box of these?
2 different colored medium sized legs is nice!
Which cold-weather dog would you have preferred, @CapnRex101? :-)
Glad that Huwbot has his own minifig now
That is so Jon Heder from Blades of Glory!
This looks like a great collection! The Chili Pepper, the two purple-primary minifigs, three animal companions, the wheelchair, wow! Plus, it looks like it will be easy to feel the differences between the bags; really looking forward to these.
The Birdwatcher is by far my favorite. The highlight is obviously the Toucan, but the minifig is just as good!
Excellent selection, easily the best series in some time. I can only think of a couple that aren’t on my ‘must-have’ list for a change.
It’s also nice to see LEGO elect to provide the same number of each figure and drop the total unique figures. Good move, IMO.
@Huw said:
"Which cold-weather dog would you have preferred, @CapnRex101? :-)"
Maybe a samoyed or a malamute.
Just noticed that the Troubadour’s colors and the crown motif on the gold coins are a reference to the guard uniforms and flags from the 375-2 /6075-2 “Yellow Castle”! What a beautiful throwback! I wouldn’t mind seeing other medieval minifigures with a similar color palette in the future.
The hair pieces included with the two costume minifigs caught me by surprise, and are a great touch even if the Raccoon Costume Fan’s hair is less exciting since it’s already a fairly common color for that piece.
It’s also great to see so many figures with details like arm/leg printing, dual expressions, and animals — features which were much rarer in the first several blind bag series from this theme!
This is a very fun series overall, with lots of creative and varied archetypes and designs. It’s also got a nice balance of popular minifigure categories like historic/fantasy, sci-fi, costumed characters, athletes, and “everyday people” (a category which continues to offer us a lot of fantastic parts for sigfigs)!
Not sure which I’d be likely to pick up. I don’t do as much in-person shopping anymore, and my blind bag purchasing has declined accordingly compared to back when grabbing a few minifigs was a great little way to treat myself when running other errands that happened to take me by a toy store or department store.
But hopefully the pandemic will subside more in the coming year and make those sorts of shopping runs a little more frequent. If so, this is the sort of series I’d gladly grab a few of at random instead of worrying about seeking out a particular figure. They’re all pretty great, after all!
@Zander said:
" @Huw said:
"Which cold-weather dog would you have preferred, @CapnRex101? :-)"
Maybe a samoyed or a malamute."
I know the answer already :-)
The Dark elf... I mean Moon warrior face print seems to be bad. The mouth is way too high...
I love the p[ony though and that female fig!
I wonder if Space Creature will voted minifigure of the year, like the Orange Classic Spaceman was last year?
I sort of wish the Night Guardian had a pointy-ear hairpiece. I still like the figure, it just seems to me that pointy ears would fit the character. The Space Creature reminds me of figure ATL017, with the mouth printed on the front of the head.
@Huw said:
" @Zander said:
" @Huw said:
"Which cold-weather dog would you have preferred, @CapnRex101? :-)"
Maybe a samoyed or a malamute."
I know the answer already :-)
"
goats?
Is that a sticker on the Space Alien chest? When I zoom in, it sure looks like it.
There are no stickers.
My favorites, based purely on design:
1. Troubadour -- I'm a Castle fan and these colors are great
2. Snow Guardian -- Awesome design and the dog/wolf is a great bonus
3. Night Protector -- Whether she's a mythical creature or a celestial one, she looks so cool
4. Wheelchair Racer -- The helmet, the colors, the wheelchair build... all great
5. Space Creature -- The colors do somewhat clash, but he just looks like fun
6. Robot Repair Tech -- Colorful android, a superb addition to any space and superhero team
7. Horse and Groom -- Great recolor of the hat piece, cool shirt print, the pony's a must-have
8. Forest Elf -- Fits in the Christmas and Fantasy themes, plus he's adorable
9. Raccoon Costume Fan -- Not generally a fan of these, but the raccoon head looks good
10. Birdwatcher -- Her design's solid, but a bit bland and I mostly want it for the toucan
11. Figure Skating Champion -- Good to have him, just not a stand-out
12. Chilli Costume Fan -- I actually like her a lot more without the costume and with the hairpiece
Because you can't see the front of the robot's head, I think it would have been really nifty to have it just have different stages of battery life along the bottom so you could change its level of charge
This is a great series!! I love the Troubadour, but the rest are really cool too!! I will get two complete series...or perhaps 3. And then, as many troubadours as I can!!
Good release. If only local retail distribution hasn't fallen off a cliff and availability is scarce. Small number of boxes once the staff have raided them lasts about half a day tops.
Snow guardian lends itself to wh3 kislev army builds perhaps.
Looks like a fun series. But I'll likely just get the one complete set and call it good. Nothing I really need to build an army of. The classic space is off enough I don't need more than one. The snow warrior and night warrior look neat, but they don't really fit in with my typical armies.
Maybe I'll build an army of Lil' Sebastians.
A collection where all 12 figures range from good to outstanding. I'll be picking up a complete set of these.
With that teal hat and pink bag, the birdwatcher must not be too worried about blending in with the background.
Lovely set all round.
the production on that robot is some of the worst I've ever seen from lego, the smudging of the orange on the feet and the misalignment on the hip piece is horrid, i'd expect better even from a knockoff. hope that kind of issue is uncommon.
Pony and Tucan!
There are some great figures and parts in this series, especially since I collect space and castle.
They should use the Space Creature technique to make Sullustans from Star Wars.
Everything looks pretty good, except for the skater who has nothing new really to offer. He doesn't even have sequence on his legs or printing on the trophy.
Nice review and great selection of minifigures for this series! I wonder whether the colors of the binoculars and hat of the birdwatcher were intentionally chosen to reference the Brazilian flag (which also features the yellow of the minifigure), since the toco toucan is native from here.
I'd like a bard to go with the Medieval Blacksmith for sure.
The colors are great on this new series. Very different than what I have…that’s a good thing.
Love, love, love the wheelchair racer for reasons close to me (son with disabilities) so the more LEGO keeps doing sets with inclusion (disability, LGBTQ, etc) I think it’s great.
I think I might cry if they ever released something that celebrated disability, similar to last year’s Awesome set. It would be the coolest LEGO gift I could ever give to my son.
If you loved Ice Planet 2002, the Snow Guardian is laying the groundwork for Ice Planet 1066, a frigid Norse-inspired fantasy theme evoking Lego's Scandinavian roots
My buy list:
1. Bard
2. Wheel Chair Guy
3. Girl and Foal
4. Toucan Lady
5. Chili Lady
Probably:
6. Acorn Boy
7. Winter warrior guy
Possibly:
8. Trash Panda lady
@Zander said:
" @Huw said:
"Which cold-weather dog would you have preferred, @CapnRex101 ? :-)"
Maybe a samoyed or a malamute."
For the answer, I will refer to Huw's review of 40479 Dalmatians published earlier this year: https://brickset.com/article/59076
LEGO producing a minifigure-scale version would please me very much.
@CCC said:
" @DFX said:
"Nice review and great selection of minifigures for this series! I wonder whether the colors of the binoculars and hat of the birdwatcher were intentionally chosen to reference the Brazilian flag (which also features the yellow of the minifigure), since the toco toucan is native from here."
I doubt it, as green or bright green is a closer match. Lots of real field binoculars are dark green, which is probably why they went for that colour."
You are right, it is more probable to be a coincidence. I thought that most binoculars were black, but after a quick search I found that dark green is a common color too. Regarding the color shade, if LEGO had the intention to take some inspiration from the BR flag, I think they would avoid using a brighter green in order to have some contrast between the binoculars and the lime green foliage.
" the head shape appears inconsistent with the adult LEGO horse, which is disappointing"
Well, that's because a pony is not a baby/small horse, it is a....pony. They are a different kind/breed of animal.
Diggin' this group...for the most part...
It's a bit 'Castle Heavy', but those work (picturing a group of 'adventurers' w/the Troubadour, Guardian, Protector, Elf...and I'd even add the Horse and Groom).
The Sci-Fi (more my stuff): why does the Yellow Robot need a wielding mask...should he built w/fireproofing? Our Alien look cool; has a slug/snail feel to him, and that's not a bad thing...
The 'rest'/'City' folk (:D): Not bad, Chili-Lady (whom I keep hearing a certain band in head...w/Flea) would fit in with a restaurant section, or a grocer, a produce stand...Racoon Lady, I'm thinking Supe...(finger rushes to ear) What's that..South Park already did that...Hmm 0 for 2...Ice Skater...great, but how many year ago was the lady ice skater made (looks)...10...years...Hmm, TLG needs to pick up the pace on 'matching pair/sets'...Bird Watcher, good; and Wheelchair Racer is good...so again: pretty good, not out standing; but nothing making face-palm w/a 'why'.
Troubadour
Snow Guardian
Is all I need from thiS set
A nice set of figures. Snow Guardian has me wishing for some Ninjago Never-Realm villagers, while Chili Girl’s hairpiece has me itching for Antonia and Racer 7.
@Sethro3 said:
"Looks like a fun series. But I'll likely just get the one complete set and call it good. Nothing I really need to build an army of. The classic space is off enough I don't need more than one. The snow warrior and night warrior look neat, but they don't really fit in with my typical armies.
Maybe I'll build an army of Lil' Sebastians."
I would love to see an army of Lil' Sebastians! Especially if you have 5000 candles to go with them...
@CapnRex101 , Chili Costume Fan is missing in the box distribution list at the beginning of the article, and mis-spelled in the section describing the figure.
I absolutely love them and I'll definitely get multiple troubadours, snow guardians, night protectors, forest elves, foal with girl, and birdwatchers. First time there are so many minifigs I love in a series!
@BelgianBricker said:
"" the head shape appears inconsistent with the adult LEGO horse, which is disappointing"
Well, that's because a pony is not a baby/small horse, it is a....pony. They are a different kind/breed of animal."
Given its body proportions, the animal in this series is a foal, not a pony. That being said, I'm not really bothered by the inconsitency with head shapes anyways.
@Astrobricks said:
" @CapnRex101 , Chili Costume Fan is missing in the box distribution list at the beginning of the article, and mis-spelled in the section describing the figure."
'Chilli', with a double L, is the British spelling. I have added that minifigure to the box distribution list though, so thank you.
I love the new animals. Not so fond of the alien.
Was there ever a reason given by Lego as of why they went from 16 to 12 minifigs? Did I completely miss that?
Holy crepes, some of these figures look fantastic to me.
Looking at the reveal I figured I would straight up skip everything. But looking closer.
The Night Protector looks brilliant. The only thing that saddens me is that it's a woman. And I don't mean that in the sense of "they can't be girlzz", I mean that in the sense of "she's so awesome looking I want a guy version as well." I just love those accessories and general aesthetic. Maybe they'll produce a day warrior to go with her in the next series?
The mech robot looks brilliant as well. Look at that face. :)
Space Alien is a hoot. I will definitely try and feel that on out.
I'm not going for the wheel chair guy, but I think it's brilliant how he's represented here. Good show.
@Beast76 said:
"I love the new animals. Not so fond of the alien.
Was there ever a reason given by Lego as of why they went from 16 to 12 minifigs? Did I completely miss that?"
I don't know if it was ever explicitly stated, but the main assumption is to keep costs down. They probably realize that at $4.99 (USD) each it is too expensive for most people, so to not drive costs at the register up, they decreased the number of figures per set.
Either way, it is unfortunate. The price is rough and limits to how many I buy any more.
As much as I hate the fact that this theme has climbed so much in price since it was introduced, I love that it is still around! This series in particular seems really strong, with a little something for everyone. My personal favorite is the Forest Elf, but I imagine I'll end up buying most of these for myself and/or my kids. Bravo, LEGO!