Greetings, fellow toy enthusiasts! 2024 has been underway for a few days now. Have you started acting on your "must-buy LEGO list" for the new year? Today, the Toy People editorial team is bringing you our first LEGO theme unboxing review of 2024: set number 80112, the "Auspicious Dragon"!
Starting with "80101 Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner" in 2019, the Chinese New Year theme sets have surely become an annual must-buy for many toy fans. This time, in celebration of the 2024 Year of the Dragon, not only has LEGO released an adorable Year of the Dragon minifigure in set 80113, but this 80112 set directly brings the legendary Chinese dragon to life with LEGO bricks! If you're looking to get a festive decoration right at the start of 2024, this Auspicious Dragon is undoubtedly the top choice! So, let's dive right in and start building.
▼ The packaging box features a festive red color scheme and showcases the finished model on the front. In the top-right corner, you'll find the essential "春" (Spring) character logo, a staple for Spring Festival sets.
▼ Turning to the back, we see the model from another angle, highlighting various details and providing the finished specifications. It stands approximately 26 cm tall and 35 cm long, making for a rather substantial display piece.
▼ Next, let's open it up and see the contents! There is one instruction manual and 10 bags of parts, totaling 1171 pieces.
▼ Opening the instruction manual reveals an introduction to the Chinese dragon written in various languages.
▼ Let's start building! GO! GO!
▼ This set is an integrated piece, connecting the main body to the base. Complementing the dragon is a sea-rock-style display stand. The build begins with the base, which incorporates a large number of asymmetrical structures. As you start building the seawater and waves, you can truly feel the high-quality design prowess in multiple areas.
▼ The sculpting of the rocky cliffs is also very well done.
▼ The base construction pauses for a moment to build the dragon's claws, which are fixed to the stand. The claw pieces are the same as some of the skeletal parts of the Leviathan from the previously reviewed "76269 Avengers Tower".
Next up is the dragon's body! When I first heard LEGO was releasing a brick-built dragon model, I tried to imagine the building process. I assumed it would heavily rely on ball joints, compromising structural stability for aesthetics. However, after getting my hands on it and building it, I was full of praise. Indeed, the LEGO designers are truly masters! The dragon's body does use quite a few ball joints for connection, but the designers have perfectly calculated the angles of the geometric parts, allowing the multiple body sections to interlock tightly. The final result is a dragon that is both beautifully sculpted and remarkably sturdy. It's truly impressive!
▼ While the printed scale tiles are an important element, it's the multi-layered structural stacking inside that is the key to bringing this dragon to life.
▼ Besides the pentagonal flat tiles for the scales, the printed pieces also include two eyeballs and a nameplate with "Auspicious Dragon Presents Treasures" in seal script.
▼ Next, let's take a look at this auspicious dragon from various angles.
▼ The amount of detail and the density of the sculpting from the back are also excellent.
▼ The long body isn't just detailed on the top and sides; the underside, which is often overlooked, has also been crafted with great care!
▼ The printed scale tiles are truly a fantastic addition!
▼ Here we have a blue crystal! This is likely inspired by ancient Chinese legends where dragons can influence the weather, rainfall, and the state of the seas.
▼ The nameplate's construction is actually a common combination of a door panel (without a handle) and a door frame, but the visual effect is vastly different! Using the axle on the back of the nameplate and the clips on the base, the "Auspicious Dragon" plaque can be attached.
▼ The dragon's head not only boasts rich details but also has several articulated parts. The eyes are surprisingly bright and expressive.
▼ Since only three of the dragon's claws are fixed to the base—not including the front-right claw holding the blue crystal—you can notice a slight tilt of the dragon's body to the right if you look closely.
▼ When I mentioned the dragon's structure is very stable, I wasn't kidding. You can pick it up directly like this without any issue!
LEGO 80112 "Auspicious Dragon" Unboxing Summary:
Although LEGO has released dragon-themed products in series like "Ninjago" and "Monkie Kid" before, this is the first one that so closely captures the image of a traditional Chinese dragon. Besides the joy of experiencing how perfectly the LEGO parts' angles fit together during the build, I personally find the appearance excellent. Furthermore, the choice of part colors allows this Auspicious Dragon to pair perfectly with previous Chinese New Year sets released by LEGO. The fact that the display base is built as part of the set also elevates the completeness of the final piece to a new level. We at Toy People will be bringing you more unboxing reviews of Chinese New Year LEGO sets after this Auspicious Dragon, so stay tuned!
LEGO 80112 Auspicious Dragon
Recommended Price: NT$2,899, Total Parts: 1171 pieces, Now available at LEGO authorized stores
