Ariel

There were quite a few characters that I really liked such as Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Maleficent, and Donald. However, there were also some that really didn't hit the mark for me like Mr. Incredible, Syndrome, Captain Hook, and Genie. The main reasons for that is because the characters just didn't translate well in minifigure form. Some of those characters have larger features that didn't come out too well the way they currently are. more less

This isn't the first time that LEGO Ariel as we got her in minidoll form in 40150 Ariel's Amazing Treasures and 41063 Ariel's Undersea Palace, which I think looks a lot better than the minifigure since it's more feminine and less blocky, but it doesn't detract from the Ariel minifigure at all. There is a large portion of LEGO fans who want nothing to do with Minidolls, so getting a proper Ariel minifigure is good news for them. That said, I really like the Ariel minifigure, partly because of her awesome hairdo but mostly because they've done a superb job on her overall design. more less

Ariel is the only Disney Princess to make an appearance in this series. The fish body is the same as the Series 9 mermaid, though obviously the color and printing are unique to Ariel. Ariel's wavy red hair is a new piece, and has the same simplicity as Alice and Hook's hair. I suspect the simplicity of the hair is to mimic their animated counterparts' hair, but it doesn't suit the characters as well in 3-dimensional form. Ariel carries a clamshell with a trans-pink jewel. more less

I would like to quickly comment on the figs themselves: they are fantastic. They have great features, ensuring none is particularly dull or mundane. Eight figures with 2 tone moulded legs; 3 moulded ‘leg/fin/ gaseous genie' pieces and 3 sets of short legs. Eight new hats/hair pieces; Five new head moulds (7 characters). Five pearl gold accessories; two hairbows, duck tales and 2 different skirts, one set of blueprints and a propaganda poster! more less

71012 represents a big step forward in the detail that designers can endow minifigures with; and there's no better group of iconic characters to implement these advances on. The 18 characters of this collectible figure series represent their original versions quite well, for the most part, introducing a bounty of new molds to fill the unique needs of their designs... but, from the point of view of a MOCer, that very specificity goes somewhat to waste in terms of reapplying the new parts. I think this series will be a real treat for Disney fans, whether or not they're into LEGO. more less

Of course, Ariel's fins are colored differently which makes her a bit more unique. She even has back printing (which wasn't even totally necessary given how her hair covers most of her back). This is a great looking figure, and a perfect way to end the series. more less

I will just say it: this is an extraordinary series. It might be the best Collectable Minifigures series of all time. For a Disney geek like me, this is a literal dream come true! No minifigure is truly awful, but some are definitely better than others and there are true standouts. My favorites, in no particular order, are Buzz Lightyear, Syndrome, Stitch, Ariel, Maleficent and Captain Hook. My least favorites are Genie, Alice, Daisy Duck and Mr. Incredible. But like I said, I don't necessarily HATE any of them. more less

LEGO has done a wonderful job here of taking iconic characters and transforming them into distinct plastic form. Even when the results aren't quite perfect, there's always a key aspect that's made the transition intact perfectly. If you like Disney and you like LEGO, you'll definitely like these. more less

I think the one issue I have with the look of this series is with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. Instead of looking for like the cartoon character (like Stitch or Cheshire Cat), the size of the head sculpt makes them more like the early-day walk-around characters at Disneyland. It's a quirkiness that I don't necessarily mind, but they just seem off to me. All of the other characters I feel work well with the design and sculpt. more less