Tokyo

Got home from my first trip to Tokyo in early December, and immediately went to see if LEGO had made a skyline for this beautiful city. Set my alarm for January 1st and got it ASAP! Was a great experience to build, bags were neatly organized and directions were simple. Makes for an absolutely colorful display piece. Even my girlfriend loves it, and she is beginning to get annoyed with the frequency and speed of which I am buying and assembling these kits... haha. Can't wait for the lighting kit to be released. 5/5! more less

As someone who has visited Japan, speaks the language, and is a fan of most things Japanese, I immediately picked up this set and it doesn't disappoint. I love all the little details from the neon lights of Shibuya crossing, to the Sensoji temple, and even the brand new Tokyo Sky Tree! So many unique pieces and colors, which might make it a bit challenging for younger fans of LEGO (especially all of the different colors for Shibuya crossing), but honestly this would make a wonderful display piece for anyone. And for anyone who doesn't know what the various landmarks are, the build guide actually explains them all. Highly recommended! more less

In the case of #21051 Tokyo Skyline, I feel like The LEGO Group has not done their best work [...]. It doesn't help that the set is more expensive than similarly sized sets. Because the finished model is immediately recognizable and vibrant, I suspect many readers will still want to add it to their collection despite these misgivings. more less

The model offers a number of useful new parts and an enjoyable construction process full of techniques and details to keep the interest of the builder. The addition of a brick-built Mount Fuji is particularly appreciated, offering a backdrop for the shorter sections of the model, and helping the finished model to stand out when compared to previous Skylines sets which have lacked natural landmarks. more less

Much like the real city, 21051 Tokyo manages to pack an awful lot into a relatively small space and although there's a diverse mix of colours and building styles, nothing clashes. Each year the Skyline theme pushes the boundaries and 21051 Tokyo, as the first of 2020, may just be one of the best yet. more less

To call this set disappointing for a native Tokyoite would be an understatement. I can forgive strange choices like the Tokyo Big Sight conference tower, and I truly love this LEGO rendition of Tokyo Tower and Shibuya Crossing. But a Mt. Fuji that looks like Mt. Rainier, Tokyo Skytree with squishy legs, and historic architecture that remains unnamed (against the conventions of other LEGO Architecture sets) are all unforgivable. What's most disappointing is how close this set is to great, if only the designers had bothered to do a modicum of research about the history and culture that resulted in the architecture depicted in the set. more less