Many would say that LEGO's greatest success is directly related to the ability to combine LEGO elements in many countless difference ways. I'm constantly checking out new releases of both LEGO sets and LEGO collectible minifigures to see what new elements are being released and envisioning ways that they can be incorporated with figures and parts that are in my current collection. For sometime I had been curious about the LEGO Friends line. I recently made an Ebay purchase and when I noticed that the seller had a LEGO Friend figure available I added it to my basket (I love saving money on shipping by purchasing multiple items from the same seller).
I've never felt it necessary for LEGO to create separate line of LEGO products for female fans. Sure they could include more female minifigures. I was glad to see more and more female minifigures appear in the LEGO collectible minifigures selections. Still I need more variety in hairpieces (both male and female).
There are things that I like and hate about these LEGO Friends minifigures. I LOVE that the hairpieces are interchangeable with LEGO minifigures. Unfortunately they are even less poseable than LEGO minifigures. Arms rotate at the torso. Head turns 360 degrees. Legs bend at the wait so that they can sit. Hands do NOT rotate at the wrist. Legs do NOT separate. They are attached together. Its impossible to pose one so that she looks as though she is running or even walking. So will I be buying more of these? Only when I see a hairpiece or element that I really must have.
I have seen several LEGO AFOLs do some cool customizations of LEGO Friends figures. Many customize them with paint. Others even cut the hands off and reattach minifigure hands in such a way that they rotate at the wrist. I've seen others that cut the lets apart and reattach in such a way that they are more poseable. Here is more info about customizing the hands and legs at thebrickblogger
I had entirely too much fun trying out different hairpieces and hats of my regular LEGO minifigures. Most hairpieces work great. Some of the hats look a bit odd because there is an absence of hair around the ears. Others like the Darth Vader helmet don't work well because her chin sticks out below the bottom of the helmet.
Friends figures have a much thinner neck than regular minifigures. Heads are not interchangeable between Friends and regular minifigures.
The neck of a Friends figure is the same as a technic "T" piece shown above. Basically if a piece will fit into a regular minifigure's hand it is the right thickness for a Friends neck. Might it be fun to build a mech with LEGO parts and a Friends head?
The mustache from Sheriff Not a Robot (recent LEGO movie minifigure) does NOT work well with Friends figures. The neck is too thin and the chest doesn't hold it up in the correct place. It only worked in the picture above because of the piece that you see in the second picture. This piece holds the mustache up in the correct position.
Here is a really cool customization by tikitikitembo
Visit the flickr photostream of tikitikitembo by clicking this link
Here's a few more customized Friends by other AFOLs click here
Do you have strong feelings about LEGO Friends sets and figures?
Thanks for reading!
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