LEGO Animal BrickHeadz: A Difficult Review

This has been too long in the making, and I feel like I don’t really have anything to show for it. I was interested in these LEGO BrickHeadz for a while because I am partial to the chibi style they bring to some characters and creatures—they seemed fun to build, and possibly fun to shoot with my new Lensbaby camera lenses.

I was half right. They are very fun to put together, but by the sixth and seventh character, I was ready to be done! In hindsight, I should have spaced that project out, but I was excited and overcommitted. After assembly, BrickHeadz are pretty cute and appear exactly as you’d think, LEGO statuettes. Nothing too groundbreaking, which is fine. Many of my favourite sets are not doing anything spectacular in terms of building, and sometimes the most simple builds turn out to be the most fun.

Confession time. I have been struggling to find a way to say what I think about shooting these that would be more thoughtful and positive overall. As I am writing this, the reason hit me: I HATED shooting them. I found all these sets to be too static and boring, and I couldn’t seem to coax any life out of the creatures. Possibly the static nature of these was just enough to throw me off, or it’s that they have no expressions to build upon. Or maybe it’s because I have not had any pets in 20 years. For whatever reason, I found these sets to be very lackluster and boring to shoot.

So, let’s take a closer look at each of them.

I will start with my least favourite of the three, the dogs. LEGO 40440 German Shepherd and Puppy. I’m not really a dog guy, which I know will instantly alienate me from many, but there it is.

This might be my favourite of the photos, despite its flaws. I was going for a best friend and protector vibe, and I think it kind of works. Or maybe she just brought you a stick.

The Puppy was fine—my 12-year-old self must have been on stick for these, because the main things I found myself coming up with were poop jokes, and that just felt cheap to me.

Up next is the cats! Or if you prefer: LEGO 40441 Shorthair Cat and Kitten. I am a cat person and always have been. If my landlord permitted it, my wife and I would own 2–3, no question. I find them beautiful, regal and quirky, with a lazy grace that still surprises me. Maybe cats are the ones with correct priorities? Napping seems to be a solution for many felines, and I think there is a lesson I can learn there. Or maybe I just need a nap.

I clean a church with some lovely stained glass that makes me want to bring my whole toy box and play with it for a day, and that clicked instantly. Cats love sunspots, right? I tried to angle them out more since cats are always watching you but never really looking at you. They know they are better, and do not acknowledge our help unless it suits them.

The cats were okay, too, but less expressive than the dogs even. As a cat person, I found that pretty annoying, but the dog people in my life say that dogs are always more expressive.

LEGO 40466 Chinese New year Pandas were my favourite of the three sets. I mean, how can you not like pandas? Admit it, even if they are not your favourite, you at least don’t hate them! Maybe it’s because they are some of the most chill animals, with the most simple and relatable goals: Eat, sleep, eat, play and snack. I am not a zoologist or an expert in the lives of pandas, so let me know if they do more. Unless it detracts from their awesomeness, I will ignore their faults and embrace their strengths.

The panda set came with three pandas and a lantern stand, which I did not shoot as a subject, but left in to add a splash of colour, as it seemed more like a garnish anyway. I was going to keep them in my wife’s succulent garden, but then she bought MORE succulents, so that will have to wait a bit.

I think shooting these was wasted on me. I did not enjoy this. It felt like work. Oof. If you like this sort of thing (I have see some folks make excellent photos from BrickHeadz and Funko Pops), then go for it. I think these are fun deskorations and they work nicely as sets to build and perhaps collect.

Sometimes you try new things, and are grateful for the opportunity to do so, but in the trying I have learned that this does not work for me right now.

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