Category: Disney Lego

Studio Ghibli Films in Lego (Ponyo by Iain Heath)

Studio Ghibli Films In Lego (Nausicaa, Totoro, Arrietty)

Totoro and friends
Totoro and friends by Ochre Jelly

I am a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s films and more broadly, the animated films produced by his Japanese film company, Studio Ghibli.

The films have all been released by Disney in the last 10 years, and feature new English voice actors (so no subtitles).

Representing these beautiful array of films in Lego is something I hadn’t thought about…until I saw the creation to the right and fell in love.

I soon discovered that there are heaps of people who share my love of both Lego and Miyazaki, only they are much more talented than I am 🙂

Lego My Neighbor Totoro

If you have kids who like the more innocent things in life and haven’t seen My Neighbor Totoro yet, don’t wait any longer.

It is one of the best animated films for children (and adults) who are able to sit through a film that features nature more than explosions. And it’s not just me saying that. Totoro tops many of the media’s Best Animated Film lists, including Time Magazine.

The film tells the story of two sisters who move to rural Japan with their father because their mother is receiving treatment in a nearby hospital. While in this magical environment they soon discover nature spirits who show them the wonders of the forest.

It is serious at times but what shines through is the love for family and the acute perceptions of how a child sees the world.

You can watch a trailer of the film below or find the DVD at Amazon.

Lego Nausicaa Valley Of the Wind

Valley Gunship 01 by JonHall18
Valley Gunship 01 by JonHall18

Nausicaa Of the Valley Of the Wind was one of Miyazaki’s first films and he actually wrote and illustrated a seven volume manga (comic book) before making the film.

I mean this manga is epic -highly detailed both in plot and drawings! Just a warning though – it does differ from the film (a tad bleaker) so avoid if you want to keep the story of the film in your memory.

Compared to Totoro, this film is more for older children as it carries a more serious tone but still has a huge emotional impact (and great music).

Nausicaa is a young princess of a rural province, the Valley of the Wind. She is a champion of the forest and the creatures who live there despite their toxicity to humans. She is unwittingly involved in a war with a large kingdom bent on trying to destroy the forest and must make ethical choices about where she stands.

The creation above is a beautiful representation of a flying vehicle (Miyazaki loves flying machines) used in the film. The flaps on the model open up at the back and the engines light up – beautiful!

Nausicca is available on DVD and Blu Ray.

Arrietty Lego

Arrietty the Borrower by Ochre Jelly
Arrietty the Borrower by Ochre Jelly

Arrietty is Studio Ghibli’s latest film and while Miyazaki did not direct the animated feature, he had a major influence on the story and the design of the characters and environments.

The film, also known as The Secret World of Arrietty is based on Andre Norton’s book The Borrowers and follows tiny Arrietty and her family as they  “borrow” bits and pieces from the human house in which they live.

Being the size of a pin, the family  is careful not to reveal themselves to the big people knowing that by doing so they threaten their very existence. But then a young boy arrives at the house and Arrietty is drawn to his wistful and gentle presence.

I love this creation (again by Ochre Jelly on Flickr). The mini sculpture captures perfectly the essence of Arrietty while being beautifully detailed the character and the film.

Arrietty is available for preorder on DVD and Blu Ray.

Studio Ghibli Films Trailer

Someone put all the Disney released Studio Ghibli trailers into one video on Youtube. It’s awesome (I get teary watching it).

Other Studio Ghibli Films

PonyoOther Studio Ghibli films appropriate for young children include:

For slightly Older Children:

For mature kids

Ponyo + Fish By Ochre Jelly
Ponyo + Fish By Ochre Jelly (Iain Heath)

Lego Lightning McQueen Set 8200 Review

Lego Lightning McQueenThe Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen Lego (8200) set is one of the smallest in the Disney Pixar range of sets but it packs a big punch for a small price.

There is no doubt that Lightning McQueen is the star of the movie Cars and it is heartening to see that Lego have provided parents with an affordable way to purchase the character in Lego without having to pay out for one of the larger sets.

Radiator Springs Lego Lightning McQueen Details

Lego Set Number: 8200
Pieces: 35
Minifigures: none
Price: US $6.99 / £4.99
Ages: 5 – 12
Released: June 2011
Theme: Disney Pixar Cars
Instructions in PDF: Available at Lego.com
Best Prices: Amazon I   Amazon UK I   ebay.com I   ebay Aus I   ebay.co.uk

Lego Lightning McQueen Radiator Springs Set 8200

Set 8200 is also known as Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen, presumably because, as well as Lightning himself, the set also includes a small orange road cone.

These cones were featured in the first film when the hot shot race car inadvertently visited the small country town, known as Radiator Springs.

With the car figure and the cone the set is small but if your little one is a big fan then this is a set worth buying.

The wonderful thing about Lego is its ability to customize.

Kids can have this one Lightning McQueen set and then make other characters with their own Lego collection. Add a few home-made stickers for eyes and you have an enriching new play experience for a very low cost.

Lego Lightning McQueen Rating

4/5 Stars

The Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen is small enough to purchase without having to think about it too much. We recommend the set for young fans of the series, to test the waters for Lego-newbies and as a primer for expanding existing collections.