LOZ Tokyo Skytree...Unboxing and Comparing

 

 

I received an interesting gift today.  It was the LOZ "Micro Blocks" version of the Tokyo Skytree.  There are several things I should say.

First off, I have been calling them Micro Blocks, mostly because that is how they are listed on Amazon.  However, nowhere on the box is that written.  I guess I should call them LOZ Blocks.

I liked the way the box opened.  It opened like a book.  This seems quite comfortable and more useful than the standard Nanoblock box.  It isn't a big thing, but we usually appreciate the little things.

Someone is sending me the Nanoblock Tokyo Skytree, and when that happens, I will build it and do a side by side comparison.  Until that day, you just have to make do with my impressions of the kit.  Of course, if you want to see it, please click on the link to my YouTube video below.  I unbox the Skytree and compare some of the blocks.  I should probably do a more in depth comparison, but this should be useful in the meantime.

The kit has some uniquely shaped pieces that I am interested in.  I hope there are extra ones so I can combine them with my stash of leftover Nanoblock pieces.  Yes, they are compatible.  That was one of the first things I checked.  This will definitely be a plus for the creative people out there.  I expect there are already some fantastic creations out there.

 

 

I haven't worked with the pieces yet, but they seem quite similar in style and quality to Nanoblocks.  Once I put this together, I will have a better idea.

 

Blog Photos

a blurry view of my nanoblock menagerie

 

 

I feel very strongly that every blog post should have a photo.  My train of thought is that photos are visually appealing, and that they give a preview of what the blog will be about.  Maybe, thanks to google searches, they might even net me a reader or two.

I should be thankful that the digital revolution has made taking photos and adding them to blogs (as well as adding them to facebook, or bombarding relatives with the latest 100 cute cat pictures) really easy.  Maybe too easy.  I remember when all we wanted to do with our photos was slap it on a cup or maybe make a calendar.  Oh how times have changed.

My camera is pretty good, and I love the photos it takes of friends and family.  However, I am not often such a fan of the pictures I take for this blog.  Sometimes I forget to push the button for macro, so I just get a blurry mess. Sometimes the simple act of pushing the button is enough to jostle the camera causing another burry mess.  Sometimes, I am just too lazy for the photos to get from the camera to the hard drive of the computer.  It is a wonder how, in the old days,  I was able to wait a week or more for my photos to develop.

I have built a generic backdrop, and I am going to turn it into a psyche (I don't know if I spelled this correctly, but I mean a backdrop which is curved so that it looks like there is no bottom and back--somebody please comment with the correct term).  It has worked okay, but I am not completely satisfied with it.  I may have to do it again.

my non-descript backdrop

Thinking back to the old days, we probably took a lot fewer pictures.  Heaven forbid I waste film on a poor shot, and that is without even thinking of the more expensive flashcubes.  Now, I can take pictures to my heart's content.  For a hobbyist that is a good thing,  If I go to a model show, or train show, I can snap a whole lot of pictures.  I can even take a lot of video.  Wow, times have changed.

As for the blog, I want good photos, and I know those generic ones you can get off the internet don't really appeal to people.  I understand that, I just succumb to laziness sometimes.  All I can do is pledge to do better in the future.

Nanoblocks Big Ben: my thoughts and videos

 

 

Building a new Nanoblocks kit is usually pretty fun.  When you get to build one you had been waiting for, things are just that much better.  Maybe it's anticipation.  Of course if the theme of the kit appeals to you, it is much better.

This kit wasn't as challenging as the Space Shuttle kit, but it was quite fun to build.  There were some new design wrinkles from the people at Kawada, or whoever designed this one.  I liked the colour scheme and I liked the nice mix of water, road, building and even a bus--though the representation of the bus seems a little out of scale.

I spent quite a bit of time on this one, mostly because my fingers are not as agile as they should be and those round pieces always seem to give me trouble.  I was enjoying myself, so I didn't really notice the time.  I had the radio on and my cat was keeping me company.  All in all it was a sunny fall morning and I relished it.

In addition to that, I took a lot of pictures of the build, showing people what it looks like step by step.  And before anyone says anything in the comments section--yes, I made a few mistakes along the way, and my application of the decals was a little poor.

Again, I found this kit quite enjoyable.  I paid more for this kit than I did for some of the other world landmarks series, but I blame that on the place I purchased it.  I probably could have held out longer, hoping for a sale.... but I am tired of missing out on something.  I was a little afraid that if I didn't strike now, I would lose the chance.  I am still kicking myself over the Maersk Lego Train.

There were quite a few pieces leftover--more than usual.  I wonder if they have been getting a lot of flack from customers about not having enough parts?  I have never been short, but it stands to reason that it might have happened to someone.  I guess I will just file them in the parts box.  I have enough extra parts now to build something....I wonder what I should build.

 

I have included links to two of my YouTube videos here.  One is the step by step build (but it's stage by stage rather than piece by piece) and the other is a 360 degree view of the finished product.   I hope you enjoy them.

 

What Comes Inside the Big Ben kit from Nanoblocks

I think unboxing videos are cool.  Maybe it is the association with Christmas and unwrapping presents, but I like it.  I don't have many YouTube videos up, but the most popular one is the unboxing of the Statue of Liberty Nanoblocks kit.  Keeping that in mind, I have made a video to show people what is inside the Big Ben kit.

I will also post my pictures and video of the built kit shortly.  I will be trying to upload a series of pictures to show the stages it was built in.  Please enjoy everyone.

 

 

Never A Bad Idea To Visit a Toy Store

I stopped by the toy store today...it must have been fate because I had had no intention of setting foot in the place.  Fortunately I did, because new Nanoblocks have arrived.  New Nanoblocks have arrived!

There were probably 4 or 5 things that I wanted to buy, but will have to wait.  I managed to pick up two kits and I will build them this weekend.  My plan is to do YouTube videos of opening the box and showing the built up version.  I will put the links up here.  At the same time, I will also write a blog or two about them.

Obviously I am a looking forward to putting them together.

New Deluxe SKY TREE by Nanoblocks

I was checking out the nanoblocks website and I came across something cool, and decided to share it with you guys.  I have done built the deluxe Himeji Castle kit and it was fantastic.  I really want to do their German Castle kit (I am too lazy to look up how to spell it correctly).  What I saw today has made me change the order I want to do things in.  Now I want to do their deluxe SkyTree kit.  It looks fantastic, lights up in many colours and has more than 3800 pieces.  I want it, and I want it now.

 

 

Of course, I am going to have to search high and low all over the web to find it....but I will.

I put a video of Nanoblocks on YouTube

Hey everybody.  I know, I know.  I really haven't done enough blogging at all lately.  The truth is, I have been studying and really haven't had enough time to blog.  Okay, maybe I had time to blog, but I didn't really have time to pursue any hobbies.  Studying became my hobby, and I just didn't really want to blog about that.... though I am thinking of writing a blog about being an ESL teacher.  I will let you know.

Anyway, though I haven't jumped back on the hobby bandwagon, I did try something new.  I put a video up on YouTube.  I was hoping that some people would discover it there and then hopefully discover my blog.  It hasn't really worked out that way, but it was a nice experiment.  I just thought I would post a link here, just in case some people actually subscribe to this blog, or get some kind of notification about this blog.

This blog is about my newest nanoblock purchase.  I bought the Statue of Liberty kit.  Honestly, I wasn't planning on doing this one.  I loved the colour of the bricks, but ..... it just wasn't on my radar.  I came across a heavily discounted one the very afternoon my course was over.  I could have built it, but I had a lot of other stuff I had been putting off that really needed to get done first.

When I build it, I will post some pictures.  Please check out the video (if I have done the whole link thing correctly).

This isn't my first video on YouTube.  I have done a few with trains, and even one about a frog that found itself near my basement window, but this is the first I have put onto my blog.  If you like this video, please check out the ones with my trains.

 

New Nanoblocks Now (Please)

 

It has been several months since a new nanoblocks kit has come my way.  Come on world, what are you waiting for?  I want new kits and I want them now.  NOW!  I don't want to have to wait until some holiday (Christmas is 9 months away), or special occasion.

I can see by using the magical internet that Japan has a whole bunch of new and interesting nanoblock kits, but I have none.  There is really no way for me to categorize that as fair.  No way at all.

Too much in life requires my patience.  I have to wait in lines.  I have to wait for the next movie from Marvel.  I have to wait for my coffee to brew.  I have to wait for the defrost in the car to win the battle against the Great White North's great white winters.  I have done enough waiting.  Give me nanoblocks or give me......some other hobby to occupy my time (if you thought I was going to say death, you were wrong)

I am waiting world.  Don't expect me to have much patience.