There is an interesting article on LEGO Ideas, discussing how LEGO designers selected the minifigures included in the recently released #21358 LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine.
After it was announced that Rob Vangansewinkel’s LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine was going to be an official LEGO Ideas set, the LEGO Ideas team set off on a quest to choose the minifigure line-up for the set. They allowed LEGO fans to vote from two legendary themes: LEGO Space and LEGO Castle. For LEGO Space, voters chose their favorite new color for a LEGO Classic Space minifigure, while LEGO Castle fans chose which LEGO Castle faction to make a minifigure for.
The original idea was to select one new minifigure for each theme, but seeing the passion of LEGO fans, the LEGO Ideas team eventually picked two for each. The final result is that the #21358 LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine includes not just one, but two brand new colored LEGO Space minifigures: bright-bluish-green, and warm-gold, plus two exciting new LEGO Castle factions: the Krakens and the Griffins.
Jordan Scott, LEGO Creative Lead, said the following about the selection: “The fan vote results were pretty clear – Krakens and bright-bluish-green were the standout fan selections. But we also saw a lot of love for the Griffins and warm-gold – and saw the opportunity to bring the runners up to life in the same set!” He added, “We know our fans love building armies of these kinds of minifigures, so providing only one felt like a little too exclusive. We used the same parts, changing the accessories and/or head to provide variety. We also aimed for a 50/50 gender balance, so both LEGO Castle factions come with a male and a female. And the LEGO Space minifigures have a neutral expression, so they can be whatever you imagine!”
Why LEGO Space and LEGO Castle, though? “LEGO Castle and LEGO Space were such clear choices because of how immediately recognizable they are. For example, a new LEGO Classic Space color is something that every fan can envisage, and we can provide many equal options. Similarly, with LEGO Castle, we took the approach of a shield emblem, which was the same across all four factions with distinct color palettes and iconic symbols. I would also argue that the themes we picked are two of the most iconic in LEGO history,” says Scott.
The LEGO Space theme has had a firm grip on fans’ imaginations since 1978, when LEGO introduced some of the first spaceships, rockets, and lunar bases. Featuring an iconic grey-blue color-scheme and suited-up minifigures, these early sets laid the foundation for what would become a cornerstone of LEGO storytelling. Over the years, the LEGO Classic Space theme evolved into a richly layered universe, with multiple iterations and factions – like Blacktron, Futuron, and Space Police – turning it into a cosmically cool franchise that remained a regular pillar in the LEGO lineup right through to 1992.
Until this year, the LEGO Space minifigure had appeared in nine different colors, allowing fans to assign their own roles and stories to each one. For example, the red spaceman might be the pilot of the mission, white the explorer or commander, and yellow the scientist or researcher. This is all down to fans’ imaginations – a testament to the theme’s strong storytelling potential!
As voted by the dedicated LEGO fan community, bright-bluish-green and warm-gold are the next two LEGO Space minifigures to expand the collection. Creative Lead, Jordan Scott says, “The bright-bluish-green and warm-gold LEGO Space minifigures fit into the existing line-up quite well with teal being a nice new color to add to the palette and gold being a little more unique, and something that feels it would come as a result of a prize machine!”
Fans are already speculating: Could bright-bluish-green represent a hybrid role – maybe research or materials science? Could warm-gold symbolize honor, protection, or achievement?
Since the launch of the classic #375 LEGO Yellow Castle in 1978, the LEGO Castle theme has inspired many sets. While LEGO Classic Castle can mean different eras to different fans – some say 1978 to 1983, others extend it to 1992 – it’s clear the theme inspired generations. Through the ‘80s and ‘90s, iconic factions like the Lion Knights, Black Falcons, and Foresters emerged, each with distinct colors, flags, and backstories – with sets like the #6080 LEGO King’s Castle, #6074 LEGO Black Falcons Fortress, and #6054 LEGO Forestmen’s Hideout helping to define the era.
These legendary factions – like the Black Falcons and the Crusaders – are now joined by two fresh faces: the fan-voted Krakens and Griffins.
Jordan explains the vision: “For the LEGO Castle lore, we took inspiration from real-world history to inform some of the armor, clothing choices, weapons, and accessories. In our heads, the Krakens and Griffins are rival factions that reside and battle in more coastal environments, something a bit different from your traditional castle. The Krakens represent evil, and the Griffins represent good, but who knows? Maybe our fans think it’s the reverse? This is the beauty of LEGO, you can imagine it however you want. I’m looking forward to seeing how our fans use these characters as a starting point to create new worlds!”
The article also raises the intriguing question: will these new factions be part of a near-future LEGO Castle set release?
The LEGO Ideas team going through all these extra steps to collaborate with LEGO fans makes the #21358 LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine extra special! If you want to check it out, visit the LEGO Ideas section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Minifigure Vending Machine? Do you have the set already? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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Somehow I don’t remember the voting period for the colors and factions. Does anybody remember when this took place?
Sigh… They’re trying to get me to want this solely on the basis of the minifigs it contains. Well, I dunno, the mechanism that makes the “vending” work might be a cool build too…
The Fabuland minifig with the elephant head! Aww! So cute! 🤗🐘
Fans of Lego have been asking for a medieval castle theme for a long time now. So, what’s the hold up? If it’s wanted they should build it. Lego is always looking for new and different themes. They sometimes hit a mental creative block and don’t know what to create in new themes. LEGO has been rethinking the same city idea. So, just do the same with a medieval castle theme. It’s been awhile. Please😀.
Seems like we’ve suffered a lot from licensed IPs taking the place of the older original themes. Star Wars took over “space” for the most part, though they still put out an original space theme now and then. Most recently as a subline of city with a near-future NASA-esque theme. Lord of the Rings and D&D took over “castle”. Now One Piece has “pirates”.