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LEGO microfigures & nanofigures comparison

With the recent release of the #76042 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes SHIELD Helicarrier, the question keeps coming up: how small exactly are those microfigures? It is hard to judge their size just by seeing pictures on a computer screen. The fact is that these microfigures are very-very tiny. How tiny? I have taken some comparison pictures for you. See below. 🙂

LEGO MicroFigures Size Comparison

First of all let’s start by saying that the LEGO microfigures are not entirely new, however they have appeared in so few sets so far that most LEGO fans would have likely never run across them. So far the microfigures were included as trophies in four LEGO Collectible Minifigures packets. They are each a solid metallic color of silver, copper or gold, with no printing. The minifigs with the trophies are as follows: Series 4 Soccer Player (silver), Series 3 Sumo Wrestler (copper), Series 2 Karate Master and Series 9 Hollywood Starlet (both gold). There is also a single printed microfigure in the #4195 LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Queen Anne’s Revenge, serving as a Jack Sparrow voodoo-doll.

#76042 LEGO SHIELD Helicarrier Microfigures

So yes, LEGO microfigures have been very rare, but then all of a sudden we get twelve of them in the LEGO SHIELD Helicarrier! And there are rumors that we may get even more in the future. I would also like to add here that while LEGO refers to these tiny figures as microfigures or micro-figs, the LEGO fan community calls them nanofigures or nano-figs. The reason is to differentiate them from the figures that come on the now retired LEGO Games sets. LEGO called these microfigures as well, however they are in fact much larger and differently shaped than the figures we are talking about here (see picture below). So if you hear people talking about nanofigures, they are likely referring to these tiniest characters, and if they mention microfigures you may need to clarify if they are talking about the retired LEGO Games figures or the nano-figs. Confusing enough? 🙄

LEGO MicroFigures LEGO Games

In the picture below on the left you can see two LEGO Game figures (red and yellow). They are blocky looking little guys that served as game-pieces in the now retired LEGO Games sets. They are exactly two bricks tall with a standard stud on top of their heads. Their body parts are all one piece – in other words you can’t remove the head or the legs. Many of them come with really nice and detailed printing. There are over a hundred different game-figures with printings and they are popular items with collectors. There are also some unprinted versions that serve as statuettes and architectural decorations in some sets.

LEGO Micro-Figures & Nano-Figures

Next to them you will see three of the LEGO microfigures or nanofigures in silver, gold and copper. Notice that they are quite detailed miniature versions of regular LEGO minifigs. To compare, next to them is our mascot, the crash-test dummy, helping out to demonstrate scale. Regular LEGO minifigs are four bricks high, the LEGO Game figures are exactly half that size at two bricks high, and the nanofigures are barely over one brick high – even while standing on their built-in little platform. They just about reach the hip-line of the regular LEGO minifigure. They have no standard LEGO connection points other than the stud-hole at the bottom.

LEGO Microfigs & Nanofigs

If you look at them from the back, you will see that the detailing of the nano-figs also mimics regular LEGO minifigs really well. Please note that the nanofigures are one single piece like the LEGO Game figures. You can’t move their arms and legs or take off their body parts. They are a single, solid mould. Now that you see how tiny these figures are, I think you will appreciate even more the detailed printing they come with in the #76042 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes SHIELD Helicarrier.

LEGO Microfigures & Nanofigures

 I believe that just like with the LEGO Game figures, a lot of people are going to get into collecting the nanofigures. They work excellent as trophies, tiny statues, and action figures for your LEGO minifigs to play with. They are also really cute. And people like collecting tiny and cute things. I hope that now you get a better sense on how tiny the LEGO microfigures are. If you have a chance to see them in person in either the LEGO SHIELD Helicarrier or in the LEGO Collectible Minifigures sets I’m pretty sure that even after reading this article you will be surprised by how tiny they are!

#76042 LEGO SHIELD Helicarrier Microfigures

So what do you think? Do you have any of the LEGO Game figures or the LEGO micro (or nano) figures? Do you like them? Collect them? Lost them already because they are so small? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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LEGO Guardians of the Galaxy funny video

In one of their latest LEGO animated videos Kevin from the BrotherhoodWorkshop features an aerial battle scene with lots of movement and detail (see below). So how was such a dynamic brickfilm made? After watching the video, Kevin will take you behind-the-scenes to reveal how he achieved these unique shots. Take a look below. 🙂

LEGO Video Tutorial by the Brotherhood Workshop

This LEGO brickfilm is titled, “LEGO Guardians of the Galaxy: Ronan is a Jerk”. When the going gets rough, Ronan the Accuser orders his minions to commit suicide. They take an issue with this decision however and decide to take matters into their own hands… and somehow little Benny from The LEGO Movie also gets an appearance in the heat of the battle with his super awesome SPACESHIP, SPACESHIP, SPACESHIP! 😀

Witty and funny as usual, isn’t it? What is the most interesting about this video however is the aerial shots. How would a LEGO stop-motion animator achieve so much movement? In the behind-the-scenes video below Kevin will show you some of the tricks and techniques he employed. I appreciate the fact that Kevin continue to explore new and unusual techniques. Here he used separate methods to capture the movement of the flying ships; traditional stop-motion taking a shot of each move of the ships then compositing them, moving the camera to give the illusion that the ships are flying, and capturing live action movement with the camera.

In case you were wondering, the LEGO set used in this video is the #76021 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes The Milano Spaceship Rescue, which includes Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Ronan and the Sakaaran, plus the Milano Spaceship, a Hadron Enforcer and Ronan’s personal Necrocraft. A really fun LEGO set to play with. If you don’t have it already, you can find it at the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes section of the Online LEGO Shop.

Shop LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

So what do you think? How did you like this LEGO Super Heroes video? And what you do think of the tutorial? Did you find it helpful? Do you do LEGO animation yourself? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below! 😉

Shop LEGO Marvel Sets

Also, if you would like to learn more about LEGO stop-motion, I highly recommend checking out the other videos from the BrotherhoodWorkshop listed below, or you can also visit their YouTube Channel directly for more.

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