“Lego® Group Unveils New Monkie Kid Theme Inspired by Chinese Mythology”
Inspired by the Monkey King of Chinese mythology, folklore, and literature, the new LEGO® Monkie Kid™ theme was released in mid-May, the Danish toymaker Lego System A/S (doing business as The LEGO® Group) announced on Friday, May 15, A.D. 2020. This is the first LEGO® theme inspired by Chinese mythology.
Sun Wukong (known in English as the Monkey King) was a character in the 16th Century Chinese novel Journey to the West that appeared in later tales. The character ultimately derived from a fusion in Chinese folklore of the Hindu monkey-god Hanuman and the White Monkey legend told under the Han Dynasty, which ruled the Chinese Empire from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D., and that White Monkey legenditself evolved from earlier legends about white gibbons in the Chu Kingdom, which occupied the center of the Yangtze River Basin from 700 B.C. to 223 B.C.[1]
Figure 1 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the hero Monkie Kid from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™. This is how he looks with a fierce expression on his printed face. Monkie Kid comes with every playset in the theme.Figure 2 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the hero Monkie Kid from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™. This is how he looks with a happy expression on his printed face.Figure 3 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the hero Monkie Kid from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™. This is how he looks with a determined expression on his printed face, as if prepared for battle.Figure 4 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the hero Monkey King, which comes with a single playset: Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012). Monkey King is an anthropomorphic monkey god from Chinese mythology, legend, folklore, literature, and art.Figure 5 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the heroine Mei with a hairpiece to show what she looks like with her helmet off. She comes with three playsets: White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006), Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011), and Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013). In the first and third of those three sets, she is wearing this outfit and in the second she is wearing civilian clothes.Figure 6 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the heroine Mei with her helmet on. With her helmet on., she looks like a Power Ranger, at least from certain angles.Figure 7 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of the anthropomorphic pig hero Pigsy, who comes with three sets: Pigsy’s Food Truck (Set #80009), Demon Bull King (Set #80010), and Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 8 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Big Fig of the hero Sandy, who comes with two playsets: Iron Bull Tank (Set #80007) and Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 9 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are the heroic Mo the cat, which comes with the kit Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 10 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of a villainous Bull Clone minion from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™.Figure 11 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of a villain Red Son from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™. He comes with the playsets Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet (Set #80008) and Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011).Figure 12 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a Minifigure™ of a villainess Princess Iron Fan from the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™. Notice the bull-shaped emblem on her crown. She comes with the playset Demon Bull King (Set #80010).
Figure 13 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006) includes Mei’s White Dragon Horse Bike, the brick-built Bull Clones’ hideout, Monkie Kid’s Cloud Board. And four Minifigures™: Monkie Kid, Mei, and two Bull Clones. This 259-piece set is for children six-years-of-age and over.Figure 14 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: Four Minifigures™ come with the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006): Mei (shown holding a laser sword), Monkie Kid (shown holding the Golden Staff), and two Bull Clones.Figure 15 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is Mei’s White Dragon Horse Bike from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006). The futuristic brick-built “bike” has foldout wings for flight mode. It measures over 2” (7cm) high, 7” (18cm) long, and 2” (6cm) wide.Figure 16 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Bull Clones’ hideout from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006). It includes sentry post, a “fire gate,” and a prison cell (shown holding a skull).Figure 17 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a little girl playing with the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset White Dragon Horse Bike (Set #80006) on Tuesday, December 17, A.D. 2020.Figure 18 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Iron Bull Tank (Set #80007) Big Fig and three Minifigures™: Monkie Kid (shown with The Golden Staff), Grunt, and Roar. This set is for children seven-years-of-age and over.Figure 19 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Iron Bull Tank (Set #80007) comes with a Sandy Big Fig and three Minifigures™: Monkie Kid (shown with The Golden Staff), Grunt, and Roar.Figure 20 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The Iron Tank from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Iron Bull Tank (Set #80007) features a rotating turret with a six-stud rapid shooter, a cockpit that can be lifted to release oil barrels, and cattle guard. The armored vehicle toy measures over 6” (16cm) high, 7” (19cm) long, and 5” (15cm) wide.Figure 21 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet (Set #80008) includes the brick-built Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet, Red Son (shown wearing Power Glove and brick-built Twin Fire Jet Pack), Growl, Monkie Kid (shown holding The Golden Staff), and Ai (shown holding a purse). Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet measures over 5” (13cm) high, 11” (28cm) long, and 11” (30cm) wide. It features adjustable wings with two disc shooters, twinjet engines, and a cockpit that detaches as Monkie Kid’s speed motorbike. This set is for children eight-years-of-age and over.Figure 22 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The four Minifigures™ included in the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet (Set #80008) are Ai (holding a purse), Monkie Kid with The Golden Staff, Red Son with Power Glove, and Growl. The setup for conflict in this set is Monkie Kid defending Ai from Red Son and Growl the Bull Clone.Figure 23 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The cockpit of Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet (Set #80008) is detachable as Monkie Kid’s speed motorbike. Monkie Kid is holding The Golden Staff aloft in his left hand. Figure 24 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is what Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Monkie Kid’s Cloud Jet (Set #80008) looks like after the cockpit has detached as Monkie Kid’s speed motorbike. I’m sure the resemblance to a lobster is purely coincidental.Figure 25 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid kit Pigsy’s Food Truck (Set #80009) includes Pigsy’s Food Truck, Pigsy, Monkie Kid, Uncle Qiao, and two Bull Clones (Snort and Grunt) who ride brick-built motorcycles. This set is for children eight-years-of-age and over.Figure 26 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid kit Pigsy’s Food Truck (Set #80009) comes with five Minifigures: Uncle Qiao, Pigsy, Monkie Kid, and Snort and Grunt. The latter two villains are armed with a stud shooter and an axe.Figure 27 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: Just like a real food truck, Pigsy’s Food Truck from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Pigsy’s Food Truck (Set #80009) opens up to give access to his mobile kitchen. Unlike a real food truck, the other side opens to give access to a mobile command center.Figure 28 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: Pigy’s Food Truck from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Pigsy’s Food Truck (Set #80009) measures over 6” (17cm) high, 9” (24cm) long, and 5” (13cm) wide. Just as Pigsy is armed with a rake, his truck is armed with a spiked front fender. The fridge inside is really a disguised weapons rack.Figure 29 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ 1,051-piece kit Demon Bull King (Set #80010) is for children nine-years-of-age and over. It includes a brick-built Demon Bull King model and three Minifigures: Monkie Kid, Pigsy, and the villainess Princess Iron Fan.Figure 30 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Demon Bull King (Set #80010) comes with three Minifigures™: Pigsy with a Take Cannon, Monkie Kid with The Golden Staff, and the villainess Princess Iron Fan with her Magic Fan.Figure 31 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The Demon Bull King model from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Demon Bull King (Set #80010) has two stud-shooting cannons, a flamethrower for a right hand, and a flaming poleaxe he can hold in his left hand. There is space for Princess Iron Fan to stand on his shoulder. A light brick causes the torso glow. The Demon Bull King model measures over 11” (29cm) tall. This is the archvillain of the theme.Figure 32 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The Demon Bull King model from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Demon Bull King (Set #80010) has a light brick so the torso glow. Two LR41 button cell batteries included with the kit are required to power the light brick.Figure 33 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a young boy playing with the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset Demon Bull King (Set #80010) on Tuesday, December 17, A.D. 2020.
Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a 360° view of the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ 1,051-piece playset Demon Bull King (Set #80010).Figure 34 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The 1,111-piece LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011) includes a restaurant, three motor vehicle models, a bike model, and seven Minifigures™. The motor vehicle models are a tow truck, a racecar for Red Son to drive, and Pigsy’s “tuk-tuk” food delivery truck for Monkie Kid to drive. This set is for children nine-years-of-age and over.Figure 35 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011) comes with seven Minifigures™: Lee, Mei, Monkie Kid, Red Son, Snort Grunt, and Roar.Figure 36 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is Red Son’s Inferno Truck from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011). The way the promotional materials are worded, one might think the armored car has “an integrated, detachable race car” but I think what The LEGO® Group means is that if one presses a button, this vehicle launches from the front of the larger tow truck.Figure 37 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The armored tow truck from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011) measures over 6” (16cm) high, 15” (39cm) long, and 8” (21cm) wide. The winch can be used to haul away the A.T.M. from the Panda Store. I believe the device at the back of the tow truck is the “6-stud rapid shooter” described in the promotional materials.Figure 38 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The LEGO® Monkie Kid™ kit Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011) includes a Panda Store with a Minifigure™ of store owner Lee.Figure 39 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are a young boy and girl playing with the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset Red Son’s Inferno Truck (Set #80011) on Tuesday, December 17, A.D. 2020.Figure 40 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is everything that comes with the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012), including the brick-built Monkey King Warrior Mech, a Monkie Kid Minifigure™ on Flower Fruit Mountain, Monkey King on a cloud (resting on a display stand), a two story building, two civilian Minifigures™, a and a (much smaller) Bull Clone Mech. This 1,659-piece set is for children ten-years-of-age and over. Figure 41 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are all of the Minifigures™ that come with the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012). They are a Monkie Kid Minifigure, Money King with The Golden Staff, two civilians (Jia and An), General Ironclad, and a Bull Warrior Clone.Figure 42 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).[2]
Figure 43 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012). The mech is more than 15” (40cm) high, 9” (23cm) long, and 16” (42cm) wide.Figure 44 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a two-story building from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012). Notice the ground floor is occupied by Pigsy’s noodle takeaway stand. Monkie Kid’s bedroom is on the second floor.Figure 45 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a better view of the mech head and upper torso from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012) with the torso open to show where the Minifigure™ would sit.Figure 46 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Monkie Kid Minifigure™ standing on a hillock from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012). This is supposed to be Flower Fruit Mountain. This kind of structure is called a “mini build.”Figure 47 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Monkey King Minifigure™ on a cloud from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).Figure 48 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are a boy building the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012) on Monday, December 16, A.D. 2020.Figure 49 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is Monkey Kid in the torso cockpit of the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012), as seen on Wednesday, December 18, A.D. 2020.Figure 50 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a tableau depicting a confrontation between the Monkey King Warrior Mech and Monkey King on the one hand and the Bull Clone Mech on the other from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012), as seen on Wednesday, December 18, A.D. 2020.Figure 51 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is LEGO® designer Justin Ramsden working with the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).Figure 52 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is LEGO® designer Justin Ramsden working with the Monkey King Warrior Mech from the kit Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).
Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a 360° view of the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ 1,659-piece playset the Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).
Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This promotional animation is for a single playset: the Monkey King Warrior Mech (Set #80012).Figure 53 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013). It includes a freighter with a crane and three shipping containers, Monkie Kid in his mech suit, and four Bull Clones. This set is for children ten-years-of-age and over.Figure 54 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are the heroic Sandy Big Fig, Mo the cat, a Pigsy Minifigure™, a Mei Minifigure™, and a Monkie Kid Minifigure™ from the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 55 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are the four villainous Demon Bull Clone Minifigures™ from the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013: General Ironclad, Snort, Grunt, and Roar.Figure 56 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is Monkie Kid in his mech suit from Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 57 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is the front of the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013). When it is closed, the ship measures over 15” (40cm) high, 16” (41cm) long, and 9” (23cm) wide.Figure 58 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is listed as the back of the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013), but it is clear this would be more accurately described as the interior of the freighter. When the HQ set opens like this, it measures 35” (89cm) long.Figure 59 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is a view of the freighter of the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013) open and in three composite pieces.
Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This promotional animation is for a single playset: the Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).Figure 60 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are children playing with the freighter ship from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013), as seen on Tuesday, December 17, A.D. 2020.Figure 61 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are children playing with the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013), as seen on Tuesday, December 17, A.D. 2020.Figure 62 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This woman is a designer working on the freighter ship for the playset Monkie Kid’s Team Secret HQ (Set #80013).
Through the free LEGO® Life app, parents or older siblings can help reach Instructions PLUS for each set, which offers owners the chance to view the model with options to zoom in and rotate the view, which can help young builders visualize what they are supposed to do next.
In a press release, The LEGO® Group stated, “Inspired by the 500-year-old story of the Monkey King, LEGO Monkey Kid is the LEGO Group’s take on a new, untold chapter of the legendary tale. Featuring eight exciting sets, an animated mini movie and TV series, LEGO Monkie Kid is the first ever LEGO theme to be inspired by a Chinese legend and is rooted firmly in the country’s culture and values. The theme’s sets are packed with fun, excitement and an epic story just waiting to unfold… The tale begins when an ordinary boy, Monkie Kid, finds Monkey King’s legendary staff and he becomes the chosen one. Together with his brave and loyal friends, Monkie Kid begins his quest to stop the Demon Bull King and his army of Bull Clones from taking over the city…Paying tribute to stories known and admired by so many children parents in China and [the rest of] Asia, this latest LEGO play theme brings new life to the iconic Monkey King fable and provides a common ground for children, parents and grandparents to build and play together.”
“I am super excited about the launch of LEGO Monkie Kid. This fantastic new play theme is deeply inspired by Chinese culture and built on an esteemed story that is treasured by all generations,” enthused Julia Goldin, Chief marketing Officer at The LEGO® Group. “We know kids will be delighted by the world of LEGO Monkie Kid, and I can’t wait to see how they immerse themselves in building, role playing and creating new stories through this theme. This is a very exciting innovation for the LEGO brand and one that demonstrates our commitment to building a strong future.”
The LEGO® Group stated, “With a modern Chinese twist, LEGO Monkie Kid celebrates bravery and friendship and lets children engage in great building experiences whilst helping them to develop their imagination and creativity.”
Paul Huang, General Manager of LEGO® China, stated, “The launch of Monkie Kid is another important milestone in our journey to provide the creative LEGO play experience to many more Chinese children. Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, the new theme line is created with inspiration from China, for China, and at the same time empowers children around the world to be brave, resilient and optimistic through creative play with LEGO bricks.”
The LEGO® Group stated, “Children can look forward to eight action-packed sets with colourful characters, impressive vehicles with exciting new and hidden features – plus a blue cat with an orange mohawk! The sets are a result of two years of close collaboration with children and parents in China to ensure they are authentic to local culture. Never before has the LEGO Group launched a theme inspired by one culture and with so much attention to local details, values and traits.”
Whomever wrote the last sentence of the paragraph in the quote lacked knowledge of The LEGO® Group’s history. The LEGO® Ninja theme (1998-2000) was firmly rooted in Japanese culture, and the LEGO® Vikings theme (2005-2007) was firmly rooted in Norse culture, which, obviously, includes Denmark. The LEGO® Castle theme (1978-2014) was rooted in Medieval Western European and Central European cultures and only lacked representation of how pervasive Christianity was in Europe and would have been represented in the landscape by churches, chapels, cathedrals, abbeys, monasteries, and convents. As for LEGO® Monkie Kid™ being a modern twist or update on the Monkey King of Chinese myth, legend, and folklore, the popular LEGO® Ninjago™ theme released in 2011 is a science fiction and fantasy twist on the earlier LEGO® Ninja theme and LEGO® Nexo Knights™ theme (2016-2018) was a science fiction twist on the LEGO® Castle theme. Also, as I pointed out in “Other Lego Castles,” the LEGO® Vikings theme was inspired by both Nordic mythology as well as history, and included several dragons, a wyvern, a sea serpent, and a monstrous wolf that appeared to be machines rather than living creatures like something out of Disney’s Adventures of the Gummy Bears (1985-1991).
“I have been touched and inspired by China’s rich history and culture, the passion and pride of the people and the incredible creativity of China,” stated Simon Lucas, Senior Design Director at The LEGO® Group. “It has been an honour and privilege to be able to immerse myself in China’s culture of storytelling, in particular – Journey to the West and the Monkey King. The epic stories and incredible characters have been a huge inspiration to the LEGO design team and me. It is with deepest respect for Chinese culture and the 500-year-old legend that we have created the next chapter in the story of the Monkey King – The Monkie Kid.”
Sets were released in LEGO® Stores, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center giftshops, and TMall Flagship stores in Mainland China; and in LEGO® Stores and LEGOLAND Discovery Center giftshops in the city-state of Hong Kong, the sovereign city-state of Singapore, and the federated kingdoms of Malaysia on Friday, May 15, A.D. 2020. They were released via the online LEGO® Shop (https://www.LEGO.com) and in LEGO® Stores, LEGOLAND® giftshops, and LEGOLAND® Discovery Center giftshops in the rest of the world on Saturday, May 16, A.D. 2020. In markets that remain under COVID 19-related lockdown, LEGO® Stores are, of course, closed until government guidelines allow them to re-open. Click here to find out if the LEGO® Store nearest you is open.
Figure 63 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are LEGO® Monkey Kid™ designers Dennis Fong and Nikolaas Vas.Figure 64 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is LEGO® Monkey Kid™ designer Simon Lucas.Figure 65 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is another view of LEGO® Monkey Kid™ designer Simon Lucas.Figure 66 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are LEGO® Monkey Kid™ designers Simon Lucas and Xiaodong Wen.Figure 67 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: This is someone working on animated graphics for the character Monkie Kid for the new LEGO® theme LEGO® Monkie Kid™.Figure 68 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: These are designers working with the brick-built Demon Bull King model from the LEGO® Monkie Kid™ playset Demon Bull King (Set #80010).
In other Chinese-related LEGO® news, The LEGO® Group announced on Sunday, January 19, A.D. 2020 that it had won multiple victories in the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court and announced on Monday, April 6, A.D. 2020 that in the second half of the year it would open a LEGO® flagship store in Shenzhen City in Guangdong Province. The LEGO® Group announced it had “received favorable final decisions from the Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court against the appeals raised by defendants of multiple intellectual property infringement cases in China.” The Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court upheld rulings in eighteen copyright infringement cases and one unfair competition case.
The LEGO® Group stated, “In these cases, Shantou Meizhi Model Co., Ltd. and its affiliates are liable of manufacturing and selling infringing Lepin products. The 18 LEGO® sets and corresponding LEGO minifigures at dispute, are ruled as artworks protected under China Copyright Law belonging to the LEGO Group. Unauthorized copies of the same constitute copyright infringement, said the court.”
The LEGO® themes LEGO® Ninjago™, LEGO® Nexo Knights™, and LEGO® Legends of Chima™ “are recognized by the court as products of certain influence in China,” The LEGO® Group stated. “The trade dress for these products (and packing) as well as the characters of LEGO NINJAGO are protected under the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of China, the court said in the final ruling.” Further, The LEGO® Group stated, “Meizhi Model and all other defendants are ordered to cease infringement immediately, and to pay the LEGO Group a total of RMB 4.7 million (around DKK 4.5m) in damages. They are also ordered to make a public apology on the websites of China Toy and Juvenile Products Association and Guangdong Toy Association to the LEGO Group for Lepin infringement…The LEGO Group will follow up with the court on the collection of damages granted and enforcement of public apologies by Meizhi Model. It will also continue to support Shanghai police and procuratorate in the ongoing criminal case against executives of Meizhi Model who were arrested during the police’s raid against Lepin factories in April 2019.”
Robin Smith, Vice President and General Counsel, China and Asia Pacific, The LEGO® Group, stated, “[i]ntellectual property rights are very important to the LEGO Group, and we constantly strive to enforce and protect our LEGO trademarks, copyrights, designs and patents. We are pleased with the court’s final decision and appreciate the efforts from all stakeholders in this case. It also shows the Chinese authorities’ commitment in creating a favourable business environment for multinational companies.”
This is the latest in a number of court victories The LEGO® Group has won in China in the past few years. In July of 2017, a Beijing Higher Court ruled that “the LEGO logo and the LEGO word mark were recognized as ‘well-known’ trademarks in China,” The LEGO® Group related. A few months later, in October of that year, The LEGO® Group prevailed in the Shantou Intermediate Court over the Chinese toy manufacturer Bela.
As for the new flagship LEGO® Store, it will be in the COCO Park shopping mall in the Futian District of Shenzhen. This will be the fifth flagship store that The LEGO® Group has opened in Mainland China and the first in South China.
Paul Huang, General Manager of LEGO® China, stated, “We are excited to open a new flagship store in Shenzhen, a vibrant city well-known for its innovation spirit. We hope the new store can bring the creative LEGO play to more children in Shenzhen and the south China region, inspiring their creativity and imagination, and helping them learn through play.”
The LEGO® Group opened its first Chinese flagship LEGO® Store in Shanghai Disneytown four years ago on May 11, A.D. 2016. It is over 800 square meters. The second one opened on Nanjing Road East at Shanghai People’s Square on September 27, A.D. 2018. It is 599 square meters. The third one is Beijing Wangfujing, which opened on February 22, A.D. 2019 in Bejing’s Wangfujing shopping district. It is 626 square meters. The fourth one is Hangzhou West Lake, which The LEGO® Group announced would open in Hangzhou City this year at the second China International Import Exhibition last year. It is expected to open this summer.
Late last year, The LEGO® Group released two sets to mark Chinese New Year for what is the year 2020 on the Christian calendar. On Tuesday, November 5, A.D. 2020, The LEGO Group announced the sets would be Lion Dance and Chinese New Year Temple Fair. Last year, The LEGO® Group released three sets to mark Chinese New Year for the first time: Dragon Boat race, Dragon Dance, and Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner. The playsets were released in China and Asia Pacific markets on Thursday, December 26, A.D. 2019 and the rest of the world on Friday, January 10, A.D. 2020.
Figure 51 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The Lion Dance features five lion figurines, a percussionists’ stage, a temple gate, and eight Minifigures™. One of those Minifigures™ is a man in a rat suit to represent the Year of the Rat. In the U.S.A., the list price for this set is $79.99. Figure 52 Credit: The LEGO® Group Caption: The 1,164-piece Chinese New Year Temple Fair (Set #80105) features a temple, vendor stalls, two trees, and fourteen Minifigures™. The Minifigures™ include the return of the family from the set Chinese New Year’s Eve Dinner. The temple measures over 7” (19cm) high, 9” (25cm) wide, and 3” (9cm) deep. In the U.S.A., the list price is $119.99.
LEGO® Product Designer Markus Rollbühler commented, “We were incredibly thorough with our research when designing the sets. For the Chinese New Year Temple Fair, we looked closely at the types of things vendors sell in the market stalls and all of the various good on offer.”
Mr. Rollbühler added, “Both sets include amazing minifigures and details to encourage role play. The Lion dance set comes with many interesting play features. For example, you can fully pose the lions and you can also open and close their mouths to help recreate the spectacular dances we all know and love.”
[1] See Hera S. Walker, “Indigenous or Foreign? A Look at the Origins of the Monkey Hero Sun Wukong,” Sino-Platonic Papers, Number 81, September, 1998, pages 1-16, 53-78
[2] A mech is a giant robot soldier controlled by a human operator in Japanese anime (animated movies and television shows) and manga (comic books), such as the RX-78-Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-1980). In Robot Jox (1990), instead of fighting wars, fifty years after a nuclear war the surviving countries settle international disputes by having mech champions fight in gladiatorial-style games. In Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim (2013) and its sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), humanity uses mechs called Jaegers to defend countries from attacks by Kaiju (giant alien monsters) that invaded the Earth from another world through a wormhole at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Smaller powered exoskeletal battle suits in fiction include the battle suits used by Terrans (humans) and Neosapians (a human-made race of synthetic humans) alike in an interplanetary war in the animated series Exosquad (1993-95); the suits used by humans to defend the city Zion from an attack by Sentinels (robots) in The Matrix: Revolutions (2003); Tony Stark’s Iron Man’s suits in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Obadiah Stane’s Iron Monger suit in Iron Man (2008); and the suits used by Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), Sargent Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), and others in the United Defense Force to defend Europe from an invasion by aliens called Mimics in the epic science fictionwar film/comedy comic book adaptation Edge of Tomorrow (2014). Also, in Aliens(1986), Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) used a cargo-loader, a Caterpillar P-5000 Work Loader, as a weapon to combat the Alien Queen.
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In the Garden City 