Review: 80104 Lion Dance
Posted by CapnRex101,Numerous interesting elements and innovative building techniques were exhibited throughout the brilliant Chinese Traditional Festivals theme during 2019. Expectations for the new selection are definitely high and 80104 Lion Dance looks absolutely magnificent.
The colourful lion costumes include marvellous detail and I love the spectacular architecture of the accompanying structures. Furthermore, several exclusive minifigures are provided along with copious unique printed elements and components in new colours! These significant attributes should produce an exceptional set.
Minifigures
Eight minifigures are included and occupy various roles within the lion dance celebration. The most unusual of these is dressed in a brand new rat costume, representing the Year of the Rat. This mask component resembles many which have appeared with the Collectable Minifigures and features large ears alongside printed eyes and whiskers. The red robe looks excellent too, including intricate metallic gold highlights and a black sash.
The mayor comprises fewer exclusive elements, although his lovely scarf has only been available in orange and lime green before now. Red seems more appropriate on this occasion given its traditional association with good luck, especially during Chinese New Year. The black suit is reasonably common but looks perfect and I like the moustachioed head too.
Various interesting accessories are provided, making reference to different aspects of the lion dance. The costumed character carries a firework and a printed sphere which the lions pursue. This element was originally designed for 80102 Dragon Dance during 2019. Meanwhile, the mayor includes a paint brush to decorate the lion dance costumes and some lettuce that looks wonderful and denotes wealth.
Lion dance performances are invariably accompanied by music and three musicians are accordingly included. These characters are identically dressed, wearing red robes with black trim which continues across their torso and legs. The contrasting dark red section looks great and I love the stylised metallic gold designs on each minifigure.
Detail continues onto the reverse of their torsos where some wrinkles are visible. Unfortunately, the bandana components are not printed and I think black highlights would have been effective here. As one might anticipate, each minifigure features a different head. These elements have each appeared with many previous sets but their cheerful expressions seem fitting for the celebration.
The band members are nicely equipped with reddish brown 3L bars for beating their instruments and two golden cymbals. This dancer, by contrast, does not include accessories because he would usually be hidden inside the lion costume! However, I appreciate the presence of a complete dancer, matching those whose legs are connected to the lions.
Flame yellowish orange bands adorn the legs and corresponding fasteners appear across the torso. Intricate golden decoration is also visible here, complementing the musicians. Moreover, I appreciate the double-sided head that exhibits smiling and worried expressions, presumably because the dancer is feeling nervous before beginning his performance.
Two female dancers complete the minifigure selection. Their legs also correspond with the colourful lions, featuring metallic gold and red bands respectively. However, cohesion between these legs and the torsos could probably have been improved, particularly for the character with red highlights on her trousers since that shade is absent from the shirt.
Nevertheless, the golden decoration looks magnificent and I like the flame yellowish orange sashes. Both minifigures feature black hair components with short ponytails, including one that was originally created for Wyldstyle from The LEGO Movie and has not appeared without printing before. The other dancer's head is only available in two previous sets so I welcome its inclusion here.
The Completed Model
While the earlier Chinese New Year sets have focused upon single models, this set contains several separate components. The smallest of these is a triangular platform for the musicians which appears relatively simple but does feature layered colours which look attractive. Furthermore, I like the golden gong and dark red drum, known as a tanggu, which is ingeniously formed using a wheel.
The pearl gold supports look splendid and I am particularly delighted with the sausage which has not been produced in this colour before. Fitting the three band members on this platform is comparatively difficult, given the limited space, but I appreciate the simple turntable which enables one of the figures to beat the drum. Sometimes the most basic functions are the most effective!
Five excellent lions are included, featuring three distinctive colour schemes. There are two red lions alongside two flame yellowish orange lions but the white lion is unique. These colours look authentic when compared with actual lion dance costumes and their shaping is remarkably accurate, capturing the profile of Chinese Southern Lions. Their broad eyes and thick fur are closely associated with lion dance across southern China.
Assembling these five models is notably repetitive because their construction techniques are nearly identical, although those techniques are impressive. The heads employ particularly intricate designs, making innovative use of white bananas and frogs which have not appeared in this colour previously. 1x1 rounded plates with bars are also used to brilliant effect along either flank.
Further to elements in new colours, the lions also incorporate numerous printed components. These include 2x2 curved corner tiles which represent teeth and 2x2 sliders with a decorative metallic silver and white pattern. I appreciate the opening jaw and the horns situated between the lions' eyes reflect authentic Southern Lions, exhibiting great attention to detail.
Scrolls are traditionally unfurled at the culmination of lion dance performances, conveying blessings to the audience. A red banner is therefore provided here and features four Chinese characters which can be translated as 'great luck, great profit; everything is thriving'. The banner slots into the mouth of each lion quite nicely, although it cannot hang vertically unless the lion is elevated.
Two pairs of minifigure legs are connected underneath each lion, representing the dancers inside. I think actually positioning minifigures inside would have been almost impossible so this design works perfectly. Moreover, the printed fur along each side looks absolutely marvellous and I love the golden highlights here. Texture is lacking towards the rear but the white tail is lovely.
Similar printed elements and construction techniques are found across the white and flame yellowish orange lions. In fact, the only differences in design between these two costumes and the red example are some additional texture around their lower jaw and leaves which are neatly fixed at each corner of their bodies. These tassels along the flanks seem particularly effective in my opinion.
Lion dance performances frequently involve climbing onto narrow pillars, demonstrating the balance and acrobatic skills of the dancers. Eight pillars are therefore included and their colour scheme of red and black looks superb. I also appreciate the relative consistency between this structure and the base for 80102 Dragon Dance, both of which feature reddish brown pieces alongside golden 1x4x2 fences.
However, the pearl gold spikes at the corners of this platform look rather dangerous, especially once the lions have started performing! I was initially concerned that single studs would not offer adequate support to these models. Fortunately, they feel very secure and the lions may be displayed as though they are leaping between platforms, as exhibited below.
Furthermore, removing the central panel reveals storage space for some accessories. Such efficient use of space is laudable. I am also impressed with the medium nougat 1x2 clips which connect each platform to the base. They have not been available in medium nougat before and ensure the stability of each platform, despite their precarious appearance.
Chinese and Japanese architecture has become increasingly prevalent across the LEGO range and this wonderful gate continues that trend. This structure measures 16cm in height so appears suitably substantial but avoids overshadowing the focal lions. Its vivid colour scheme certainly attracts attention though, consisting primarily of red, orange and flame yellowish orange elements which seem realistic.
The light and dark bluish grey base features some lovely textured stonework and contrasts with the brighter pillars. Furthermore, I like the decorative scrolls underneath each archway, especially since their constituent 1x1 rounded plates with bars and 1x1 bows are both brand new in teal. The pearl gold lattices beneath the angled roofs look excellent too.
Each roof panel is attached using light bluish grey shields which are comparatively uncommon. The result looks outstanding, incorporating more 1x1 bows alongside orange and flame yellowish orange ingot elements. The golden frogs look splendid too but my favourite details are certainly those on the printed 1x2 and 1x4 tiles. These adorn either side of the gate and this model appears totally identical when viewed from its front or back.
Overall
80104 Lion Dance undoubtedly maintains the impressive standard that was established by previous Chinese New Year sets during 2019. These models are exceptionally detailed, accurately replicating each notable feature of lion dance celebrations with remarkable accuracy. The lions themselves look particularly appealing and I love the decorative gateway which forms a backdrop for the performance.
Furthermore, an extraordinary selection of exclusive printed elements and pieces in new colours are available here. The price of £64.99 or $79.99 also feels reasonable, especially given the presence of the aforementioned new parts and eight minifigures. For these reasons, I would certainly recommend 80104 Lion Dance and approach the accompanying 80105 Chinese New Year Temple Fair with great anticipation!
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your opinion of the set in the comments below.
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24 comments on this article
Can't wait to purchase this set to go along with last years' Dragon Dance. If you have any spare DC Super Hero posable stands that might help with positioning the Dragon dancers on the pillars.
This set looks to be a superb recreation of the real thing I can't watch in person because it's overwhelmingly loud. A lot of love and hard work went into this and it shows. It's also kinda weird to see an English translation of dà jí dà lì for the first time. So this is what it's like to be bilingual.
Unfortunately, it's $120 in Singapore which... yeah. I think they put far too many printed elements in here, more than is needed, and this set could've had a more reasonable price tag for what you actually get. For comparison, 80101 featured a nearly complete building with a full interior and a still-decent number of new prints — for just $90. Did I mention that we're getting a second run of 80101 here? That's right, it's selling alongside 80104 and 80105 right now.
And this is already taking into account the tremendous play value of a lion dance set featuring five lions with tons of articulation.
I’ve built two of last year’s 3 sets (haven’t built the Boat Race yet). Even then the printed pieces and sheer abundance of unusually colored elements was so cool to me. I am so stoked about these new ones. I used to travel a couple of times each year to Hong Kong and China and loved it a great deal. Miss it. These sets are such awesome recreations of awe-inspiring traditions, especially to someone from the States, where tradition only goes back so far.
Super review as always.
Wow!!! Eight minifigures, all of those printed pieces, and new colors for so many parts is gonna make this a must buy for me!
The best part of these new CNY sets is NO STICKERS! Made the whole building experience of this set and the temple fair much more enjoyable
They obviously tried with the lions but they look a bit more like goats to me.
Otherwise a very nice set.
great review. think I prefer the other market set but this is still so highly detailed. bravo
Those red bandanas instantly give me Pirates vibes, as they've been made for 2015 Pirates sets, 2018 Pirate rollercoaster and now 2020 This set and City Tuning Workshop.
Absolutely beautiful set..
Very colourful & detailed, and great minifigs.
Lovely set, especialy dogs! But also thanks for reminding me how I HATE new bandanas. They look so weird and too round compared to previous ones.
Lion dance, and printed parts celebrations for sure! Wonderful sets, due primarily to the original design of Chinese feasts decorating and instruments, so colourful and elegant! I really like the set, minifigs, lions, music instruments and monuments renditions... 5/5 for me.
This set must hold the record for Most Frogs.
These sets are so gorgeous, aren't they? That temple building alone is beautiful, but the five dragons too? Brilliant.
People who like this set and can get to a Lego store should check the minifig stand. There is a new Year of the Rat torso in red, like the ones in this set but with a little rat emblem in the design.
Splendid wave of Lego creativity coming from the Far East! A true work of art.
It would be interesting to know the set designer's name.
Thanks as always for your thorough review.
Charming set! Although I'm surprised they went with five lions and a fairly elaborate platform, which is gonna bump up the price :P
Great set, I've bought 80105 Temple Fair and will definitely get this one as well. Quite surprised they have 5 lions included, I think 3 (one of each colour) would have been sufficient. But I'm not complaining!
@SirBrick1: They're pretty spot on, well maybe except for the muzzles being smaller than they are IRL.
@dingbat591: It doesn't actually appear that East Asians had major involvement in designing these sets, which is a whole other can of worms (considering we have a Chinese Singaporean designer at LEGO who made 75955 and some of the Overwatch sets) yet makes it even more impressive how accurate they've managed to get these time and again.
I was bracing myself for many stickers when looking at the front of the box, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it's all printed. Not a single sticker at all! That makes this set so much more worth it, because it can't simply be made out of generic pieces then, but of only the actual ones. Well done Lego!
Amazing looking set, just as the other one. Only one thing that honestly bothers me a bit:
For LEGO to put such a huge effort -with such amazingly detailed sets, filled to the brim with printed pieces- for a foreign market that has been, and still is, flooding the world with knock-off sets, while many of the more Western/European themed City sets continue to be kinda meh, saddens me.
"For LEGO to put such a huge effort -with such amazingly detailed sets, filled to the brim with printed pieces- for a foreign market that has been, and still is, flooding the world with knock-off sets, while many of the more Western/European themed City sets continue to be kinda meh, saddens me."
My thoughts exactly. I hate to get political over a piece of plastic, but these, plus all the other issues with China and it's politics kinda make me want to avoid these sets. I may be the only one with these thoughts and I'm not incriminating anyone for getting these sets.
@loversofprintedpieces
I think that if people buy this instead of a set with stickers, in the end it would probably make clear that printed pieces are preferred. Not buying it for that reason would indicate the opposite.
Just opened mine, and those parts do look nice!
The repetitiveness of both sets didn’t matter to me, because these sets are just amazing. I was especially excited to build this one, as I really enjoyed these performances growing up.
@LegoSonicBoy said:
"This set looks to be a superb recreation of the real thing I can't watch in person because it's overwhelmingly loud. A lot of love and hard work went into this and it shows. It's also kinda weird to see an English translation of dà jí dà lì for the first time. So this is what it's like to be bilingual.
Unfortunately, it's $120 in Singapore which... yeah. I think they put far too many printed elements in here, more than is needed, and this set could've had a more reasonable price tag for what you actually get. For comparison, 80101 featured a nearly complete building with a full interior and a still-decent number of new prints — for just $90. Did I mention that we're getting a second run of 80101 here? That's right, it's selling alongside 80104 and 80105 right now.
And this is already taking into account the tremendous play value of a lion dance set featuring five lions with tons of articulation."
Which prints would you take away? Surely not the lion costumes?