Review: 71476 Zoey and Zian the Cat-Owl
Posted by CapnRex101,Zian the Cat-Owl was conspicuously absent from the original range of DREAMZzz sets, despite his major presence throughout the animated series. 71476 Zoey and Zian the Cat-Owl introduces the character in physical form, so this is definitely an appealing set.
Building organic subjects in LEGO is bound to be challenging, but Zian looks splendid in official images, taking advantage of the curved limb elements introduced a few years ago. Moreover, the selection of characters included seems enticing, even though none are exclusive, other than Zian himself!
Summary
71476 Zoey and Zian the Cat-Owl, 437 pieces.
£44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 | 10.3p/11.4c/11.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
While expensive, Zian looks marvellous and a great selection of characters is included
- Zian as a physical model, at last!
- Impressive organic shaping
- Satisfying articulation
- Perfect minifigure selection
- Peacock form is underwhelming
- A little overpriced
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Unlike her Dream Creature, Zoey has already appeared in a few DREAMZzz sets and this version, wearing a teal cape, returns from 71457 Pegasus Flying Horse. I like the matching fabric details on her torso and the feathered design is interesting too. However, the minifigure's vibrant hair is undoubtedly her most eye-catching feature, with intricate texture on all sides.
Cooper also includes a detailed hair element, designed for Jay in The LEGO NINJAGO Movie, although the blonde piece is specific to Cooper. He wears red racing overalls with the Dream Chasers' hourglass symbol on his chest, plus a blue belt matching his shoes. This version of Cooper does not include a helmet though, so that remains exclusive to 71458 Crocodile Car.
While lacking his helmet, Cooper is equipped with an absurdly huge hammer, complete with trans-light blue 1x1 pyramid parts for detail. Zoey, meanwhile, wields a bow. Rather than her purple bow from previous sets, a shooting bow is supplied on this occasion. This weapon was introduced in the Avatar theme and it looks good, but the shooting function is pretty poor.
DREAMZzz includes some outstanding villains and the Night Hunter is no exception! I love this character's distinctive hat, moulded with fantastic detail and a sinister yellow eye, as well as the rubber cloak component around his neck. As the Nightmare King's cloak forms the silhouette of a wolf, this cloak forms grasping claws, so it looks suitably scary.
The combination of black, white and magenta is also effective, across the torso and legs. The tattered details work well and the crossed arrows sigil on the Night Hunter's shirt is interesting, clearly reflecting his preference for a crossbow in battle, but potentially hinting at the character's past as well.
Two tiny Grimspawn accompany the Night Hunter, the first being Snivel. This unusual figure is now available in four sets, of which this is the smallest and least expensive. Combining a large bigfig head with the microfigure body introduced last year is clever and certainly lends Snivel a unique appearance, especially given his massive mouth.
Sneak, on the other hand, is new for 2024 and also appears in 71477 The Sandman's Tower. The four-legged body component looks superb and the tail is nicely shaped with a connection point for a bar, as shown below. The printed head and ear component are brilliant too, although Sneak lacks a second expression. All three villains carry chains to subdue Zian and the Night Hunter also wields a crossbow, as always.
The Completed Model
A brick-built Nightmare Creature is included as well, which seems a little out of place to me. Nevertheless, this helps to balance the heroes and villains for play and the creature's wings provide a splash of colour, matching other Nightmare Creatures. Additionally, the printed eye looks suitably evil and the stud shooters are nice for play, resembling arms on this monster.
Despite facing an extra Nightmare Creature, the Dream Chasers definitely hold the balance of power in this set, as Cooper's motorcycle is included. A similar bike earlier appeared in 71458 Crocodile Car, overtaken by the villains on that occasion. That version was splendid and I like this one too, depicting probably the smallest possible LEGO motorbike, with functional wheels.
The motorbike looks ridiculous with a minifigure perched on top, albeit a fun kind of ridiculous, especially with Cooper's giant hammer! I like the shared colour between the minifigure and his vehicle, as well as the wings and trans-light blue thrusters on the back. With these, the bike can take to the skies alongside Zian.
Zian himself looks marvellous, resplendent in dark blue and medium azure, with trans-bright green wings. Similar to 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny and 71457 Pegasus Flying Horse, this model makes liberal use of curved cylinder pieces to create organic shapes and I think the result looks excellent, on the whole, most notably around the legs.
Furthermore, the legs are reasonably articulated, so you can create some realistic poses, with the wings and tail helping too. The adjustable paws are useful in particular because they move to rest naturally against the ground, which mitigates issues caused by the lack of knees. Also, a large ball joint provides an impressive range of motion to the head, moving in all directions.
Two printed components form Zian's stunning eyes, with blue markings underneath. The other essential details are all brick-built though, including the owl-like beak and eyebrows, as well as two pointed ears, where Zian's cat-like qualities are more noticeable. In fact, I think the blend of feline and owl-inspired features is communicated well across this whole model.
However, I have noticed an odd issue on the chest, where a sticker is applied on a white 2x3 curved wedge slope. This part of Zian should certainly be spring yellowish green to match his face, instead of white. Otherwise, these colours correspond with the animal's animated design and the moon and star markings are a lovely detail too, also reflecting the animated series.
There is space to seat Zoey on her steed's back, with alternating dark blue and medium azure slopes forming feathers behind the visible studs. Leaves serve as bigger feathers on the wings and the dual-moulded trans-bright green blades look brilliant, although an extra layer of feathers would have been welcome. The tail is attractive as well, clearly resembling a cat's tail.
Zian's standard form is doubtless going to be most popular, but DREAMZzz sets are usually developed with alternative designs. The wings can thus be reassembled to form an elaborate tail, resembling a peacock. Even though the switch is relatively quick, Zian's overall appearance changes dramatically, as his body becomes more visible without the bulky wings.
The potential for dynamic posing is reduced though, as the tail has very limited movement and balancing the animal becomes more difficult in this form, with paws raised off the ground. Even so, there is still enough motion for interesting stances and you can adjust the trans-bright green pieces on the tail too, as they are each connected using ball joints.
Subtle changes are also implemented, including to the face, where the original eyebrows are replaced with extra trans-light blue gems. In addition, the wings are swapped for 4x4 rounded dome pieces, concealing the hip joints for the front legs from most angles. The hip joints at the back remain visible, although there are no unsightly colours to be found.
Of course, the tail rather distracts from everything else! Its curved shape and decorative tiles look superb, including three stickered 2x2 round tiles, which are only used for Zian's peacock form. I like how the medium azure leaves and green blades are arranged, but like the wings, a denser spread of feathers would be preferable.
Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the view from the back is much less appealing. There are a number of unsightly grey pieces, but the bulky structure supporting the feathers is the primary issue, in my opinion. I am not sure how this could realistically have been avoided though, given the need to reinforce the connection between Zian's tail and his body.
Overall
DREAMZzz fans have been looking forward to Zian's inevitable appearance in a physical set and 71476 Zoey and Zian the Cat-Owl does not disappoint. The translation from animation to LEGO bricks is near perfect, equally conveying Zian's owl and cat-like characteristics. I find the organic shape particularly effective, as well as the details on the Dream Creature's face.
The secondary design is far less appealing, but that is almost guaranteed when rebuilding an animal, so much so that animals in the first wave avoided such changes. Instead, accessories were swapped with the likes of 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny. Much like Izzie and Bunchu, this is a necessary set to complete the main cast of heroes and Zian is stunning, but I find the price of £44.99, $49.99 or €49.99 a little more expensive than I would like.
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23 comments on this article
Those DreamZzz villains really are something else.
When I first saw the official images, I thought Zian looked kinda derpy. But looking at the images in this review, he actually looks super cool! Cannot wait to finally get Zian!
Wow, didn't think I'd say this, but I actually love that tiny motorcycle. Want to mod it for a clown show. Another thing I never thought I'd say.
Very wide eyed look on my face when I read a price of $49.99
"A little overpriced" is an understatement, given how lanky the creature looks when finished. The "plumage" can't really disguise that. This is clearly more of a 35 Euro package than a 50 Euro one. I also don't think it poses very well due to the tubes rotating around the pins and how it's designed. This is basically yet another set where the feet need to touch the ground all the time or it tilts into a weird position. I like the concept, but I wish they had gone more full circle on it. Like so many DreamZzz sets it feels half-baked.
I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave.
On the one hand, my wallet thanks me for this. On the other hand, I kind of fear for any potential third waves. I'm hoping other people will scoff at my worries while loading set upon set into their carts, completely enamoured with wave 2. I mean, go for it. Please do. Hope to see you in the reviews for wave 3, I thank you for your service.
@Ridgeheart said:
"I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave.
On the one hand, my wallet thanks me for this. On the other hand, I kind of fear for any potential third waves. I'm hoping other people will scoff at my worries while loading set upon set into their carts, completely enamoured with wave 2. I mean, go for it. Please do. Hope to see you in the reviews for wave 3, I thank you for your service."
Feeling the same way, except for 71477, which looks exceptional.
This set…is so cute! Zian the cat-owl, is mathematically cute (owl plus cat equals cute).
The grim spawn are cute, in the same way as are feral cats. The Nightmare creature and the tiny bike are both cute.
The price…not so cute.
Very excited to see some Speed Champion reviews.
That cloak-claw piece is WAYYYYY too cool. Lots of potential for some wonderful horror MOCs with these figs.
I hope this theme lasts for a little bit. I love the colors and creativity that they contain, but they don't seem to be selling well in my local stores.
'Cause he's an owl-cat
He's an owl-cat
He's the only one you'll ever see
Sitting in a tree...
At least, I can only assume this is the son of The Owl And The Pussycat from the poem of the same name. We did a school play based on it right at the end of my time at primary school, where they did indeed have a hybrid baby at the end (something notably not present in the original poem, it must be said!), and... what can I say, I guess the songs stuck with me even two decades later... xD;;
Anyway, this guy looks pretty cool to me. I like his facial design best, I think; and the golden rings on his legs and tail kinda evoke the image of an ancient Egyptian cat adorned with jewellery, which is a neat touch ^^ I doubt I'd get him unless he comes on really really good discount - I just don't buy new Lego much generally at present - but I do like his looks.
@ItisNoe said:
"Those DreamZzz villains really are something else."
One could almost say they're Nightmare fuel...
;-)
@oukexergon said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave.
On the one hand, my wallet thanks me for this. On the other hand, I kind of fear for any potential third waves. I'm hoping other people will scoff at my worries while loading set upon set into their carts, completely enamoured with wave 2. I mean, go for it. Please do. Hope to see you in the reviews for wave 3, I thank you for your service."
Feeling the same way, except for 71477 , which looks exceptional."
I agree as well, mostly. I think most of the January sets are good, but other than 71477 The Sandman's Tower, they feel more like an extension of wave one than a truly innovative wave two.
I grabbed the Narwhal to finish getting a GWP. Can't see getting anything else from this wave without massive discounts. This set is good at 50% off.
The problem with this wave is there's no big baddies (Grimkeeper, Shark Ship). Lego has always had the best designs for the bad guys (Atlantis, Galaxy Squad, etc.).
@Ridgeheart said: "I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave."
I tend to agree, but the narwhal airship is gorgeous, and I am really liking the cat-owl, here.
Also, the villains continue to be brilliant.
Couldn’t care less about the cat-owl build but the figures are great. Something cool about a flying eyeball with guns!
@PhantomBricks said:
"I hope this theme lasts for a little bit. I love the colors and creativity that they contain, but they don't seem to be selling well in my local stores."
I think the issue with a lot of these 'imaginary themes' is that for parents etc (as purchasers) it's hard to grasp what it actually is. And given the choice between this set of 'weird stuff' and a city vehicle, I'd guess most parents/buyers are likely to choose something they recognise.
This leaves it up to the kids to push for this stuff if they want it. And if you don't watch the cartoon or fall for the marketing, it's hard to grasp whats going on.
I actually didn't even notice the 'alternative build' while skimming the review, or looking at the book art.
(Also sidenote to the review, Cooper and his helmet were also available with the Dreamz magazine 552302 )
The only good thing about this are the gold thin wheel pieces.
Wait a second— Zianism in Ninjago?
This is definitely someone's fursona.
@Ridgeheart said:
"I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave.
On the one hand, my wallet thanks me for this. On the other hand, I kind of fear for any potential third waves. I'm hoping other people will scoff at my worries while loading set upon set into their carts, completely enamoured with wave 2. I mean, go for it. Please do. Hope to see you in the reviews for wave 3, I thank you for your service."
I'm also rather worried as well. Dreamzzz wave one was amazing and had me excited. Even the show was pretty good, which is more than I can say for all the other LEGO shows I watched.
Sadly though, the theme seems to be losing its edge in wave two. Most of the sets, while interesting, aren't super exciting. I'm starting to grow worried for this amazing new theme. And given that LEGO Dreamzzz is now doing crossovers with Ninjago AND delaying Season 2, it seems like LEGO is worried for this theme too.
@AverageChimaEnjoyer said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"I was a big advocate of the first DREAMZzz-wave - and I still am. That wave was phenomenal. The second wave, I dunno - it's just not really doing it for me. It's good-not-great, it does very little to nothing better than the previous wave.
On the one hand, my wallet thanks me for this. On the other hand, I kind of fear for any potential third waves. I'm hoping other people will scoff at my worries while loading set upon set into their carts, completely enamoured with wave 2. I mean, go for it. Please do. Hope to see you in the reviews for wave 3, I thank you for your service."
I'm also rather worried as well. Dreamzzz wave one was amazing and had me excited. Even the show was pretty good, which is more than I can say for all the other LEGO shows I watched.
Sadly though, the theme seems to be losing its edge in wave two. Most of the sets, while interesting, aren't super exciting. I'm starting to grow worried for this amazing new theme. And given that LEGO Dreamzzz is now doing crossovers with Ninjago AND delaying Season 2, it seems like LEGO is worried for this theme too."
Probably a case of sets still being around, I mean, wave 1 only released in August , so this is basicly wave 1.5
But yes, some things seem less interesting, and start feeling repetitive, especially in the minifigure department, like Matteo is in sets 8 times + 1 magazine already, and the figure is exactly the same in all of those (some have cape and/or belt but the figure is still the same, and soon will be in another magazine, with still the same figure)