LEGO Harry Potter & Hermione Granger and Fawkes, Dumbledore’s Phoenix Sets Review

The first set essentially has you build two giant minifigs of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. The build is actually far more complex than you might imagine, given the charming minimalist aesthetic of the exterior. This complexity not only assures a fun and engaging build, but also that the minifigs will be fully articulated. Once the build is done, the look is simply superb. From a distance, they appear to be scaled up versions of their original minifigs, but up close, you can see the intricately linked bricks, which subdivide each form. This is one of the coolest aspects of this set, especially if you enjoy seeing the underlying structure of large LEGO constructions. Aside from the topographical detail, the printed detail of the faces and shirts are clean and bright. As mentioned, both figures are fully articulated, with points at the neck, shoulders, hands, and legs; they can do anything that a standard minifig can do! Well, besides cleanly pulling apart at the waist and head. We recommend against trying that. Plug their wands into their hands to complete the look.

The Fawkes set has a much newer design, that is, it’s not based on a pre-existing form, such as a minifig. The colors are vibrant, and the distribution is excellent, completing the look of perfect plumage. The instructions are divided between the stand, the base, the wings, and the head, and tailfeathers. The stand has a nice and sturdy ratchet joint for posing, and there are articulation points at the head, wings, and feathers. You can get some very nice poses out of Fawkes. He has a fair range of motion in the wings, but some configurations will look more natural than others. The cherry on top is the inclusion of a Dumbledore and Fawkes minifig duo!