Time For A Brick - Online Lego store in HK shared their product.79005 The Wizards Battle set includes minifigures of Gandalf the Grey and Saruman the White in a very detailed throne room set up from Saruman's tower. The throne has a feature that lets you throw the minifigure from the chair, as well as the globe Saruman used to communicate with Sauron, complete with the fiery eye. It is a must buy for all the Lord of the Rings fans!79005 LOTR The Wizard Battle [Retired 絕版]See DetailsI have a unhealthy fascination with Chinese LEGO knock-offs, and we've published several articles, like this one, about the rubbish that's available in markets across the far east in the past. I think it's because I find it incredible that the stuff, which violates so many intellectual properties, is being made at all. Brickset member woodywood currently resides in Shanghai so sees a lot of the junk first-hand. He's kindly sent me some minifig packs so I can see how bad they are for myself. Warning: this article contains disturbing images and strong language.
First under inspection is JLB's (Jai Li Bo toys) Anna from Frozen. The box certainly looks attractive, and very LEGO-like. The contents, the figure and cards, are well packaged in heat-sealed bags. Unfortunately, that's all I have good to say about it. Once you open the packet it's immediately apparent what rubbish this is. Now, when I watched Frozen I'm sure Anna was a fair-skinned girl with what the Disney wiki calls 'long strawberry-blonde hair' in ponytails and a long-flowing blue dress and red cape. I must assume that a different version was shown in China because this figure has a blue crop-top and an impressive tan... :-) As you can see the figure needs to be assembled from the cheap plastic parts, some of which are still on their sprue. The joints are loose and it's difficult to get the hair to stay on. A flower is thrown in for good measure. The best part of it is the trading cards... Next under the microscope is Star Wars Han Solo by Bom Bom.
Again, the box, a good rip-off of a real LEGO one, and the packaging is not bad, but it soon becomes apparent that the photo on the front is that of the LEGO version of the figure, not the one in the box. The arms and hands are not pre-assembled and if I had to guess I'd say the plastic used is polystyrene rather than ABS. The parts are very badly moulded and have sprue marks in prominent places. The hair fits better than on Anna, but once on it's impossible to get it off!. It bears a passing resemblance to the image on the box, but the printing is absolutely shockingly bad. Once again, the best part of the set are the cards, which have the appearance that they are part of some sort of game but the numbers and information is all rubbish. Collectors will want the whole set of them, I'm sure... Frankly they are complete and utter rubbish and I would not wish them on any child. Not only are they terrible quality and possibly made from unsafe materials, but in the case of Anna, in particular, the contents of the box bears no resemblance to what you think you're buying which can only result in disappointment.
I know you won't need me to tell you this, but steer well clear! I really don't know why LEGO and Disney tolerates this stuff being made and sold, but as we have discussed before, I guess the legal framework to prevent it is not in place in China. Now, excuse me while I go and disinfect my LEGO room and banish this junk to the bin. Thanks to woodywood for sending them, I think... :)A miniature Mong Kok built with thousands of plastic blocks graces Hong Kong’s first official Lego store, which opened its doors in Langham Place on Thursday despite the city’s flagging retail climate. The Danish toy manufacturer’s local flagship is targeting adult enthusiasts as well as children, with management hoping its strong brand will keep footfall high despite the economic downturn. Dr William Lo Wing-yan of Kidsland Holdings, which runs the Lego store, said there were plans to open three more Lego stores over the next three years. “Toys are a resilient market during a downturn, more so than say fashion, jewellery or cosmetics, because adults can show more restraint when spending on themselves rather than when they spend on their children,” Lo said.
“Lego appeals to a wide demographic, from young kids to kid-adults,” Lo added, describing how at a preview session he saw some parents demonstrating greater enthusiasm for the toys than their children did. “It’s a jolly and exciting store,” he said, confessing a particular fondness for the brand’s Star Wars-themed range. Worst drop since 1999: Hong Kong retail sales figures for first half of year suffer slump Retail sales plummeted by 10.5 per cent in the first six months of this year in what has been the worst decline in 17 years, as a significant drop in mainland visitors and poor local demand prompted a slump in the once-booming sector. The gloomy outlook is expected to persist into the closing months of this year, though tourist numbers have recently started to pick up again. Lo said conditions brought about by the retail slump made opening a new store more favourable owing to lower rents and cheaper labour costs than last year. Forecasting a greater variety of stores across Hong Kong as the likely result of brands downsizing, Lo said that the familiar experience of spotting several of the same stores on one street might become a thing of the past as market conditions entice more multinationals to set up shop.
“Entrepreneurs in Hong Kong should learn from the success of brands like Lego,” Lo said, balking at the idea that a greater global brand presence in the city might place further pressure on struggling local outfits. “Over the last 10 years, people have got too inward-looking,” he said.HONGKONG Jan 26 A Lego rooster made of 220,000 red, white, yellow and green toy bricks will be the centrepiece of a float in Hong Kong's Lunar New Year parade to usher in the Year of the Rooster.Andy Hung, the territory's only certified Lego professional builder, was commissioned by the Hong Kong Tourism Board to create the two-metre (6.5 ft) tall bird."I wanted to use Lego pieces that resonate with people from the East and impress my audience," Hung told Reuters Televison. The rooster, which took 5 people 1-1/2 months to build, is one of several Lego statues on the float, including a life-sized farmer holding a rake, a tuxedo-clad waiter and a race car
driver clutching his helmet. The night-time parade takes place on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, when 10 floats will light up the streets of Hong Kong's famous Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district. Hung, a full-time artist with studios in Hong Kong and Beijing, is one of Asia's three certified Lego professionals.The group comprises adult hobbyists who have turned their passion into a professional activity, Lego says on its website. (Reporting by Joyce Zhou, Writing by Karishma Singh, Editing by Peak gasoline demand looms with engine efficiency gains LONDON, March 2 Demand for gasoline in the United States, which accounts for a tenth of global oil consumption, is expected to peak next year as engines become more efficient, WoodMackenzie analysts said. Vintage Western phone brands resurrected by Chinese players BARCELONA, March 2 Once famous mobile phones such as Nokia's classic 3310 from the turn of the century have