Pantasy Auberge japonaise onsen, maquette à construire

All of the pieces and instructions for this set are very good. I had heard from some other builders that they'd had difficulty building the pool of the spring and the pieces that form its edge. Those didn't give me trouble, but I can see how they might. The best advice I can give for that section is to just take your time and make sure pieces are fully attached before moving to the next step. The other thing I heard a couple of times was that this set is bigger than people expected, so I was expecting it to be pretty big. Even so, it's bigger than I expected. The largest section of the base is a 32x32 plate, but it goes well beyond that. The base is 40 studs wide not including the bricks that stick off of each side. Front to back is 46 studs plus, again, some bricks that stick off the front. It's not like a typical modular in that it's really not designed to be displayed right up against another set. The front and both sides are very attractive and even the back has a fair amount of visual interest. I appreciate that they didn't go overboard packing details into every inch of that very large footprint. There is plenty of detail without becoming overly complex. I'd call this only moderately challenging, but it takes quite a bit of time to build because there is so much of it. A bunch of the printed pieces are the transparent panels. I have some mixed feelings about those just because it feels as though some of them are meant to evoke shoji, so it might have been better if the panels used in the interior were given a frosted print or a milky translucent color. One benefit of all of them being clear, however, is that the portions of the interior that you can see from the outside receive a good amount of natural light. This set doesn't include lights and although adding a few would make it look even more inviting, it doesn't really need them. There's good access to the interior by lifting off the roofs and the upper floor. It can be a little tricky to get their alignment just right when putting them back on. The rooms are spacious, so it's pretty easy to position figures wherever you might like. Aside from the seats, however, there are only a couple of attachment points for figures' feet. Lire la suite

Top Teile Qualität, keine Sticker nur Prints, toller Bauspass, besser als das Original

This is one of those building sets that is just genuinely relaxing to put together. PANTASY continues to be one of my favorite alternative brick brands because the pieces feel precise and consistent, so the actual building process is enjoyable instead of turning into a fight with overly tight or loose bricks. The Japanese hot-spring theme is fantastic. The snowy roof, outdoor baths, little stream, red bridge, lanterns, trees, and traditional architecture all come together into a scene that feels much more atmospheric than a normal building model. There are enough small details that I kept stopping during the build just to look at what I had finished. I especially like that PANTASY uses so many printed pieces instead of covering everything in stickers. This set has a ton of printed detail throughout the building, and that makes the finished model look much more polished. The removable roof and upper sections are also a great choice because you can actually get back inside and appreciate the rooms instead of building all that detail just to permanently hide it. The hot-spring areas are probably my favorite part. Combined with the snow and muted colors, the whole finished scene somehow has a really peaceful feel to it. Even the process of assembling it felt fitting for the theme—just a nice, relaxing build rather than something frustrating. At around $150 this is definitely a premium building set, but it also feels like one. There is a lot of model here, the design is unique, and the finished piece looks impressive enough that I’d happily leave it out as decor instead of taking it apart afterward. PANTASY has made a lot of sets I like, but this snowy Japanese bathhouse is easily one of the most visually appealing ones I’ve built. Lire la suite

This set from Pantasy is a welcome departure from their city-based modular sets. I like that it touches on traditional Japanese objects and scenes with an attempt at authenticity. It’s called the “Japanese Onsen” (Bathhouse) and I’m not entirely sure why it also has a tea room and Geisha performance stage, but I welcome the variety and the fact that Pantasy have filled the interior with play opportunities and areas for the included figures to inhabit. The set comes with 4 figures (and cat), which are of Pantasy’s own design and for the most part are likable with big heads and expressive faces. Unfortunately they do not have any articulation at the hips, so the only way to pose them in a seated position is to swap their “standing legs” with “seated legs” which just feels so inefficient, and now you need to store an extra set of legs somewhere. The shaping of the hardscaped, snow-covered areas is very good, integrating nicely with the traditional Japanese architecture. The base is built up to be extremely strong. There is no light kit, but I don’t think this set necessarily needs one. The parts come in numbered bags and are compatible with Lego. All decorations are prints (no stickers) and the set includes two perfect-bound instruction books with good color printing that should be easy to follow for most builders. At over 1800 pieces, this set is a fantastic value and would make a great gift for fans of Japanese culture and scenery.

PROS: Looks better in person than pictures, nice overall design inside and out, nice innovative trees. Nitpicks: would have looked better if they used translucent pieces for the hot springs and river, and my biggest nitpick is there is NO lights (yes I know it does not mention lights), but the set has multiple light fixtures inside and out that are made for lights, I ordered a universal light kit from Amazon and installed it myself. Overall this is a nice set and if you do not care about lights, then I would recommend it.