As the Black Panther sequel arrives in cinemas, it’s the perfect time to take another set inspired by Wakanda Forever. The once-hidden country of Wakanda is well known for its powerful protector, the Black Panther, but it’s also technologically advanced thanks to the super rare Vibranium element. This advancement in technical finesse has allowed the Wakandans to create impressive ships. One such vehicle is the Sunbird, which is the subject of one of a handful of sets inspired by Wakanda Forever. Here’s a closer look at the set and its minifigures.
Product Details
LEGO® Marvel Shuri’s Sunbird (76211) looks as amazing as it is for kids to play with. Put this aircraft in the hands of a Black Panther fan aged 8 and up and watch their imagination soar!
The best for both play and display
This impressive aircraft is an authentic recreation of Sunbird, the fantastic flying machine piloted by Shuri from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This versatile and powerful-looking piece of Super-Hero equipment features 2 large engines on ball joints that kids can tilt and rotate to a variety of angles. Hinges allow the wings to be folded forwards and backwards. At the rear is storage for Shuri’s fist weapons, and 2 stud shooters are mounted at the front. The set includes 4 minifigures – Shuri, Ironheart MK1, Nakia and Attuma – along with their cool weapons and accessories.
- Set Name: Shuri’s Sunbird
- Set Number: 76211
- Pieces: 355
- RRP: £44.99/$49.99/49.99€
- Number of Bags: Bags x 3 + loose elements
- Stickers: Sheet x 1
- Minifigures: Shuri, Ironheart MK1, Nakia & Attuma
- Instructions: Booklet x 1 + LEGO Building Instructions App
- Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online and LEGO Retailers
The first Black Panther film became a huge success when released back in 2018. Since then characters from the film have appeared in other Marvel projects such as the conclusion to the Infinity Saga along with Disney+ projects Marvel’s What If…? and Falcon & the Winter Soldier. As much as its characters are the focus, Wakandan ships have been a highlight of most Black Panther-inspired LEGO sets. They also have the trait of being inspired by nature. The Sunbird may not have the appearance of its namesake in a similar way to the Dragonfly but it does feature shimmering elements inspired by the bird’s feathers.
As with the other Black Panther sets based on the sequel, it’s been hard to fully compare them to the source material without seeing the film. This review will be as spoiler-free as possible and only reference material shown in trailers. The Sunbird does briefly get shown in a TV spot trailer and it does look as if the LEGO take on it is a faithful recreation. It’s basically a long and narrow body, with a small cockpit at the front of the ship. But the bulk of the ship is added through a pair of wings to the rear of the ship and two large disc-shaped engines to the front.
These are both mounted via adjustable connection joints, namely a ball joint for the engines and a click joint for the wings. Although this allows them to be posed in many different ways, it also makes it a little awkward to get them to look right. In fact, if they are slightly out of place, they make the whole ship look rather iffy. Despite this awkwardness, both the wings and engines have some great elements in them. Both include unique shimmering elements. I especially like the shutter door slats being used to edge each blade of the wings.
With many LEGO sets, in particular the superhero ones, the minifigures are often the biggest draw. The set includes an impressive line-up of 4 characters, with 2 of them unique to this set. Shuri is kitted out in an outfit which resembles that of the Black Panther and as the War on the Water set suggests, she has taken up the mantle. This is the same minifigure as the one included in Namor’s Throne set. This is also the case for the Attuma minifigure, this Talokanian warrior is coloured blue and includes a unique headdress.
The other two minifigures can only currently be found in this set. They include Nakia in her green warrior outfit, she also has her ring-like weapons. The print detail on her head is particularly good, however, I would have liked to see her with the longer hairstyle seen in the trailers. Finally, Riri Williams is a new character to the MCU but one who will play a key role in future films and Disney+ series. She has created the Ironheart suit, inspired by Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit. This set includes the MK1 suit which is a basic flight suit and ‘thrown together’ jetpack. It’s a fun minifigures and pairs nicely with the more familiar variant of the Ironheart suit found in another of the Black Panther sets.
Review Round-up
This is certainly an interesting set but one which looks a little odd in places. I think this is partly due to getting the wings and engine positioned correctly. I really do like the uniquely coloured elements used in the engines and the edging on the wings. These make the set feel very futuristic as well as linking to the ship’s namesake. The minifigures are nice, particularly Ironheart. I would have preferred a unique villain or at the very least a variant. Especially considering the set has a quite high price point for what it offers. It’s not the best Marvel set but it’s certainly not the worst either, it’s a classic movie companion set.
For
+ Nice minifigures
+ Interesting coloured elements
Against
– Ship looks odd from some angles
– Needed a different or unique villain minifigure
– Seems expensive for what it is
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This set was requested by BricksFanz and provided by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Disney. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
