In 2016, Disney fans were introduced to Moana, a story inspired by Polynesian mythology. It follows the coming-of-age adventure of Moana, the daughter of the island chief who is chosen by the ocean to reunite Te Fiti with a magical relic. Moana is joined in her quest by the demigod Maui and a witless chicken called Heihei. The gang recently reunited for a new adventure in the sequel released last year. Since the debut of Moana, several LEGO® sets have been released and the latest offers a brick-built recreation of the colourful yet clueless chicken Heihei. Kicking off the previews of the new LEGO Disney sets is a look at set 43272: Heihei.
Product Details
Set Name: Heihei | Set Number: 43272 | Pieces: 566 | Theme: Disney
Number of Bags: Bags x 4 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Characters: N/A
RRP: £34.99/$39.99/39.99€/59.99AUD/49.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from March 1st
The LEGO Disney theme has got to the point where it’s trying out new things. Since the Disney 100th anniversary celebrations in 2023, the LEGO Disney range has offered an interesting array of builds which go beyond the simple playsets. This upcoming set based on Moana, is one such set, offering a buildable character better suited for display than play. The character in question is the chicken Heihei, who joins Moana on her journey to find Te Fiti, despite not being invited. Thanks to the character’s colourful appearance, it’s a great muse for a LEGO build.
This LEGO version of Heihei features an almost 1:1 build of the chicken and a funky base for it to stand on. You begin by building Heihei’s body and legs. The body section is quite small but does feature several points upon which extra details are added as you progress through the build. These include the legs, wings, tail and Heihei’s head.
Considering this is a small set, you would think it’s a fairly easy build. Think again, as you begin on the head section of the chicken, you’ll be greeted page in the instructions. This shows several of the same elements in different colours and a confused-looking Heihei. That confusion is warranted as deciphering which of the minutely different colour elements to use is quite tricky. I recommend sorting the elements before building. Despite the frustration with the colours, the use of different shades does give the build a feather-like texture.
Once complete, Heihei looks just like his on-screen version. The set captures the chicken’s confused appearance. The basic movement in the head and wings also gives it some character. Heihei is more of a display build, and the rest of the build is focused on a colourful base.
The base is my favourite part of the build. It’s colourful and themed around the Polynesian culture. Strips of ‘loaf’ bricks ape the bamboo material Polynesians often use to build structures and boats. It’s also dotted with leaves and flowers, which add a splash of colour. Finally, the nameplate, fixed to the front of the stand is printed. Once complete a series of jumper plates are where Heihei can be connected to the base
I know the Disney sets offer a mix of builds and although many feature mini-dolls, those which don’t often have a broader appeal. This is one of those sets. Although it doesn’t really feature any sort of play features, it’s still a wonderful recreation of Moana’s hapless companion. It’s a great way to expand the LEGO Disney offering, without rehashing the same sets over and over again. It’s a shame it’s being released so long after the second film was released in cinemas. Despite the frustrations with the similar coloured elements, it’s a fun enough build which results in a great Disney display piece. The LEGO Disney Heihei set arrives on March 1st and can be pre-ordered now.
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz.com for review purposes. The thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Disney. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of it.
