Any self-respecting pirate crew needs a worthy vessel to sail the seas in search of adventure. For Luffy’s reluctant crew, that is the Going Merry. The Straw Hat Pirates are gifted their ship by Kaya after they defeat the Black Cat Pirates. As soon as Luffy sets eyes on the ship in the Syrup Village Shipyards, he knows he will one day sail in it. Once Luffy is joined by Nami, Zoro, Usopp and Sanji, the Going Merry becomes as much a part of the crew as they are. The importance the ship has to the Straw Hat Pirates and the world of ONE PIECE makes its appearance in LEGO® form, unsurprisingly, and is one of the standout sets in the upcoming new LEGO theme. Batten down the hatches and splice the main sail as we board the Going Merry for another LEGO ONE PIECE set review.
Product Details
Set Name: The Going Merry Pirate Ship | Set Number: 75639 | Pieces: 1276 | Theme: ONE PIECE
Number of Bags: Bags x 10 + loose elements | Stickers: sheet x 1 | Characters: Monkey D. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji
RRP: £119.99/$139.99/129.99€/199.99AUD/169.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online and LEGO Retailers from August 1st
LEGO fans are no strangers to pirates; it’s one of the classic themes which helped, in part, to shape how minifigures can infuse story and play into sets. ONE PIECE holds similar traits, with the long-running manga well known for its colourful characters and world-building. One of the key components of any pirate-related theme is the pirate ship, and there are none as unique as the Going Merry. This complete ship may not be as imposing as other LEGO ships, but it’s packed with detail and includes all five original members of the Straw Hat Pirates.
The set focuses solely on the ship; it doesn’t include and doesn’t need any extra bits of random scenery, sea creatures or other boats. One thing which great about the Going Merry is the details it offers both in the bows of the ship and across its exterior. Some of those exterior details are added via stickers and unique plastic film pieces. So you’ll notice the ship is decorated with circular tiles, most of which feature stickers to resemble sheep horns, a nod to the ship’s builder. Then ships two sails are created from large plastic sheets, the largest features the ship’s unique jolly roger, which is also found on the smaller flags on top of each mast. A little tip when fixing the larger plastic sheets in place, pop off the ball-tipped elements and slip them through the holes in the sheets and fix them back into the ends of the masts. It’s much easier than trying to force them through the holes on the sheets.
Dotted around the ship are various hidden hatches. Most of these make up the deck but can be opened by lifting the plates. The hatch in the bow of the ship reveals a small room. In the middle of the ship is an area to store crates of food and the sets for random Wanted posters. On the stern of the ship is the largest of the internal areas. To access this, the entire back section can be removed along with the small upper section of the deck. This reveals the crew quarters and kitchen.
Unusually for a LEGO ship, the base hasn’t been given anything to make it easier to push along. So there’s no sailing it across the carpet ot other surfaces. But it does include a hidden play feature. On the bow of the ship, you notice a lone cone element. This is used to fire the stud-shooter cannon located beneath the ship’s figurehead.
The set features five minifigures, representing the entire main crew of the Going Merry. They are featured in what could be considered their standard outfits. As mentioned in my other ONE PIECE set reviews, there are different versions of Luffy’s iconic straw hat. In this set, it’s a piece which features both the hat and some of Luffy’s hair. Zoro and Sanji are both unique to the set. With Nami and Usopp both appearing in at least one other set. The LEGO Design Team has done a great job with the ONE PIECE minifigures, and they are a great representation of the Netflix version of Luffy and his crew. Especially their hair.
ONE PIECE is a beloved franchise, and whilst the upcoming sets are based on the live-action Netflix series, they have elements are the manga infused in them. The Going Merry is a great example of that. It looks as if it’s sailed from both the pages of the manga and the streaming series. The ship’s unique appearance does set it apart from other LEGO ships, but beyond the sail and flags, it’s not too wacky. Thanks to the inclusion of the five main characters, this is the perfect set to go for should you only be tempted by one of the ONE PIECE sets. The Going Merry, along with the rest of the new LEGO ONE PIECE range, launches on August 1st.
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This set was provided to BricksFanz.com by the LEGO Group for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Netflix. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
