Summary
- LEGO Animal Crossing sets bring beloved characters to life with minifigures that capture their unique personalities and charm.
- The current selection features 8 characters, but more could be released in the future through additional sets or blind box minifigure lines.
- Each set in the LEGO Animal Crossing line includes one or two distinct minifigures, showcasing popular characters like Tom Nook, Isabelle, and Kapp'n.
The reveal of LEGO Animal Crossing sets marks a promising new building-block venture for the series, and one of the most exciting aspects is the ability to see Animal Crossing characters come to life in minifigure form. Villagers and other NPCs have always been a major draw for the series, with a wide variety of cute characters featuring unique and memorable personalities to create charming and meaningful interactions across the games. Luckily, they translate well to the LEGO style, with the chunky minifigure bodies working perfectly and a series of distinct molded heads capturing their cartoonish shapes.
Animal Crossing features a much higher number of characters than could be reasonably expected to fit into a single LEGO line, so the current selection is a highlight reel with a decent mix of personalities and styles. In total, 8 characters have currently been translated to minifigures, but it seems entirely likely that more could come in the future through successive sets or even a blind box minifigure line. The currently announced LEGO Animal Crossing is distributed across a total of five sets listed on the official LEGO store page, each featuring one or two distinct minifigures.
8 Tom Nook
Tom Nook might be the most iconic Animal Crossing character to appear in LEGO form, acting as a sort of mascot figure for the series. As the proprietor of Nook's Cranny and the shop's various upgraded incarnations, Tom Nook is the general goods supplier for any Animal Crossing village. More infamously, he handles the loans that a villager has to pay off to expand their home, although his lack of predatory interest rates makes him an unusually kindhearted businessman at the end of the day. The Tom Nook minifigure captures his racoon head and the tropical shirt he wears in New Horizons, emphasizing his newly found relaxation.
7 Isabelle
If Tom Nook is a classic Animal Crossing mascot, Isabelle is the recent figurehead, gaining immediate popularity with her inclusion in the 3DS entry Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Isabelle is a hard worker to a fault, doing her best to ensure that a village runs well, even if it costs her some sleep or recovery time. In LEGO form, she retains her New Leaf appearance with a plaid shirt and blue skirt, a look that's a little more distinct than her New Horizons getup. She can be found in the Isabelle's House Visit 77049 set, which retails for $39.99.
6 Kapp'n
Kapp'n is a man of many talents, with a long history of ferrying characters around via different means of transportation. Over the years, he's operated a ferry, taxi, bus, and motorboat, but his sailor-like attitude remains regardless of his occupation. His design is based on the kappa of Japanese folklore, although his personality doesn't adhere to any traditional legends. He gets to operate his boat from New Horizons in the LEGO Animal Crossing line, and a songbook accessory represents his predilection for singing sea shanties.
5 Julian
Julian is a horse villager in Animal Crossing by designation, although the horn in the center of his head makes it clear that he is more specifically of the unicorn variety. With a smug personality, Julian can be a bit egotistical, although it's easy to see where being a unicorn might lead to just a touch of egocentricity. The LEGO set that includes Julian is all about celebrating him, depicting a birthday party scene chock-full of presents and treats for him to enjoy. A removable party cap also sits atop the minifigure's head in honor of the occasion.
4 Bunnie
Bunnie's name is somewhat self-explanatory in Animal Crossing, as this series veteran is unsurprisingly of the rabbit variety. Her peppy attitude makes her upbeat and excitable, traits that can be immediately endearing when paired with her flushed cheeks and bright smile. The LEGO set Bunnie's Outdoor Activities 77047 lets her have some wilderness fun, giving her a camping setup and a vaulting pole among an idyllic nature scene. She also has a fashion hobby in New Horizons, although the LEGO set doesn't focus on that aspect of her personality.
3 Fauna
Fauna is a normal deer villager in Animal Crossing, first appearing in New Leaf and showing up again in New Horizons. Her LEGO incarnation shows up in set Isabelle's House Visit 77049, seemingly acting in somewhat of a stand-in role for a player villager and holding the NookPhone that players can use to interface with many features in New Horizons. She has plenty of potential activities to take on in the scene, from tending to crops to crafting or simply relaxing inside the home.
2 Rosie
Like Bunnie, Rosie is a peppy character, showing a general tendency towards energetic and friendly characters in the LEGO lineup. First appearing in the original Japanese release of Doubutsu no Mori, Rosie is arguably one of the most iconic villagers in the series. Her soft blue color scheme typically fades to white at the tips of her cat ears, although the LEGO minifigure simplifies this to a more unified color scheme. Her veteran status is echoed by the inclusion of a rendition of her own home in set 77050 Nook's Cranny and Rosie's House, replete with pink accessories and a single of the song "Bubblegum K.K." hung on the wall.
1 Marshal
Marshal is a smug squirrel villager with a soft, off-white marshmallow color that might account for his name. His LEGO appearance opts for slightly darker fur due simply to the roster of part colors, but it captures his intense expression perfectly. Marshal gets to relax on a beach scene in set 77048, so long as he doesn't mind hearing some of Kapp'n's shanties as a musical backdrop. He's the only character to use LEGO's shortest leg length, and his small size makes his obvious petulance all the more charming as a LEGO Animal Crossing minifigure.
Source: LEGO