It’s the Return of the Jedi today, as Steve is back with the daily SW review!

After the weekend’s offerings, HP has opened up a two-point lead over SW heading into the week. Can SW rebound today? Let’s find out.

Harry Potter- Day 7

Matt: I’ve really enjoyed the latest two entries in the HPAC as it snatched both weekend points. Behind Door #7 is the enormous gramophone seen in the 4th film, when Prof McGonagall instructs Hogwarts students in dance lessons in preparation for the Yule Ball. The build itself is actually fairly impressive- it’s faithful to the onscreen variant, and features a turntable and adjustable needle. The color scheme is solid too. I think they could have sprung for a printed 2×2 round tile for the vinyl and the needle isn’t able to make contact with the record (somewhat fixed if you remove the 1×1 pearl gold round plate, but takes away from the design). And while functionality is secondary in microbuilds, if we wanted that record to spin, we literally have a piece called the 2×2 turntable (See here). Apart from this, the build on its own is solid.

My gripes with today’s offering are more subjective in nature- that is to say, I don’t believe this object in particular stands out in the book/film. I also think today’s entry is the first of this season that does not immediately scream Harry Potter. Steve reminds me that the license for LEGO HP is based off the film, not the book, making today’s entry more reasonable. Again, we’re back on track with the Yule Ball theme as well, giving some consistency to the calendar. Overall, a really solid build but I feel like there are a plethora of better scenes/objects/items to depict for a GOF based calendar. Guest reviewer Patrick Barnes points out that one disadvantage of sticking to a common Yule Ball scene is that is may limit the possible offerings on any given day. Great point, Patrick.

Star Wars- Day 7

Steve: Star Wars needs a “W” today to keep it interesting in the early rounds. For Day 7 we get a Sith Trooper minifigure. It’s a nice figure with good leg and belt printing, and the bright red is very festive! The only accessory is the standard Star Wars blaster rifle. This isn’t a new or exclusive fig, however, and it’s appearance in a Battlepack means it’s not particularly rare either. All the figures so far have made at least a brief appearance in the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special – but given how that show ping-pongs through the timeline I don’t know if we can call it a consistent “theme” for the calendar or not.

Verdict

Based on our minifig scoring metric, Star Wars returns the favor from Day 5 and steals the win with a figure over an interesting HP build. With the win, SW keeps it close and the score is now:

HP- 4

SW- 3

To be continued…

Featured reviewer Patrick Barnes covers our SW review again today!

After reclaiming the lead on Day 5, HP holds a precarious 3-2 edge. Can they expand on their score or will Star Wars bounce back as they have done consistently this season? Let’s check out what Sunday’s Day 6 has in store:

Harry Potter- Day 6

Matt: After the marvelous Cho Chang fig yesterday, I’m hoping HP doesn’t let its foot off the Floo Powder on Day 6. Behind the door is a mini-fig scale Goblet of Fire! The titular entry presents a movie-accurate, minifig scale version of the goblet. Aspiring champions from the three schools throw their name in the hat vying to be selected and deemed worthy enough to represent their school in the Triwizard Cup. This entry makes marvelous use of the 1×1 plate “with stick” (totally not the official part name) as well as a Travis brick (alas, it’s black and not brown) to faithfully represent the model. Topped with a trans light blue with sparkles flame piece, I think today’s entry is great, employing the use of some trickier/inverted techniques. I really like the way the goblet portion on the top half comes together, which wasn’t immediately apparent during construction. All in all, another strong entry for HP today as it looks to keep its momentum going.

Star Wars- Day 6

Patrick: Behind door #6 of the Star Wars advent calendar is our first advent build based on Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, The TIE Dagger from Palpatine’s Final Order Fleet. While this build adopts a similar cockpit shape and colour scheme to other micro TIE Fighters, it is held back by a similar disadvantage to that seen in previous advent calendar TIEs: It can’t naturally stay upright due to the shape of its wings. It’s too bad because the wings use the nice new 2×4 wing plates, which create the right shaping, but it could’ve included a little stand like the System set 75272 does. Speaking of which, the ship usually has red accents as well, and its too bad some red couldn’t be incorporated the design. Nonetheless, this is a decent addition to the calendar repertoire and the limited Sequel-era advent builds we’ve received.

Verdict

Based on HP’s minifig scale entry and techniques used, as well as significance to this year’s calendar, HP takes another point today. With that, HP extends its lead by 2, the first such lead of the competition- but again, it’s still early days. With that, the score moves to:

HP- 4

SW- 2

To be continued…

Patrick Barnes is stepping in today for the SW Review!

HP and SW are all square at two wins apiece heading into Day 5. Let’s see which calendar takes the lead in Day 5:

Harry Potter- Day 5

Matt: After losing a controversial matchup yesterday, HP is looking to shake it off and bounce back on Day 5. Behind Door #5 is an exclusive variant of Cho Chang. Inspired by her Yule Ball attire, this is an amazing fig with very detailed metallic silver and magenta accents, on a light aqua dress backdrop (rare colors all around!). I love the use of the printed 1×2 brick and 1×2 plate to mimic the “medium leg” height of the 4th years at Hogwarts. Some are criticizing the skin tone as an unnecessary decision by TLG, although worth noting that they have consistently used this skin tone with previous variants of the Cho figure. Included in the build are dark brown wands, and this entry comes with an extra sprue. Overall, a wonderful offering for today. Worth noting that this is now a step toward the Yule Ball theme and it will be interesting to see what comes next.

Star Wars- Day 5

Patrick: Behind day number 5 of the Star Wars advent calendar is one of the best micro builds in recent memory, the Mandalorian’s faithful ship, The Razor Crest. Weighing in at a hefty 22 pieces, The Razor Crest micro build effectively captures the look of the in-universe ship, making great use of the newer 1-Long bar pieces attached to hollow studs, in both black and light bluish grey, to represent the primary guns of the ship as well as hold up the engines. The engines do look a little floaty being attached from the base rather than the side of the actual hull, but it effectively captures the look with minimal pieces needed. The choice to leave the studs exposed on the side seemed odd as well, as the ship is relatively smooth in the show, but it adds some needed texture. Otherwise, this is a high-tier micro build with appropriate shaping, dimensions, and colours, and getting a Mandalorian micro build is always a bonus. Its always really nice to get a tv show build in the Star Wars advents, as most are based on vehicles, locations and characters from the movies, but the few Rebels or Clone Wars gift we’ve gotten are usually really well done.

(On a side note, the timing of this build with the Mandalorian episode that released on the 4th cannot be a coincidence)

Verdict

Both calendars offer great gifts as we enjoy this weekend, but using our minifig metric as we did on Day 4, it’s the exclusive Cho Chang coming out with the win! HP retakes the lead and the score is now:

HP- 3

SW- 2

To be continued…

HP regained its very early lead with yesterday’s microbuild. Will they expand on that lead or will SW keep it close? Let’s see what’s behind the doors of Day 4:

Harry Potter- Day 4

Matt: Behind Day 4’s window is the Beauxbatons’ Carriage with Abraxan. Coming off the heels of the Durmstrang ship, this is the magical mode of transportation used by the Beauxbatons’ girls school to travel to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. Another microbuild, this carriage is faithfully recreated to match its on screen and parent set versions (75958: Beauxbatons’ Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts). The model includes a variety of colours, ranging from light royal blue, dark red, and pearl gold. While the wheels do not move, I think the usage of the dark tan discs work perfectly here. It is immediately apparent what this microbuild is, which is always an important consideration. The Abraxan (winged horse) pulling the carriage is recreated well, however there are many people confusing it for a swan. Overall, this is another strong microbuild, and in my opinion, the 2^nd best of the last 3 days, just behind the Durmstrang ship.

Now that we have all 3 schools represented, it will be interesting to see where the calendar goes next, and if we start getting Yule Ball related entries. Stay tuned.

Star Wars- Day 4

Steve: Star Wars reveals a second minifigure today: Luke Skywalker in Tatooine outfit, with just one accessory, a set of Macrobinoculars. The choice feels appropriate after getting the Lars Homestead yesterday. It’s not a unique figure, but it does have some nice leg printing. Overall, it’s fine. With Harry Potter putting up another stellar build with the Carriage today (and keeping their own 2-day theme with the House transportation), by our own metric I give this one to the minifigure, but it feels like SW gets lucky.

Verdict

HP comes out with another respectable microbuild today while SW produces a non exclusive fig. Given that we put more weight on minifigs, today’s point goes to SW by the slimmest of margins. The force was certainly with SW on this day, and the score is now:

HP- 2

SW- 2

To be continued…

After the opening two days of the month, we’re all notched at 1 apiece. The story so far has been the minifigs winning their respective days, as is to be expected. Today’s matchup features the first non-minifig, micro-build vs micro-build matchup of the season. Let’s see how it plays out:

Harry Potter- Day 3

Matt: After ceding yesterday’s point to SW, I’m looking for a strong bounce back from HP today. Behind door 3 is another micro-build and second of the season, this time in the form of the Durmstrang ship. Another hallmark of Year 4, this is the magical mode of transportation that the Durmstrang boys school uses to travel to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. The build itself is reminiscent of its on-screen variant, and also evokes memories of set 4768 The Durmstrang Ship (2006). Great use of the 1×1 brick with scrolls (in brown no less) and the overall color scheme works here. I’d be lying if I said this was some great iconic vehicle from the HP franchise, but it does play a role in the story and film. Overall, a much better entry than Day 2 and I think HP fans will enjoy today’s build. Worth noting that while Day 1’s entry teased us with an impending Yule Ball scene, both Day 2 and 3 have strayed from that theme. Perhaps the Durmstrang ship is inching us closer to the Yule Ball. We shall follow this on Day 4.

Star Wars- Day 3

Steve: Day 3 brings us build vs. build – Star Wars puts up the Lars Homestead on Tatooine in microscale. It’s a solid entry, does a good job of evoking the real scene in just a few pieces like a good microscale should. The colours are bland, but hey, it’s supposed to be a boring desert planet. Overall, a solid if uninspiring build. in comparison, the HP Durmstrang Ship in microscale looked slightly more interesting to me. I think HP has another narrow-margin win.

Verdict

Today’s first microbuild battle of the season goes to HP with , with a slightly more interesting and involved microbuild. With today’s result, the score is now:

HP- 2

SW- 1

To be continued…

Entering Day 2, HP has an early lead after drawing first wand with an opening day point. Let’s see how Day 2 plays out.

Harry Potter- Day 2

Matt: After an opening day victory, HP looks to keep the momentum going. Behind Door #2 is a microscale rendition of Hogwarts castle. The castle has many variants and its overall exterior appearance has changed throughout the movies and LEGO sets over the last 20 years. The variant represented here is the most recognizable version and appears to be based off its microscale parent set, 71043 Hogwarts Castle (2018). Staying faithful to the rendition, this castle maintains its dark bley/tan color scheme, and highlights recognizable features such as the large tower, great hall, and bridge. While missing certain components that would have helped its cause, it is evident what this model is. I like the use of the tooth piece along the great hall section to evoke a similar appearance found in 71043. Overall, this entry isn’t as strong as yesterdays, nor is it as strong as 2019’s Day 2 entry (microscale Hogwarts Express). On top of that, this entry doesn’t seem to gel with the developing “yule ball scene” that was hinted at on Day 1 and on the box art. Overall, a good, but not great entry on Day 2.

Star Wars- Day 2

Steve: SW comes into Day 2 with another strong contender: Poe Dameron wearing a Life Day Sweater. This is Poe’s appearance from the 2020 “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special.” A new and unique torso print of BB-8 on a sweater makes this figure instantly collectable. The head is reversible with happy and angry expressions to alternate – we even have two accessories, with both a blaster and a coffee mug for hot festive beverages. Even discounting our metric of figures beat builds, SW easily takes it today. This may reveal a strategy where HP can take the contest overall – they took the win over a strong build in day 1, and the build for day 2 was so underwhelming it feels like a sacrifice play against a strong SW entry.

Verdict

The Empire Strikes Back in a big way on Day 2, with the exclusive Poe Dameron figure comfortably besting the microscale Hogwarts. The “minifig-beats-everything” template holds up across the first two days of the month so far, and the score is all notched up at:

HP- 1

SW- 1

To be continued…

The Battle of the Licensed Advent Calendars begins! Last year’s face-off pitted newcomer Harry Potter bursting onto the advent calendar scene versus incumbent Star Wars. In a day-for-day roller coaster, it was newcomer Harry Potter taking the inaugural battle by a score of 13-11.

This year, the question is: Will the upstart Harry Potter match its marvelous calendar from 2019 and go back-to-back, or will long term mainstay Star Wars take back the season’s top prize? Let’s see who draws first wand/blaster on Day 1.

Harry Potter- Day 1

Behind the first door of the 2020 HP Advent Calendar is none other than The Boy Who Lived himself. Dressed in his wizarding dress robes, Harry is setting the tone for the overall scene included in this year’s calendar, which appears focused on the Yule Ball from the Goblet of Fire. This minifigure is not an exclusive, but has only appeared once before. Highlights include a double-sided face, spare dark brown wands, and medium legs (Yes!). The real bonus here is a exceptionally detailed 2×3 tile featuring the Yule Ball promo poster. Inscriptions on the poster reveal metallic printing and a tremendous amount of detail. This day’s entry also includes a side table of sorts, with a candle. Extra parts include a wand sprue and candle flame, which are very welcome. Overall, this is a very strong start for the HPAC.

One of the things that HP has going for it is that each day the calendar is building toward a coherent scene. We will keep an eye on how this plays out moving forward and consider each build within the context of a greater scene.

Star Wars- Day 1

Star Wars opens the Advent Calendar battle in an equally strong manner – the microscale A-wing for Dec 1st is one of the best microscale ships we’ve seen in a while. Strong lines, very recognizable and some really nice SNOT construction techniques make today’s selection a great addition to any microscale fleet. In fact, the build is far superior to the A-wing that was included in the May the 4th Death Star promotional set. After Christmas, I think I’ll replace the one in the set with the one from the calendar.

Verdict

Both calendars come out swinging on Day 1, and fans of both themes are going to walk away happy today. If today’s entries are any indication, this is going to be a close battle all the way. It’s hard to choose a winner here, but in a world where minifigs are coveted as well as printed pieces, the tie goes to HP, the titular character himself! The score starts with:

HP-1

SW-0

To be continued…