40703 Micro Ninjago City

LEGO.com description[]

Ninja fans aged 10 and up can now build their own micro model of NINJAGO® City with this fun and detailed playset. Micro NINJAGO City (40703) is a downsized version of the bigger NINJAGO City (70620) building set and features a bustling 5-story city block with teahouses and a rooftop sushi bar. The micro city can also be connected to 3 other micro sets (sold separately) to complete a small NINJAGO City.

• Buildable micro model of NINJAGO® City – A smaller model of the NINJAGO City (70620) playset featuring a bustling 5-story city block with teahouses and a rooftop sushi bar
• Modular building for kids – Boys and girls can connect the micro city to 3 other sets (sold separately) to complete a small version of NINJAGO® City
• Dimensions – The micro city measures 6 in. (16 cm) high, 4 in. (10 cm) wide and 3 in. (8cm) deep^[1]

Designer's notes[]

I usually only talk about sets that I get to finalize here, but this one is a special case, as the whole Micro NINJAGO City series was kind of my little pet project!

It was late 2022, and at the time NINJAGO City Markets was just finished and still waiting to be revealed in a year’s time, we were having some down time in the office, and I just thought “hmm it might be fun to spend the week making some microscale NINJAGO City!”

For one, it’s something I always wanted to try back then as an AFOL. I LOVE making microscale models of LEGO sets, but the two original NINJAGO City have been done by so many talented builders already, I always feel like my attempt would be nothing but redundant haha, so I never actually tried. However, this time around, with the Markets still being a secret to the rest of the world, I felt compelled to give it a go after all these years.

For two, of course, is the chance of making them as actual products! I’m not gonna pretend that making microscale sets is the most groundbreaking idea, we have been doing that in other products, fans have been doing it… BUT I always remember how special it felt as a modular fan back when 10230 Mini Modulars was announced, because for the first time, there IS an “official” version that every fan can own without being a master microscale builder themselves. So I built them and pitched them to the marketing team, and what do you know – suddenly we have four extra products for Ninjago 2024!

I didn’t get to finalize this one as I was busy with the Shrine and the Climber, but my colleague Esben did a lovely job keeping the look of my sketch model, while optimizing the build and getting it to budget - and even adding some Easter Eggs inside!

I also want to highlight the box - I was over the moon when packaging agreed to bring back the 2017 NINJAGO Movie box art, so that it looks like the actual set being shrunk! I hope fans of NINJAGO City will have fun building these more space-friendly versions (and less time spent on all the water tiles haha^[2]

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