After a quiet couple of years, it would appear that we are seeing a resurgence in new BrickHeadz sets this year. Today I would like to present 40495 Harry, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid. This set focuses on our first/second-year trio of young heroes, along with their sympathetic ally, Hagrid. Ron Harry and Hermione are depicted as 3 stud wide figures, as we have seen with some smaller characters over the past years. The other Harry Potter Brickheadz unveiled today, 40496, brings us Voldemort, Nagini and Bellatrix Lestrange and you can read my review here.

I feel honored that the LEGO Group have sent me a copy of this set for early review. It will be released on June 1st, at a cost of $AUD39.99.

This bag contains 4 numbered characters: Harry (139) Hermione (140), Ron (141) and Hagrid (142). The Numbering system for Brickheadz – after you take into account unnumbered figures, numbered figures that were never released and other oddities – might be considered to be rather complicated. So to avoid complication, we start with the last numbered figure, whose parts appear in the first bag. Enter Hagrid.

Of course it is not just Hagrid in bag one. We also have all of the elements for Harry Potter. This tray is predominantly black elements, as well as a number of SNOT elements. Some dark orange plates and tiles are present, but it is the printed elements that gain my attention: a 3x1x1 brick, printed with a vee-neck in Griffindor colours; and Harry’s glasses, that look kind of intense in a Manga/Kawai sort of way. Hagrid also has a pinted chest element, with a jacket and red shit printed on. There is also a 1×4 tan tile with a lightning shaped scar printed on it.

Hagrid

As with most BrickHeadz, Hagrid commences with the standardBrickheadz core. Studs on the front of the body allow for the lapels of his overcoat, while a bracket combined with an 1x1x 1 1/3 arch brick to bring on a curving brow. on either side.

• 

• 

• 

Hagrid’s hair gets build up with a combination of black plates, offset plates and curved slopes. Dark orange tiles extend downwardsto form his overcoat. Hagrid carries a Minifigure accessory in the form of a light purple umbrella, which is hilariously small compared to the overall scale of the figure.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Those Meddling Kids

Perhaps not their official title, but I’m sure someone at Hogwarts probably though of Harry, Hermione and Ron in those terms. These characters are all built using the same core, with their hair being the primary distinguishing aspect. We have the elements for Harry in Bag one. Ron and Hermione are present in Bag 2.

The children are 3 studs wide, and are essentially identical, with the exception of hair styles. Harry does have those interesting eyes, as well as the scar printed on his forehead.

• 

• 

• 

The right hand side of the figures features some bricks: effectively raising the wand hand out a little. On the left, the arm drops straight down by the side. There is an interesting example here of how the upward bracket comes in just below the row of studs on a brick with studs on the side, as you can see in the photograph. This is seen next to these figures Right arms.

Harry has Black Scruffy hair, well repesented by Cheese slopes on variable angles on top, and quarter cricle tiles to the sides; There is an interesting approach used to combine the different angled slopes on the side of Harry’s head:

• 

• 

• 

Hermione’s hair is reddish brown, with layers on cheese slopes on the sides. Ron’s hair is dark orange, again slightly haphazard, as one expects from an 11 year old boy, but tidier than Harry’s.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I like the way that this collection captures the essence of the young students at Hogwarts. I think the characters are easily recognisable, even in this younger form. Each character has their own instruction book, so it becomes an easy exercise to share the construction with members of the family or friends.

At $AUD39.99 I feel this set offers reasonable value if you are a Harry Potter Fan. During the Brickheadzpalooza Days of 2018, a single adult figure was typically priced around $AUD16, with double figures closer to $AUD30. I would consider this set to be equivalent to be more than 2 and a bit figures, and represents reasonable value. There are a good number of curved slopes and quarter tiles in Block, reddish brown and dark orange, but the set does not necessarily have as much potential as a parts pack, compared with 20496.

I give this set 4 out of 5 arbitrary praise units: the builds, while having some repetitive aspects, are all recognisable; Harry’s glasses made me chuckle. The printed jumpers provide potential to create more Griffindor students as desired.

I am left wondering if a ‘41597: Go Brick Me’ like set providing the four house jumper designs, allowing fans to build themselves, dressed in their house uniform, would be a useful set. But, it is just fanciful thinking.

Dont forget to check out my review of 40496 Voldemort, Nagini and Bellatrix, now live.

What do you think of this set? Day one purchase or questionable parts pack? Why not leave your comments below, and until next time…

Play Well.

This set was provided by the LEGO Group for Review Purposes. All opinions are my own.