Just a few months after the toy company put out a call for fan-made Lego Pokemon card submissions, the finalists are in – and honestly, I can't decide which one I love more. They certainly give the best Lego sets a run for their money in terms of creativity.
Although more than 750 designs have been submitted so far, only five have been put into the fan vote by Lego. Their popularity will help determine which one becomes an official kit in the not-so-distant future (Lego makes the final call, but takes community preference into consideration), so make sure you get your vote in before the June 11 cutoff if you want your favorite to become a real model you can buy.
The five contenders all take a very different approach, with some creating a 2.5D scene while others opt to have their Pokemon literally leaping through the card. The 'Joltik Charges Up!' set has the electric bug smashing through the top of a card and sending electricity blasting off to the sides, for example, while 'The Mythical Arceus' has the Legendary pocket monster cantering through a hoop in the middle of the card like a prize show dog. The advantage to this latter approach is that both Pokemon can be removed from the frame and displayed separately.
While these are very, very cool (I'm a particular fan of Rowlet leaping out from a riverside scene in 'Rowlet Razor Leaf'), I think my vote has to go to 'Gyarados: Sunset Splash.' It may not be as imaginative as Joltik or as cute as 'A Mew Soaring High,' but it's the one that most looks like a Pokemon card and would likely be the most practical to both make and display.
No matter what's chosen, they'll make a very different kind of model compared to the existing range. The current kits are all supersized figures (even the smallest, Lego Eevee, is several inches long) that sit alone or come with a display stand like the one seen with Lego Pikachu and Poke Ball. By contrast, these feel more at home in Lego's Art range.
Which one are you going to vote for?
- See all Lego Pokemon sets at Lego
For more cool collectibles, don't miss our guides to the best toys or the best Pokemon merch.