This one is definitely something out of the ordinary for LEGO, but good to see. I’m not going to get into the background of this set, but instead will focus on the set itself. If you need some background, I recommend you check out the designer video here.
#40516-1: Everyone is Awesome was released in the US on 5 June 2021. It contains 346 pieces and 11 minifigs. At $34.99 in the US it works out to $0.101 per piece. This is on average for most sets, but you also need to factor in the 11 minifigures in this set.
The box has the 18+ branding with the set on the front and back at different angles. I thought the set would be a little wider given the size of the box, but the pictures on it accurately depict the size of the set. So don’t be fooled like I was.
The set contains 6 parts bags. The instruction booklet came wrapped in plastic. There were also 4 larger white plates included for the base. You also get a piece separator.
There aren’t logical steps to break up the build so I just picked a few spots to stop and take pictures. To start off, you build the base which is made up of white plates. The two layers of plates is really one and then the bottom is a framework just to hold it up. You then start to build the colored wall at the back of the base.
Continuing on, you add the tiles along with some 1x2 plates to the front of the base and then the back is a mix of 1x3 bricks and then 1x2 bricks along with a larger tan brick.
Here is the set with the back wall continuing to go higher. You can see how they build it up with the tan bricks in the center. The tan bricks also help to keep it structurally sound.
Here’s the full set minus the minifigures. The back wall is cool with the different colored stripes and then the curves at the top.
Here’s the final build with the minifigures along with a few others at different angles.. In my mind, the minifigures are the highlight of the set. I think it’s cool to have so many different ones in just a single color. This opens up a lot of possibilities for future builds or other things you can do. Just searching online has shown a lot of different things people have done in this theme.
I think this set is meant as a desk display piece or something like that. I don’t expect to use it as a display piece and will most likely use it for the minifigures. If you aren’t looking to get this as a display piece, then definitely look to get it for the minifigures. I have yet to see it on sale, but maybe as it gets a bit older, it will come down in price at other retailers. What are your thoughts on this one?
Happy building!
