Ninjago

Katana 4x4

A snarling 4x4 with a hidden saw blade and five minifigs worth fighting over.

Brick Rated Score

4.2/5

Set 70675 · 2019

Pieces461

Minifigs5

Year2019

Set number70675

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The verdict

The first time I got the shuriken slicer spinning under the belly of this thing, I laughed out loud, it is such an unnecessary, wonderful piece of engineering for a set this size.

This is a genuinely fun build with a vehicle that looks tougher than its part count has any right to, and the minifig lineup alone makes it worth tracking down. I will be straight with you though, at 461 pieces for fifty dollars some builders felt the value math was a little tight compared to other Ninjago vehicles that year. If you love villain minifigs and clever hidden functions, this one earns its spot on the shelf.

Best for: Ninjago collectors who want a stacked villain roster and a vehicle with real desk-toy play value

The full review

What it is

This is one of those Ninjago sets that punches above its size. The Katana 4x4 has this squat, armored stance with a smooth cockpit canopy that genuinely looks like a piece of concept art rather than a kids' truck, and the moment you find the hidden saw blade tucked under the chassis you understand why reviewers kept calling it a standout. It rams, it slices, it stores its own weapons behind the cockpit. For a set built around one vehicle and a handful of bad guys, it has more going on than I expected.

The catch

The honest caveat is value. At $49.99 for 461 pieces, some builders and reviewers at the time felt LEGO was asking a bit much, especially with other Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu vehicles offering more brick for the buck. The functions, while fun, are also fairly simple once you have triggered the slicer and shooters a few times, this is a set you play with in bursts rather than one with deep rebuild potential. And since it retired at the end of 2020, prices on the secondary market have climbed well above what it originally cost, so if you are chasing it now you will pay a premium for the nostalgia.

Who it's for

I would point this set at Ninjago collectors first and foremost. The five minifigures, two of which never appeared anywhere else in boxed form, are the real draw here, and if you are the kind of builder who displays a wall of villains this fills real gaps. If you are shopping purely on parts-per-dollar or want a vehicle with deep rebuilding options, there are better values elsewhere in the theme. But as a shelf piece with personality and a couple of great hidden surprises, it holds up.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Building the Katana 4x4 is a quick, satisfying sit, the frame goes together fast and most of the fun is in watching the shape emerge, that low aggressive stance with the curved side panels clicking into place late in the build. The internal mechanism for the shuriken slicer is the highlight of the whole process, it is a simple gear-and-hinge setup but it is tucked in cleverly enough that it feels like a magic trick once the shell closes around it.

The real value here is in the minifigures rather than any single rare brick. Pyro Whipper and Pyro Slayer were exclusive to this set at launch (Pyro Whipper later turned up in a polybag, but not in boxed form), and Nya FS's tornado spinner and powered-up hood pieces were new molds for June 2019. Kai comes with both silver and gold katanas, and the little brick-built stand for the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu is a nice touch that gives the villain team something to guard on the shelf.

Fun facts

01The set includes the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu accessory, complete with its own small brick-built display stand.
02Nya FS is exclusive to this set and never actually appeared in the Ninjago TV show in this form.
03Pyro Whipper's head print is exclusive to this release, and the character was not sold in boxed form again.
04BrickEconomy tracked the set's value climbing to roughly $89 for new sealed copies, about 77 percent above its original $49.99 retail price, after it retired in December 2020.