Monkie Kid

Monkie Kid's Mini Mech

A pocket-sized monkey mech that punches well above its little size.

Brick Rated Score

3.9/5

Set 80051 · 2024

Pieces557

Minifigs1

Year2024

Set number80051

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The verdict

This is the mini cousin of the giant 80045 Monkey King Ultra Mech, shrunk into something you can actually put on a shelf without redecorating the whole room.

The posability is what won me over, articulated arms, legs and a tail, plus a head that tilts back to show the cockpit. I do wish it came with more than a single minifigure, and the price makes you pause. If you love the Monkie Kid look but never had the space (or the budget) for the big mech, this is the one I'd point you toward.

Best for: Monkie Kid fans who wanted the Ultra Mech but not its size or price

The full review

What it is

The Mini Mech is exactly what the name promises, a scaled-down take on the enormous 80045 Monkey King Ultra Mech, and I mean that as a compliment. That big set is a beautiful thing but it is also a commitment, in wallet and in shelf space. This little version keeps the silhouette I love, the broad shoulders, the monkey-styled head, the swooping flags, and folds it all into a model that measures roughly 22 x 20 x 18 cm and sits happily on a cloud display stand. The first thing I did once I finished was tilt the head back to peek into the cockpit, and that small reveal made me grin. It is the kind of detail that tells you the designers, John Ho and Xiaodong Wen, actually cared.

The catch

Now for the honest bits. This is the first Monkie Kid set at this size to ship with just one minifigure, and I felt that absence. You get Monkie Kid himself and his Golden Staff, which is lovely, but there is no baddie to swing that staff at, and posing a fighter with nobody to fight always feels a little lonely. The price is the other sticking point. At 54.99 dollars for 557 pieces, the maths lands higher per brick than I would like, and a chunk of those pieces go into the posable joints rather than showy detail. It is not a rip-off, but it is not the bargain the smaller footprint might lead you to expect.

Who it's for

So who should bring this home? If you adored the Ultra Mech and simply could not justify its size or cost, this is the set that finally lets you own that look. It is also a great pick for a kid who wants a mech they can actually play with and pose, because those joints are built to move rather than just stand still. I would steer you away if you collect for the minifigures, or if you want a set packed with characters and story scenes, because this one is really about a single striking figure. Come for the mech, stay for the poses, and go in knowing you are paying a little extra for the privilege.

The parts story

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

The build itself is a pleasant hour to two hours, and it never gets fiddly enough to frustrate a younger builder while still keeping an adult engaged. Most of the interest is in the limbs, because getting all that articulation to hold a pose means a fair bit of joint work through the arms, legs and that expressive tail. There is a satisfying moment near the end when the flags and head come together and the loose collection of parts suddenly reads as a proper monkey warrior.

The standout element is the printed Golden Staff, an instantly recognisable prop that anchors every action pose, and there is a generous scattering of pearl-gold and warm accent parts that give the finished mech a richer look than the piece count suggests. The cloud display stand is a clever little sub-build too, using curved and rounded pieces to fake that floating-on-a-cloud effect from the show. None of it is groundbreaking parts-wise, but the colour palette is where your money quietly goes, and it shows on the shelf.

Fun facts

01This is the first Monkie Kid set of its size to include only a single minifigure, excluding polybags.
02It is a scaled-down interpretation of the much larger 80045 Monkey King Ultra Mech.
03It was designed by LEGO's John Ho and Xiaodong Wen and launched at the start of 2024.
04The mech's head tilts back to reveal a cockpit, and the whole figure poses on a buildable cloud stand.